Lieberberg Nets LEA Double

Well-known German promoter Marek Lieberberg scored twice at his country’s Live Entertainment Awards Feb. 26, winning best promoter and the best festival prize he feels he should have won two years ago.

In 2007 Lieberberg stormed out of the LEA ceremony at Hamburg Batpit after Rock Am Ring failed to win best festival.

He complained about the result and referred to the awards as “golden pineapples,” although his Frankfurt-based company still won best promoter.

This year the LEA judges decided Rock Am Ring was the best of last year’s festivals and that Lieberberg is top promoter for the third year in succession. His 2008 tours included Madonna, Coldplay and Linkin Park.

The other double winner was another Frankfurt-based promoter, Hermjo Klein of ACE Entertainment. He won best arena tour for Howard Carpendale’s comeback and the “jury prize” for Udo Lindenberg comeback shows.

The other winners at Hamburg Colorline Arena included Andreas ‘Bar’ Läsker (best artist manager), who’s now furthering his fame as a jury member on “Deutschland sucht den Superstar,” the German version of “Pop Idol.”

Classical events organiser Witiko Adler won the lifetime achievement award, Mario Mendrzycki’s Triple M Entertainment was agency of the year, Scumeck Sabottka’s MCT won concert of the year for Radiohead at Berlin Kindl-Bühne Wuhlheide, and Mannheim SAP Arena was best venue.

Club venue of the year went to Hamburg Uebel & Gefährlich.