20th Pollstar Awards

The CIC 2009 get-together is history, and with the Super Bowl now out of the way, there’s no time like the present to recap some highlights of the conference and the 20th Pollstar Concert Industry Awards.

Click HERE for photos from the event.

Click HERE to see the winners of this year’s awards.

The list of winners is already posted. But that alone can’t really convey the sights, sounds and, in some cases, smells of the evening, which started at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live and ended across the court at Club Nokia where a DJ had the party rockin’ till well after midnight.

Host Jeff Garcia learned quickly that he wasn’t the only one in the room who might be asked to produce a green card. Australian promoter Michael Chugg repeatedly let him know, mid-monologue, that he was “an Ozzy.”

And Chuggie remained Garcia’s good-natured foil the rest of the night. So it was only fitting that presenters Carmine Appice and Kathy Sledge called Chugg’s name as International Promoter of the Year.

He might have packed Garcia in his luggage for the flight back Downunder if the discussion on the Club Nokia patio was any indication. Somebody might want to check in on the host.

The show kicked off with a high-energy set from The Sweet, recently re-formed and tearing into “Fox on the Run,” “Love Is Like Oxygen,” and “Ballroom Blitz.”

Matthew Nelson (sans brother Gunnar), who handed out the first gongs of the night, joked about appearing as “Half-Nelson.” He was followed by former Guns N’ Roses drummer and “Celebrity Rehab” inmate Steven Adler and surf-rock guitarist Gary Hoey.

R.E.O. Speedwagon singer Kevin Cronin accepted the Personal Manager of the Year award on behalf of Irving Azoff, regaling the crowd with tales of youthful exploits with Ticketmaster Entertainment’s now-CEO.

Davy Jones, the crush object of a nation of late-1960’s tweens, provided some prop comedy by bringing out a rusted washtub to stand on in order to reach the podium mic before giving way to Yngwie Malmsteen and the irrepressible Bonnie Pointer.

Ms. Pointer later took over the dance floor at Club Nokia, grabbing unsuspecting Pollstar photo-taggers and other random folks for quick spins – she was, without question, the life of the party.

The duo of Pat Travers and Judy Tenuta was another hit at the awards presentations. He could have another career as a straight man, and she was her kooky diva-esque best in pink.

Mary Wilson of The Supremes reminded the crowd of Motown’s 50th anniversary, and belted a few bars of “Stop In The Name Of Love” before making her presentation with former Yankee and current jazz star Bernie Williams.

The evening was capped with the awards for Arena and Major Tour Of The Year, and nobody hassled the Hoff as David Hasselfhoff took the podium to make the presentations. One observation from the crowd: As easily the tallest presenter, he should have been paired with Davy Jones.

With the formalities complete, newly named L.A. Live GM Lee Zeidman swung open the doors to the new Grammy Museum just downstairs from the party destination of Club Nokia, to allow party-goers a private tour of the impressive collection and glimpse of music history.

But upstairs, the music was thumpin’, the booze was flowing and the food was plentiful. Many of the presenters mingled with guests to end the evening and put the final cherry on the cake that was CIC 2009.