Tara Traub

Senior Vice President Of Touring – Live Nation

– Tara Traub

It’s no surprise that Tara Traub, SVP of touring at Live Nation, points to “being a part of Mrs. Obama’s ‘Becoming’ journey” as one of her greatest accomplishments over the last year. After all, it’s not every day that you have the opportunity to transform a book tour, which would typically take place at bookstores or smaller venues, into an arena-sized excursion, starring the beloved former First Lady Michelle Obama, to boot.

The “Becoming: An Intimate Conversation with Michelle Obama Tour” in support of the former first lady’s memoir launched with stops at 10 U.S. arenas in late 2018 and was followed by another run of dates in North America, as well as arena shows in Europe, in 2019, with an average of 11,486 tickets sold and an average gross of more than $1.2 million, according to Pollstar Boxoffice reports.

“Live Nation was so honored to promote her incredible tour, and to help spread her messages of perseverance, graciousness, inclusivity and much more to a country hungry for hope,” Traub says.

Traub, who joined Live Nation as an intern in 2002, booked 210 shows in the past year, with clients including Obama, Hootie & The Blowfish, Kacey Musgraves, and former President Bill Clinton & Secretary Hillary Clinton, to name a few.

She attributes her success in the business to asking a “ton” of questions and continuing to learn from her peers and mentors, which includes fellow Women Of Live nominee Lesley Olenik (who she praises for her “her ability to relate to artists and she’s a bad b*tch”).

She also noted Live Nation senior VP of touring Brad Wavra, whom she calls her role model for being “the best promoter in the business” and teaching her the difference between being a true promoter versus a talent buyer.

Traub also credits her “obsessive attention to detail and unwillingness to settle for anything less than perfect for my clients.”

Hot Takes

Your first show and favorite show of all time?
My first show was The Beach Boys & Chicago at Pine Knob (July 14, 1989).  One of my favorite shows was Adele at Park West in Chicago in 2009.

New technology you use most?
Instacart

Where can you be found during a show?
Ten minutes before every show, I go up to the last rows of the upper level to find fans that deserve to be upgraded and bring them down to better seats.

Who would you nominate for this list and why?
Lesley Olenik – her ability to relate to artists, and she’s a bad b*tch.