Australasia News: P!NK Off To Strong Start, Ed Sheeran Sets Another Record, Michael McMartin Honored; NZ: Harry Styles Embraces Maori Culture

AUSTRALIA

P!NK’s Summer Carnival Off To Strong Start

Within a week of going on the market, P!NK’s “Summer Carnival 2024 Tour” equaled her previous ticket sales.

Live Nation added third dates each at the 55,000 seat Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, the 83,500-seat Accor Stadium in Sydney as well as the 52,500-seat Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane where she became first female artist to sell out three shows.

This brought the amount of shows on the 2024 run so far to 14, staged Feb. 9 to March 19, and total sales are over 550,000, according to Live Nation.

In 2018, she shifted 559,361 tix at 42 shows, grossing A$80.3 ($52.8) million.

A 2013 run of 46 shows generated A$72.7 ($47.8) million from 593,817 stubs. The 2009 visit with 59 shows, shifted 669,824 tix grossing A$55.4 ($36.4) million.

By 2018 P!NK sold 2 million tix Down Under, and confirmed as second highest grossing touring act in Australia with A$228 ($150.1) million after The Rolling Stones’ A$429.8 ($283) million.

Ed Sheeran Sets Record For Aussie State

Ed Sheeran set an all-time attendance in Western Australia after drawing 75,000 to Optus Stadium in Perth, Frontier Touring said.

The March 12 show marked the finale of the 13-date Australian and New Zealand
“Mathematics Tour” saw 700 bus and train services added, and the venue adding extras to its full roster of 1,700 staff.

It beat Adele’s 65,000 milestone from 2017 and Sheeran’s own 120,000 over two nights a year later.

Sheeran earlier trumped the national attendance record at a ticketed concert with 215,000 over two nights at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Michael McMartin Receives Legacy Award

Michael McMartin, whose Melody Management repped the Hoodoo Gurus since 1985, will get the Legacy honor at the AAM (Association of Artist Managers) awards April 27 in Sydney.

McMartin was founding member of the Music Managers’ Forum Australia, co-founder of the International Music Managers Forum for which he was chair and executive director for a decade, helped set up the AAM 2007, and awarded the Order of Australia 2015 for his contributions.

McMartin requested the AAM create an annual bursary, the Patron’s Gift, to aid an emerging manager in their “exciting but extremely difficult career path.”

NEW ZEALAND

Acclaim For Harry Styles For Maori Embrace

In the country to play to 47,000 at Auckland’s Mt. Smart Stadium, Harry Styles won kudos for embracing the local indigenous Māori culture.

Before the show, he was given a traditional welcome (rōpū) and met with a performing arts troupe during which he performed the 1950s folk song “Tūtira Mai Ngā Iwi” (“Stand Together People”).

He reprised it during the concert as the crowd erupted and later danced with the Māori flag borrowed from an audience member.