2023 Women Of Live: Allison McGregor

Head of Music Tour Marketing | CAA

One could be forgiven if they think that an artist like Harry Styles practically markets himself – the British superstar has been selling out major venues since he was a performer with One Direction and, in 2022, swept through a series of groundbreaking residencies including 15 shows in August and September at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

Allison McGregor, CAA’s head of music tour marketing, led the team behind Styles’ “Love On Tour” outing, which launched shortly after his jaw-dropping Coachella headline performance. After a run through Europe, Styles welcomed more than a a quarter-million partygoers to “Harry’s House” at Madison Square Garden and grossed more than $63 million between Aug. 20 and Sept 21 before moving on to residencies at Moody Center in Austin, Texas (six shows), United Center in Chicago (six shows) and the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California (15 shows).

“Being involved with Harry Styles’ ‘Love On Tour’ was an amazing part of the last 12 months – being able to be a part of bringing to life residencies in New York and LA was very special for all of us behind the scenes as well as the fans who got to come to all of the shows,” McGregor says of the experience.

Not only was “Love On Tour” lucrative, but showed extended arena residencies in major markets could be done, and exceptionally well. Finding creative new ways of connecting artists to fans is McGregor’s strength, and challenge.

“Bringing live music to people in these challenging times is why I have always done this – the joy of seeing your favorite performer on stage is what makes it all worthwhile,” she says. “On the challenge side, it’s about being able to break through the clutter and find the audience for that performer – finding new ways to do that is what keeps me going.”

McGregor had help along the way, citing CAA’s Carole Kinzel as mentor long before they became colleagues. “Her passion for the clients she works with has definitely been something I’ve strived to replicate. I always tell the younger agents that the best advice I can give them is to truly listen to what is being said – all the answers are there; you just have to hear them.”