Live Nation Acquires Australia’s Face To Face Touring

Live Nation acquired Australian independent tour and festival promoter Face To Face Touring, it announced Dec. 12.

It is its latest acquisition Down Under, following taking majority stakes in Secret Sounds whose flagship events are Splendour In The Grass and Falls Festival), and Perth-based Mellen Events.

The latest alliance gives LN a greater inroad to regional areas.

Face To Face came into being in September 2023, following the merger of John Zaccaria’s Perth-based Zaccaria Concerts and Touring and Duane McDonald’s Regional Touring Event Enterprises which is based in Ballarat, in regional Victoria.

Both companies emerged about 2006, and established themselves taking household names to entertainment-starved regional audiences with brands as Red Hot Summer, SummerSalt, By The C, Castaway, Live in The Vines, One Electric Day, Sydney Spiegeltent and Lookout which together draw an estimated 400,000 a year.

Their bills included Jimmy Barnes, Cold Chisel, John Farnham, ICEHOUSE, Tame Impala, RUFUS DU SOL, Hunters & Collectors Tina Arena, The Cat Empire, John Butler, The Teskey Brothers, Missy Higgins, Paul Kelly, Birds of Tokyo and Bernard Fanning.

The LN alliance signifies greater access to international acts. The Face To Face website shows upcoming tours by Queens of the Stone Age Live, Incubus, Simple Minds, UB40, Cheap Trick and Suzi Quatro.

“By bringing together our companies to form Face to Face Touring we are creating a strong platform for growth,” said John Zaccaria.

“Our combined brands and businesses mean increased scale and relevance both in Australia and internationally. 

“We have massive respect for Duane and what he has achieved with the Red Hot Summer brand and really look forward to working together as we integrate the two companies into one. 

“By teaming up with Live Nation, we are poised for even greater expansion with the ability to create something truly amazing and magical for artist and fans all over Australia.”

Duane McDonald added, “We are thrilled with the unique opportunities this partnership will create for fans, as well as our employees, contractors, and business partners. 

“There will continue to be a strong focus on delivering the high quality of artists and concert experiences that fans love, with the backing of the world’s leading promoter and live entertainment company.”