Concerts West

Concerts West
source
Name	Concerts West
Type	Private
Industry	Live music promotion
Founded	1950s
Founder	Herbert "Burt" Harrison
Headquarters	Los Angeles, California
Area served	United States, Canada, Mexico
Key people	Don Barlow; Randy Parsons; Paul Tollett
Products	Concert promotion, tour production, venue booking
Fate	Acquired/merged (1980s–1990s evolution)

Concerts West was a prominent American concert promotion and touring company that operated primarily on the West Coast and across North America from the mid‑20th century into the late 20th century. The company organized tours, managed bookings for arenas and theaters, and promoted appearances by major popular music, jazz, and classical artists, interfacing with agents, managers, and record labels. Over decades it played a role in the careers of stars, the operations of venues, and the evolution of live entertainment business practices in the United States and beyond.

History

The corporation grew from regional promoters active in the post‑war entertainment boom, linking to networks that included Bill Graham's operations, AEG Presents precursors, and earlier firms associated with Live Nation's antecedents. Founding figures had backgrounds working with promoters for acts like Frank Sinatra, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and later rock acts such as The Rolling Stones and The Beatles when North American touring logistics expanded. During the 1960s and 1970s the company negotiated with owners of venues like Hollywood Bowl, Madison Square Garden, and regional amphitheaters that hosted tours by Elvis Presley, The Beach Boys, and The Who. Corporate consolidation in the 1980s and 1990s brought interactions with conglomerates connected to Clear Channel Communications deals and executives who later worked with entities tied to Ticketmaster and major corporate mergers. The firm's timeline intersects with shifting touring economics exemplified by landmark tours such as Michael Jackson's and U2's stadium campaigns, as well as festival circuits including Woodstock-style events and regional fairs.

Artists and Tours

Promoted rosters and routed tours encompassed diverse genres: popular music icons like Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, and Madonna; jazz and standards figures such as Count Basie, Sarah Vaughan, and Dizzy Gillespie; country and folk stars represented by tours of Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, and Joan Baez; and classical residencies featuring ensembles like the Los Angeles Philharmonic and soloists such as Itzhak Perlman. The company coordinated multi‑leg tours that required coordination with booking agencies including William Morris Agency, CAA (Creative Artists Agency), and independent agents representing acts like Prince and David Bowie. High‑profile tours promoted through the network often involved logistics similar to those of major stadium runs by The Beatles in their later anthology releases, crossover packaging with television appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show style programs, and tie‑ins with record label promotion from entities like Capitol Records and Columbia Records.

Business Operations and Management

Operationally, the firm managed routing, ticketing partnerships (working alongside companies later consolidated into Ticketmaster), stage production suppliers used by technicians familiar with union rules from IATSE, and negotiations with labor organizations such as AFM (American Federation of Musicians). Executive leadership included promoters with ties to West Coast entertainment circles and collaborators who later moved to firms that merged into larger national promoters. Financial structuring mirrored industry trends involving corporate acquisitions similar in pattern to moves by Clear Channel Entertainment and later Live Nation Entertainment strategies, adapting to shifting revenue models that emphasized merchandise, sponsorships with brands akin to PepsiCo and Coca‑Cola, and broadcast partnerships with networks in the vein of MTV and NBC specials.

Venues and Regional Impact

The promoter maintained relationships with landmark venues across California, the Pacific Northwest, the Southwest, and western Canada, affecting programming at locations comparable to Shrine Auditorium, Greek Theatre (Los Angeles), Oracle Park (formerly Pacific Bell Park), and regional arenas in Seattle, Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver (British Columbia). Regional festival circuits and summer amphitheater seasons benefited from the company’s routing choices, contributing to tourism flows similar to those generated by events like the Newport Jazz Festival and state fair concert series. Local economies experienced multiplier effects through hotel bookings, restaurant activity, and ancillary commerce, similar to documented impacts from major festivals such as Coachella and SXSW.

Controversies and Legal Issues

Like many large promoters, the enterprise faced disputes over ticketing, artist payouts, guarantee structures, and venue contracts, echoing legal battles that involved firms such as Ticketmaster and litigation trends seen in cases involving Prince's contract disputes and venue liability suits brought after incidents like the Altamont Free Concert. Regulatory scrutiny paralleled antitrust concerns raised during consolidation moves by companies related to Clear Channel Communications, and class actions over fee disclosures later associated with the broader ticketing industry. Contracts with municipal venue operators and labor negotiations occasionally resulted in arbitration or civil suits referencing precedent from entertainment law involving entities like William Morris Agency and unions such as AFM.

Category:Concert promoters