LEONARD IS TOP 10 and not no.44. Pollstar has it wrong!

[casterbridgecohen]

I wonder if many people checked the Pollstar pdf that had the details of how they calculated Leonard was the 44th highest grossing tour act of 2009.

When I saw the headline I immediately thought it had to understate the situation as Leonard has consistently played to large crowds throughout the year.

Look at the following:

Pollstar state that leonard was ranked 44th with $21.3m ticket sales.

I have no problem with the average ticket price listed in their calculations at $100.95 nor the average attendance at 4,912 nor the average concert 'take' of $495,888.

However the total attendance of 211,228 is quite patently wrong! I went to a fair number of the concerts last year and there were 48,000 in Israel, circa 12,000 at Barcelona and aproaching 10,000 if not more at San Jose.

The poll has only allowed for 43 concerts in 2009 and I think the correct number is around 103 so I can only assume that perhaps this ranking refers to North American concerts only?

Either the list is plain incorrect due to an omission or it is restricted to North American concerts. If the latter I quite accept that other artists who have performed worldwide will have been similarly 'penalised' or understated but given the number of major venues where Leonard performed throughout Europe and Australasia to very large crowds I think we can safely assume that Leonard was in the top 15 grossing acts worldwide if not the top ten.

For whats its worth Robert Kory told me the latest figures that he had seen since the tour began was 800,000 which would accord with circa 500,000 for 2009 and not 211,228 as Pollstar indicates.

But most importantly of all...............whatever the gate the unprecedented success of this tour which has morphed from small venues in Eastern Canada to a neverending World Tour paying to sellout crowds in some of the largest and unique venues throughout the world has ensured it will quite genuinely be accorded legendary status when the history of Rock and Roll and Popular music is next updated.

And no Pollstar table will tell you that this is a legendary tour wherever Leonard is ranked - to understand that you must read the reviews or attend the concerts.

Without a doubt what we have been privilaged to attend over the last 21 months is quite simply unique and unprecedented.

[199Dan]

Wow !
Glad I was one of the many to enjoy Our Man, Leonard !
We all know LC is Top Ten .
Thanks for the music, Mr. Cohen

[GBY]

Our Man is TOP 1 .. no matter what Pollstar says ....
We are so fortunate to live in his lifetime ....
Debbie / GBY

[GBY]

Hi .. Help Please ...

Can anyone please tell me, in advance, how to purchase tickets for the Moscow concert (when they go on sale), or for any European concert --- I've never done purchased from here (U.S.) and want to go attend LC's Moscow concert.

Thank you to anyone who might be able to guide me here.

Debbie / GBY

[LisaLCFan]

Hi .. Help Please ...

Can anyone please tell me, in advance, how to purchase tickets for the Moscow concert (when they go on sale), or for any European concert --- I've never done purchased from here (U.S.) and want to go attend LC's Moscow concert.

Thank you to anyone who might be able to guide me here.

Debbie / GBY

Hi,

Click on this link, it will take you to the tour and concert info, updates and discussions:

viewforum.php?f=44

(The "Tour 2010" section (where this link takes you) is found second from the top on the main Board Index page.)

Good luck, and cheers!
Lisa

[GBY]

Hi Lisa,

Thank you so much for responding. I'll try doing what you've suggested.

-- May have to get my tech team involved : )

Take care ...
Debbie (GBY)

[LEONKA]

It is strange that Pollstar takes into account only concerts in America and not in the world. I can not believe it.
Then it distorts the actual results. Let him write what they want anyway, Leonard is our No. 1 man.

[honeyrose]

Pollstar is definitely North America only. Probably to do with the way they collect and licence access to their data. Also maybe the US tendency to think only the US market really counts, as it is so huge where the majority of artists are concerned.

[casterbridgecohen]

Thanks for clarifying that Honeyrose.

I note your comments re Americans with interest and a wry smile.

My company employs 50 staff, has an office where 24 work in Virginia and 70% of our t/o comes from the USA. I think I have visited and lectured in 46 of the 50 states so I probably know the States as well as any foreigner/outsider.

I often retell the following story which I heard many years ago

Most Americans think the world extends from their Eastern State border to their Western State border. However the really knowledgable ones understand that their is life beyond their state and the world truly extends from Los Angeles in the west to New York in the East! Very few have any idea that there is life beyond this!

OK - there are a few genereralisations in there but it often a concern to non Americans that America has so much power and influence in the world when it is such an insular country.

I will try and avoid politicizing with a lament about the influence America's Religious Right indirectly exerts on the rest of the world but I do sleep soundly at night knowing I have devoted most of my working life to encouraging and facilitating young people at a formative age to travel and expose themselves to alternative cultures and ways of life. The fact that most of these kids are young Americans can only be for the good.

And I would love to see a Pollstar type analysis of Concert Gross Sales worldwide as I know Leonard would be ranked a lot lot higher