TEG acquires Sydney boutique promoter and events company Handsome Tours

February 10, 2021

TEG has today announced the acquisition of a majority stake of Sydney-based boutique tour and events promoter Handsome Tours.

Specialising in breaking alt-pop, indie rock and hip-hop acts in Australia and New Zealand for more than 20 years, Handsome Tours has promoted tours for artists including Gang Of Youths, Stormzy, Bon Iver, The xx, Phoebe Bridgers, Freddie Gibbs, Middle Kids, The War On Drugs, AJ Tracey, The National, Fontaines D.C, Jamie xx and Dave.

Handsome’s recent landmarks include Gang Of Youths’ ‘Say Yes To Life’ tour, which sold over 50,000 tickets and broke venue records across the country, as well as 2020’s ‘Down To Earth - A Bushfire and Climate Fundraiser’ at Sidney Myer Music Bowl, which raised over $1.4 million for bushfire relief with a line-up including Gang Of Youths, Tash Sultana, Angus & Julia Stone and Thelma Plum.

Thrilled to have Handsome Tours as part of the TEG family, TEG Chief Executive, Geoff Jones stated “time and time again, Handsome Tours have showcased their ability to discover new talent and nurture it from the tiniest of clubs to sold out theatres and arenas. The team’s passionate work ethic and artist-first philosophy is the perfect complement to TEG’s integrated model, built on client-first technology solutions and customer-first ticketing services.”

Handsome Tours’ executives Mark Dodds and Colin Daniels will remain partners in the venture, with Dodds continuing as the company’s Managing Director while Colin Daniels will assume the role of Executive Director in conjunction with his continued responsibilities as Managing Director of Inertia Music/[PIAS] Australia.

Dodds commented “we couldn’t be more excited to be partnering with TEG to write the next chapter for Handsome Tours.

Handsome has always been known for breaking artists but we’re even prouder of our record of contributing to sustained artist careers. Belonging to a world-class group like TEG will empower us to speak to more music-lovers in more sophisticated ways than ever before, delivering bigger outcomes for agents, managers and their talent at every point of an act’s journey.”

Handsome will bid farewell to founding partners Ashley Sellers, Mat Everett and Justin Cosby who will be replaced as board members by Geoff Jones and TEG Chief Financial Officer Sandra Rouse.

Mat Everett founded Handsome Tours in 1999 at Melbourne’s Corner Hotel, growing it into Australia’s leading boutique promoter through tours with Interpol, Bon Iver, The Shins and Band Of Horses.

Image: Handsome Tours Colin Daniels (left) and Mark Dodds. Credit: TEG.

13th January 2021 - Cameron Stone appointed as TEG Chief Technology Officer

16th December 2020 - Coronavirus halted booming year for Australia’s live music sector

6th November 2020 - Major Promoters commit to Australian Festival Association initiative to revitalise the sector

23rd October 2020 - Survey shows over 400 Australian Live Music Businesses face imminent closure

22nd October 2020 - Festival promoters call for Federal Government insurance scheme

16th October 2020 - TEG allies with Empire Touring to produce Australia-wide tours and events

14th October 2020 - Live entertainment industry counts the cost of COVID

14th October 2020 - Industry comes together to assess impact of COVID-19 on the events and entertainment industry

8th October 2020 - Live music venues in NSW unite as part of Save Our Stages campaign

20th September 2020 - Live music venues to benefit industry from $13 million Victorian Government support package

2nd September 2020 - TEG restructures management team for long-term global expansion

12th August 2020 - Australia’s Chief Medical Officer says ‘high risk’ live music events are still a long way off

28th July 2020 - Ticketek New Zealand to offer Afterpay service to consumers

22nd July 2020 - Live Entertainment Industry Forum applauds Australian Government’s JobKeeper extension

17th June 2020 - TEG looks to UK expansion with acquisition of struggling venues and Ticketek launch

10th June 2020 - Australian music industry issues ‘SOS’ to Government

20th May 2020 - TEG appoints Matthew Donazzan as head of strategy, mergers and acquisitions

28th March 2020 - Major entertainment promoters call for Australian Government support through Coronavirus crisis

24th February 2020 - TEG welcomes the Van Egmond Group

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