Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, Kenny Chesney and Miley Cyrus were among the big winners at the fifth annual Billboard Touring Awards, held tonight (Nov. 20) at the Roosevelt Hotel ballroom in New York.
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Springsteen and his band picked up the Top Tour and Top Draw awards for their Magic tour, and longtime Springsteen manager Jon Landau Management was named Top Manager.
Chesney claimed the Top Package award for the fourth time, and Miley Cyrus was named Breakthrough Act. Spice Girls rang up the Top Boxscore for their 17-show stand at the O2 Arena. Most Billboard Touring Awards are based on actual data reported to Billboard Boxscore for the period of Oct. 1, 2007, through Sept. 30, 2008.
Among the special awards, Jonas Brothers and Burger King received the Concert Marketing & Promotion Award for their partnership on the Burning Up tour, an award determined by more than 100,000 online votes. Additionally, Widespread Panic received the first-ever Road Warrior award and the Allman Brothers Band were named Legend of Live. Walking With Dinosaurs — the Live Experience was this year’s Creative Content winner, and Bon Jovi was given the Humanitarian Award for his work with the Philadelphia Soul Charitable Foundation.
Allman Brothers Band leader Gregg Allman saluted his late brother Duane, who died in 1971. “It happens to be today would have been his 62nd birthday and I’m sure he’s looking down and this and is really proud of us,” he said. “We’ll keep coming back until we can’t come back no more.”
“We’ve been able for 40 years now to go out and have fun — an unbelievable amount of fun and enjoyment and spiritual gratification,” said drummer Butch Trucks. “The last few years has probably been more fun than ever. I leave the stage every night and say, I’d pay you to let me do that!”
The Top Comedy Tour award went to Katt Williams, and the first-ever Eventful Fans’ Choice Award, determined by fan voting, went to Chesney.
On the business side, the Comcast Center in Mansfield, Mass., was again named Top Amphitheater, and House Of Blues Dallas won Top Club. Live Nation was the awards’ Top Promoter, Jam Productions of Chicago Top Independent Promoter (U.S.), and 3A Entertainment Top Independent Promoter (International). Creative Artists Agency received Top Agency honors.
Madison Square Garden took home the Top Arena award for the fifth consecutive year. Other venue winners include the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, and Radio City Music Hall in New York. Bonnaroo in Manchester, Tenn., picked up its fourth Top Festival award.
The Touring Awards wrapped the fifth annual Billboard Touring Conference.