Pollstar, a leading touring music trade publication, is returning to Club Nokia at the LA Live complex in Los Angeles, CA, for its 2008 industry award ceremony on January 30, 2009. The annual Pollstar Awards, now entering their 20th year, include 32 categories that honor touring acts, promoters, agents, managers, venues and production companies, who are voted on by their peers.

Nominees are selected from the votes of 100 industry members who cannot submit or vote for their own clients, and the winners are voted for by Pollstar subscribers. This year, all voting will be done online. The Billboard Awards, on the other hand, are mostly decided objectively by the yearly box office results.

AC/DC, Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Coldplay, Kenny Chesney and Madonna were deemed the best tours of 2008. Additionally, various industry constituents and companies associated with those tours also received nominations.

Interestingly, New York’s Beacon Theatre, a multiple-year Pollstar Award-winner and nominee for 2008 Theatre of the Year, was only open for six months this year, January 17 through July 19, before closing for renovations.

The 2008 nominees for select categories are listed below.

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2008 Pollstar Award Nominees:
(Select categories only.)

Major Tour of the Year: AC/DC, Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Coldplay, Kenny Chesney, Madonna

Most Creative Tour Package: Jay-Z / Mary J. Blige, Journey / Heart / Cheap Trick, Keith Urban / Carrie Underwood, Mayhem Festival: Slipknot / Disturbed, Reba McEntire / Kelly Clarkson, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss

Most Creative Stage Production: AC/DC, Kanye West, Madonna, Nine Inch Nails, Rascal Flatts, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Walking With Dinosaurs

Best New Touring Artist: Duffy, Jonas Brothers, Katy Perry, Sara Bareilles

Music Festival of the Year (non-touring): Austin City Limits Festival (Austin, TX), Bonnaroo Music Festival (Manchester, TN), Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival (Indio, CA), Hardly Strictly Bluegrass (San Francisco, CA), Lollapalooza Festival (Chicago, IL), Rothbury Festival (Rothbury, MI), Virgin Festival (Baltimore, MD)

International Music Festival of the Year: Glastonbury Festival (UK), Reading / Leeds Festival (UK), Rock am Ring / Rock am Park (Germany), Rock Werchter (Belgium), Summer Sonic (Japan), Wacken Open Air (Germany)

Nightclub of the Year: 9:30 Club (Washington, DC), Club Nokia (Los Angeles, CA),
Commodore Ballroom (Vancouver, BC), House Of Blues (Dallas, TX), The Pageant (St. Louis, MO)

Theatre of the Year: Beacon Theatre (New York, NY), Chicago Theatre (Chicago, IL), Fox Theatre (Atlanta, GA),Nokia Theatre L.A. Live (Los Angeles, CA,) Radio City Music Hall (New York, NY), Ruth Eckerd Hall (Clearwater, FL), Ryman Auditorium (Nashville, TN)

Best New Major Concert Venue: BOK Center (Tulsa, OK), Club Nokia (Los Angeles, CA), House Of Blues (Houston, TX), Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre At Encore Park (Alpharetta, GA)

Red Rocks Award for Small Outdoor Venue: Chastain Park Amphitheatre (Atlanta, GA), Filene Center At Wolf Trap (Vienna, VA), Greek Theatre (Berkeley, CA), Greek Theatre (Los Angeles, CA), St. Augustine Amphitheatre (Saint Augustine, FL)

Best Major Outdoor Concert Venue: Hollywood Bowl (Hollywood, CA), The Gorge (Quincy, WA), Nikon At Jones Beach Theatre (Wantagh, NY), Nissan Pavilion At Stone Ridge (Bristow, VA), Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre At Encore Park (Alpharetta, GA)

Arena of the Year: American Airlines Center (Dallas, TX), BankAtlantic Center (Sunrise, FL), Madison Square Garden Arena (New York, NY), Palace Of Auburn Hills (Auburn Hills, MI), Sommet Center (Nashville, TN), Sprint Center (Kansas City, MO), Staples Center (Los Angeles, CA), Xcel Energy Center (Saint Paul, MN)

International Theatre of the Year: Apollo Hammersmith (London, UK), Auditorio Nacional (Mexico City, MEX), Auditorio Telmex (Guadalajara, MEX), The Bridgewater Hall (Manchester, UK), Olympia (Paris, FRA), Royal Albert Hall (London, UK)

International Arena of the Year: Bercy (Paris, FRA), Manchester Evening News Arena (Manchester, UK), O2 Arena (London, UK), O2 World (Berlin, GER), Wembley Arena (London, UK)

Independent Promoter of the Year: Bill Rogers (BRE Presents), Bill Silva (Bill Silva Presents), Don Fox (Beaver Productions), John Ruffino (Red Mountain Entertainment), Mike Thrasher (Mike Thrasher Presents), Seth Hurwitz (I.M.P.), Sue McLean (Sue McLean & Associates)

Facility Executive of the Year: Brenda Tinnen (Sprint Center, Kansas City, MO), Hugh Lombardi (Sommet Center, Nashville, TN), John Bolton (BOK Center, Tulsa, OK), Lee Zeidman (Staples Ctr., Nokia Theatre L.A. Live, Los Angeles, CA), Michael Marion (Alltel Arena, North Little Rock, AR), Ron VanDeVeen (Meadowlands, East Rutherford, NJ)

Bill Graham Award for Promoter of the Year: Charles Attal (C3 Presents), Gregg Perloff (Another Planet Entertainment) Jim Glancy (The Bowery Presents), Michael Smardak (Outback Concerts), Paul Tollett (Goldenvoice), Rick Mueller (Live Nation – Los Angeles)

International Promoter of the Year: Herman Schueremans (Live Nation – Belgium), Marek Lieberberg (Marek Lieberberg Konzertagentur – Germany), Michael Chugg (Chugg Entertainment – Australia), Peter Aiken (Aiken Promotions -Ireland), Phil Bowdery (Live Nation – UK), Rob Hallett (AEG Live – UK), Simon Moran (SJM Concerts – UK)

Personal Manager of the Year: Bill Silva (Jason Mraz), Coran Capshaw (Dave Matthews Band), Irving Azoff (Eagles, et al.), Jared Paul (New Kids On The Block), John Silva (Beck, Foo Fighters), Jon Landau (Bruce Springsteen), Paul Korzilius (Bon Jovi)

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