TV TOURING,
a division of Chugg Entertainment TV Division
TV TOURING, a division of Chugg Entertainment, is about taking television brands to live audiences. A newly developed division of the internationally successful Chugg Entertainment brand has now diversified and is focused on building television properties in production, new media and live touring.
We are an experienced team of entertainment professionals from all areas of the entertainment business from television to touring and promotion. We are looking for strategic, long term business partners to invest and develop television properties be it for the broadcast, new media or the live markets.
With diversity and relationships a key value for our business, Chugg has been involved in a variety of high profile projects. Here are a few of the long list of examples:-
Music Touring– a long list of international and local bands and artists as well as developing break through artists – Robbie Williams, ACDC, Brookes and Dunne, Elton John, Keith Urban, Taylor Swift.
Charity Events– From Wave Aid ( Tsunami Relief), Live Earth ( environmental concert series) to Sound Relief ( Victorian Bushfires)
TV / Film to Live– Cesar Millan Live ( from the Dog Whisperer), Long Way To The Top, Priscilla Queen of the Desert ( currently playing in London’s Westend), World Dog Games ( original live concept integrated across TV and Live)
New Media– Pearl Jam TV- webisodes detailing Pearl Jams concert in Australia.
WHO WE ARE
MICHAEL CHUGG, AM
Michael Chugg is one of the most recognisable and respected characters in Australia’s entertainment industry. His reputation is built not solely on his career as a promoter and businessman, but equally as a committed philanthropist and humanitarian. In 1998 Michael was awarded the A.M. (Member of the Order of Australia) in the Queen's Birthday Honours List for his services to music and the performing arts.
In 1999, following 25 successful years with Frontier Touring Company, promoting over a hundred of the biggest international acts in Australia, including Frank Sinatra, Liza Minnelli and Sammy Davis Jr, Bon Jovi, Billy Joel, Madonna, Sting and Pearl Jam, Michael formed his own independent company. One of Chugg Entertainment’s early high-profile successes was co-producing the Opening and Closing ceremonies of the 2000 Paralympic Games in Sydney.
Chugg Entertainment has firmly established Michael Chugg as one of the world’s most successful promoters. He has not only promoted some of the biggest concerts in Australia and New Zealand, but is passionate about seeking different ways to present material to new audiences. In 2002, in collaboration with iconic Australian talent, Billy Thorpe, Michael created the Long Way to the Top concert, based on the popular television documentary of the same name. With 28 of Australia’s top stars from the 1950s to 1970s, the live shows were seen by almost a quarter of a million Australians. It later went on to become a multi-platinum DVD and CD.
In January 2005, Chugg Entertainment co-staged the charity event Wave Aid to assist the tsunami victims in South-East Asia. Wave Aid brought together some of Australia’s finest artists including Silverchair, Powderfinger and Midnight Oil. The concert played to over 50,000 people and raised over $2.3 million for charity.
Chugg Entertainment’s touring schedule continues to include the most powerful names and brands in global entertainment, such as Coldplay, Simon and Garfunkel, John Mayer, Pearl Jam, AC/DC and Priscilla: Queen of the Desert – The Musical, as well as an ever-expanding list of major events and festivals including St Jerome’s Laneway Festival and CMC Rocks the Snowys.
Michael’s work has been acknowledged through many local and international awards that recognise his achievements and passion. After 45 years in the business, Michael remains one of the industry’s busiest promoters, and live music’s most committed fan.
Most recently Billboard listed Chugg Entertainment as number 4 in International Box Office sales.
MATTHEW LAZARUS-HALL, Managing Director
Joining Chugg Entertainment as Managing Director in 2004, Matthew brought to his role a strong background in entertainment and events production, including wide experience in ticketing operations.
Matthew began his career as a stage manager for events and theatrical shows before moving into festival production, where his roles included Operations Manager for Out of the Box (the world’s largest festival for children), and Associate Producer for the inaugural Brisbane Festival in 1996.
After a brief period in television, Matthew moved into working with major venues, and became the Operations Director for the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, a position he held for three years.
In 2000 Matthew was headhunted to the position of Operations Director for Ticketek, Australia’s largest ticketing agency. In this role he oversaw marquee events such as the Olympic Games, Goodwill Games, and Rugby World Cup, and major tours such as Kylie Minogue.
Matthew leads the daily business of Chugg Entertainment, with a team of 20 staff located in the heart of Sydney’s creative district in addition to the company’s external partners and international affiliates. Under Matthew’s leadership, Chugg Entertainment has extended into broader areas of live entertainment such as festivals, theatre, lifestyle, and family events. The company has also focused on creating and developing its own events, as well as seeking innovative ways to enrich the relationships between artists and fans.
In 2007 Matthew became a partner in Chugg Entertainment and its associated entities. He holds several advisory roles in the industry, and is an executive council member of Live Performance Australia.
The current year began strongly for Chugg Entertainment, with successes early on with Al Green and Status Quo, and new accolades for international hit Priscilla: Queen of the Desert - London. AC/DC’s Black Ice tour, co-promoted by Chugg, has been declared the highest-ever grossing show in Australia, selling over 600,000 tickets. In addition to the mega-brands, Chugg continues to extend its artistic reach, supporting new names such as Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, whose debut shows in Australia were quickly extended to a multi-date sell-out tour.
TARA KING, Director of TV Touring
Tara King is a unique executive with a track record in successfully launching and re-launching entertainment businesses and brands. With a solid background in General Management, marketing and media she has a diverse range of skills. These range from the marketing launch of NOVA 969, one of the most exciting things to Australian radio, to developing and producing the successful Dog Whisperer Cesar Millan’s Live show internationally.
Tara’s is a creative executive who has a passion for turning good ideas into the real thing. With a belief that people, thinking and ideas can catapult a business. She has found herself leading a diverse range of creative projects from turning major entertainment centre’s into horse arenas, when she successfully toured the Horse Whisperer, to turning the Opera House Pink for a televised Powderfinger concert for breast cancer awareness, to the awarded public education campaign on water “ Running On Empty” at The Weather Channel. This campaign was later used in a senate enquiry on the Australian Water Crisis.
Tara has been a key player in some of Australia’s leading entertainment brands in various points of their lives– CHANNEL V, MAX, COUNTRY MUSIC CHANNEL, ARENA TV, THE WEATHER CHANNEL, NOVA 969, MIX106.5, VIDEO EZY, AND FOXTEL.
DEAN BUCHANAN, Co-Owner & Director of TV Touring
Dean Buchanan has been creating live content and coaching high profile talent internationally for over 20 years.
Probably best known for his work at dmg Radio Australia as the Group Programme Director, Dean was responsible for launching the highly successful Nova Network.
He has a worldwide reputation for revolutionary ideas, is most at home creating compelling content in highly competitive environments, and knows the value of branding and imaging and how performance plays into that.
Prior to DMG Dean was a consultant in high demand internationally to broadcasters assisting them with content, talent and branding strategies. This international experience places him very comfortably globally.
Dean is an exemplary leader with a belief that great people, thinking and ideas can catapult any business, and through this it has allowed him to succeed in any role he has undertaken.
In April 2011, Dean joined Tara King as a Co-Owner and director of TV Touring PTY Ltd and launched broadcast media consultancy company, Greenfern Entertainment PTY Ltd.
JACQUI ELMAS, Commercial Officer Chugg Entertainment
Jacqui Elmas is a knowledgeable and highly skilled entertainment lawyer with extensive experience in all facets of the music and entertainment industry.
Jacqui began her career in the entertainment industry working in the Legal and Business Affairs department of BMG Australia. She worked consistently for BMG Music’s record and publishing companies for a decade before moving to Sony Music in 2004 as part of a merger between the two companies. She continued in employment with Sony Music Entertainment Australia for another 5 years, working as Director, Legal and Business Affairs. In this role she negotiated artist recording deals and provided general legal advice on a diverse roster of local and international artists.
In 2009, Jacqui left Sony Music to pursue her own business ventures and established Jacqui Elmas Legal, providing legal services to a variety of music clients from record labels to artists and management companies.
In her role at Chugg Entertainment, Jacqui is part of the executive team and is responsible for overseeing all commercial and legal matters relating to the business, including individual tours, festivals and special projects as well as the general company operations and planning.
