MFA’s Interview with Andrew McManus, the man behind the Under Southern Stars Tour.
You are responsible for bringing some of the music industry’s biggest names to Australia, Whitney Houston, Kiss and Motley Crue just to name a few, safe to say the events of 2020 must have created issues never considered before. How did you first hear about the restrictions and what your initial reaction to having to postpone Under the Southern Stars last year due to Covid-19?
I was actually in London at ILMC, as a collective, no one understood how severe the impact was going to be. Whilst gut wrenching and time consuming to move everything back, re book venues etc, It’s out of our control and a forced decision set upon us that we had to take in our stride.
Was it difficult to realign all the act’s and their calendars for the rescheduled days or were tentative dates discussed back in March when the first the lockdown took place?
It was relatively easy considering the UK and US are far worse off than us, the likelihood of playing in either country in the near future is increasing unlikely, so thankfully thigs fell into place quite easily.
Cheap Trick has been announced as the third headline act, replacing Live, how did this come about as their such a different style of music and have a generation gap to the other bands headlining?
I’ve always been a fan and having toured them some years ago with Def Leppard, I knew they wouldn’t let me down. They always deliver, so that was the first point, the other part of the equation was securing an artists who understood the parameters of Quarantine, something that was not as easy as it sounds. In the new world of Covid, there is no real rules of style, age gaps – It’s about delivering a great show that will put smiles on music hungry patrons.
What has been the reaction of ticket holders to the Cheap Trick announcement?
Very positive, they have their own very loyal following and will definitely add to the overall attraction.
Are their plans to bring Live to Australia at a later date to satisfy their huge following here?
Definitely keen to, when the time suits and fits for the band to come to Australia we have our hand up to continue the relationship.
Unfortunately, some cities have had their show cancelled for example Perth, is this due to the boarder restrictions in place or were there other factors involved?
Yes, it was a hard decision to drop Perth but the recent closures to most if not all other States by WA Premier and what appears as a less liberal (Not as in party) approach to closures, we decided to refund all Perth sales and remain mostly east coast (and Adelaide) – take our medicine early, add another Qld date and look at safety first.
You have had to swap out some venues, is this due to the laws for gathering sizes and to accommodate pre-sold tickets?
No, Hordern is under maintenance in May, Wollongong council wouldn’t play ball on Stuart Park as a hire, hence moving to WIN Ent Centre
What has been the hardest Covid-19 rule/regulation to plan for or accommodate in organizing the UTSS events besides the basic social distancing?
Quarantine and then lobbying to secure Commissioner for Border Control approval for entry, very proud of our team securing this exemption.
You started off in the promotion world with the World Wrestling All-Stars and moved into music with McManus Entertainment. Would you ever consider going back to wrestling shows given the continued popularity of the genre and the minimal restrictions sport events seem to encounter compared to music events?
No, not really. Without a TV partner who can create a weekly story, a stand-alone wrestling company is just not destined for long term success.
Does being the first live on-stage International tour add an extra layer of pressure, given that the eyes of the world are watching? What sort of impact would you like UTSS to have on international touring here and around the world?
Absolutely, all the knockers are out n force….we say ‘bring it on’.
What do ticket holders need to know for Under the Southern Stars 2021?
There will be certain State by State driven restrictions, Covid managed rules, adhere to cueing and social distancing guidelines and simply have a great time and enjoy the 1st International festivals to grace foreign soil.
interview by Michelle Symes
