The international touring industry mourns the death of veteran promoter Colleen Ironside.

An ILMC regular, Ironside was managing director of Hong Kong-based pan-Asian touring and event promotion company Live Limited, which she founded in the late 1990s and relaunched in 2010 after a five-year stint. years with Live Nation.

The news of his death was announced on social networks. In a Facebook post, Jasper Donat, co-founder and CEO of Asian live and digital media company Branded, described Ironside as a “magnificent human” and “one of the oldest, most respected promoters ( and the most feared) of Asia”.

“There is and was only one Colleen”

“Beyond sadness, gutting and shock to learn that absolute legend Colleen Ironside has passed away at home,” he said. “She worked with everyone. She asked Mick Jagger to play Angie for her at Harbourfest. She put Bob Dylan in Vietnam. She was Elton John’s promoter whenever he was here. And the list is endless.

“She was indestructible. She gave Chuggi [Chugg Entertainment’s Michael Chugg] a race for the Swear Jar. She’ll smoke Marlboro Lites in heaven. There is and was only one Colleen.

Ironside started as an agent for Australia’s Harbor Premier Agency and later set up booking agency APA, where she worked with artists like INXS, before moving to Frontier Asia to tour artists like REM, Pearl Jam and Tom Jones across the region.

“Colleen Ironside was an inspiration and a joy to know”

Starting Live Limited in 1999, she organized tours by the Rolling Stones, Elton John, David Bowie, Coldplay, No Doubt, Sting, Pet Shop Boys and Deep Purple, among others. In 2005, she joined Live Nation as Senior Vice President of Asia Reservations. She managed LN’s joint ventures in Beijing and Shanghai, as well as booking tours for Coldplay, Elton John, Gwen Stefani and Christina Aguilera.

Tributes continued to pour in from across the music industry on social media. CAA Officer Emma Banks said she was “devastated” by Ironside’s passing. “Colleen Ironside was an inspiration and a joy to know. Can’t really believe the news,” she wrote.

Live Nation promoter Phil Bowdery posted, “A true legend who will be sorely missed,” while Concord Music’s Kim Frankiewicz said, “I’m so, so sad… Just devastating.

David Loiterton of Primary Wave Asia Pacific said: “I have known Colleen since the late 80s when we worked together on her own agency in Australia, APA. Then again and again in Asia when she created Live, then joined Live Nation, then became independent again. She was the same as the last time I saw her before Covid, she never changed and I thought she was indestructible. Rest well Colleen.

“Beyond the tough exterior, she was the most wonderful person”

“Another larger than life figure is gone,” wrote Dave Mclean, MD of the Riverman Group. “She was really unique, met her a few times in Bangkok and Singapore, did a lot of amazing artists in tough places.”

SWAT Enterprises founder Stuart Watson said: “Shocked and saddened by this news. During the early years of SWAT in the 90s, Colleen’s help in identifying suitable venues to showcase the acts we represented was vital in establishing them throughout Asia.

Calvin Wong, CEO of Universal Music Group Southeast Asia, said, “Beyond the tough exterior, she is the most wonderful person. I enjoyed everything she taught me over the two years as a live consultant. She was definitely the mistress of the class.

Donat added that plans are underway to remember Ironside at the upcoming Music Matters event in Singapore in September.

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