- Culture
- 02 Nov 20
Originating in Australia, the entertainment giant TEG joined forces with MJR in the UK to become one of the most active groups in global entertainment. Their new move into the Irish market will also allow them access to European audiences in the evolving post-Brexit scenario.
TEG | MJR will today announce the launch of a new Irish division, Hot Press has learned. The company is regarded as one of the biggest players in the global entertainment market, with its UK arm alone promoting over 2,000 events a year.
TEG | MJR is owned by parent company TEG, which is based in Australia and operates a ticketing and technology business, alongside its activities as a concert and events promoter.
TEG has offices in seven different countries and includes TEG Live, TEG Dainty, TEG MJR, TEG Van Egmond, TEG Experiences, Qudos Bank Arena, Ticketek, Ticketek Marketplace, Eventopia, Softix, TicketCharge, TicketWorld, Ticketek Singapore, TEG Analytics, TEG Insights and TEG Digital among its brands. TEG’s headquarters are in Sydney.
The Irish operation, TEG | MJR Éire, will be run by Julian O’Brien and Martin Nolan of MPI Artists. They will, according to a statement seen by Hot Press, "work together with TEG | MJR to deliver an expansive programme of live entertainment experiences to fans across Ireland.”
"This is an investment in Ireland and in Irish music," one insider told Hot Press. "From that point of view it is really exciting. Hopefully it will open up another avenue for Irish artists to make an impact across the world."
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TEG | MJR is an international events promoter and venue operator, formed when TEG bought the UK concert promoter and venue operator MJR in 2019.
“TEG is already Asia-Pacific’s leading ticketing, live entertainment and technology business,” TEG CEO Geoff Jones said at the time, "and this acquisition marks a significant step towards TEG becoming a global live entertainment powerhouse."
At the time, Geoff Jones characterised the move as demonstrating TEG's "commitment to the international expansion of its pioneering integrated live entertainment model.” The establishment of an Irish operation can be seen as a logical extension of that far-reaching ambition – not least with the complication of Brexit set to disrupt activities in the entertainment space across Europe, for British-based artists and promoters alike.
Based in Bristol, UK,TEG | MJR promotes concerts by a wide variety of artists, including Sia, 50 Cent, Culture Club, Hans Zimmer and Rita Ora (pictured), as well as running a variety of experiential attractions. These include Marvel’s Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N. and The Brickman LEGO® exhibition.
It owns and operates multiple venues in the UK, including Tramshed in Cardiff and The Mill in Birmingham and also owns Propaganda – a club night brand, that attracts over 25,000 people weekly across its different events.
“This new promotions company makes sense from so many angles,” Richard Buck, CEO of TEG | MJR, said. “And the winners will be Irish music fans and artists. My team of concert promoters works with a diverse and dynamic roster of artists across multiple territories and we look forward to bringing a plethora of great events across Éire in the years ahead.”
It is a bold step for the MPI team, who have already added a strong and successful international dimension to their business.
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“We are looking forward to creating something special with TEG MJR in Ireland,” Julian O’Brien, Director of TEG | MJR ÉIRE, said in the statement. "We have a lot of exciting announcements to make over the next couple of weeks. Stay tuned!”
MPI services have included booking, management and programming for events and festivals.
“We are really excited about working with TEG | MJR – and about the domestic and international opportunities that we hope to offer Irish artists through the TEG | MJR global platform,” Martin Nolan, Director of TEG | MJR ÉIRE, said.
Julian O’Brien and Martin Nolan are agents for numerous leading international and Irish artists, who are likely to feature among the acts being promoted by TEG | MJR Éire, both in Ireland and across Europe.
There has already been considerable disruption in the Irish promotions landscape in the fallout from Covid-19, with three former promoters with Aiken Promotions, Finn O'Leary, Brian Hand and Simon Merriman announcing the formation of Singular Artists, with the backing of the UK outfit Kilimanjaro Live Ltd, who are affiliated to the DEAG Group in Europe.
The live music and entertainment industry has been devastated right across the world as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. However, the announcement of the establishment of TEG | MJR Éire later today will confirm that there is a strong view at TEG's base in Australia that audiences will come pouring back into major events once Covid-19 has been effectively dealt with.