Messina Tapped To Head AEG/LIVE South

(CelebrityAccess News Service) – In a joint venture between AEG/LIVE and The Messina Group, veteran promoter Louis Messina has been tapped by AEG/LIVE to head up its AEG/LIVE South office, which is "a footprint of what I did at PACE," Messina told CelebrityAccess. The region includes Georgia, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas. Messina will be working with fellow veteran promoter Danny Eaton and Dave Parks, a former PACE employee, both based at AEG-owned NextStage at Grand Prairie. Messina is based out of Houston.

Messina says the deal is a three-partner: overseeing the South region, the partnership between AEG/LIVE and The Messina Group, where TMG will act strictly as the country music arm of AEG/LIVE, and to help build the company.

"This is an exciting time for me," Messina said enthusiastically. "It's a feel good situation, reminds me of how it used to be. The AEG people are a group of people I've been friends with for a long time. It's the same feeling when Allen Becker ran PACE.

Messina admitted that Clear Channel Entertainment wasn't a good fit for him. "I disagreed with their business philosophy. I respect them but we didn't see eye to eye."

When Messina left CCE and his non-compete clause was in place, he promoted only country music, and today continues working with Kenny
Chesney, who heads out in March, and is gearing up for George Strait's tour next year. Messina's passion about music and his love of
promoting can clearly be seen in the working name of his company when he left CCE — BARRP. "Bad Ass Rock and Roll Promoter," he explains, "who does country music."

"It's all about the artists," Messina continued. "Do your job and the money will be there. Do the best job for the artist. I will not only be doing country music. I want to build the region. I'm a music promoter. I love all forms of music and have relationships with bands that go way back. I love to see bands grow. I want to get involved with developing bands at the club level and put bands in stadiums. I want to work with bands that want to work with me. I don't want to promote every show. I want to be hands on. I want my turf back."

With a staff of seven, including his son Jeff, Messina says he's not interested in building a big company. "I believe build as you need." –Jane Cohen and Bob Grossweiner

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