A.M. Nuggets: Allman Brothers Honored at Billboard Touring Awards; '09 Beacon Run Confirmed (?)

This week Billboard magazine will hold their annual Touring Conference at New York's Roosevelt Hotel. Part industry conference, part awards show, the two day confab starts tomorrow and will culminate Thursday with the presentation of the Legend of Live award to Gregg Allman and his Allman Brothers Band. This week's edition of Billboard has an article about the live legends, and buried deep at the end is a quote from Gregg that caught my attention. Asked what to expect from next year's 40th anniversary tour and March run at the Beacon Theater, Gregg says:

I'd love to tell you what we have planned, but it's just kick ass, that's all I can tell you. We're going to pitch a wang dang doodle all night long.

That's the most concrete confirmation of an '09 Beacon run that I've seen. I'm sure the wang dang doodle will be great, but I'm just glad to hear they'll indeed be back next year.

The Billboard Touring Awards nominations cover all sorts of categories and have given us at the station plenty to argue about. Despite the heavy skew towards "successful" (read = money-making) road warriors, the Awards also honor top venues and festivals. Here's a look at some of the nominations - click through for the full list.

TOP TOUR
Bon Jovi, Lost Highway tour
Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, Magic tour
The Police Reunion tour

TOP AMPHITHEATER
Comcast Center, Mansfield, Mass.
Susquehanna Bank Center, Camden, N.J.
Nikon at Jones Beach Theater, Wantagh, N.Y.

TOP VENUE-Under 10,000 seats
Auditorio Nacional, Mexico City
Radio City Music Hall, NYC
The WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden

TOP TOUR
Bon Jovi, Lost Highway tour
Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, Magic tour
The Police Reunion tour

TOP DRAW
Bon Jovi
Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band
The Police

TOP PACKAGE
Jay-Z/Mary J. Blige, Dream
Journey, Heart, Cheap Trick
Kenny Chesney, with Keith Urban, LeAnn Rimes, Gary Allan, others

BREAKTHROUGH
Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus
Jonas Brothers
Michael Buble

TOP COMEDY TOUR
Chris Rock
Dane Cook
Katt Williams

TOP BOXSCORE
Celine Dion, Bell Centre, Montreal, Aug. 15-Sept. 1, 8 shows
Madonna, Stade de France, Paris, Sept. 20-2, two shows
Spice Girls, O2 Arena, London, Dec. 15-Jan. 22, 17 shows

TOP FESTIVAL
Bonnaroo, Manchester, Tenn.
Coachella, Indio, Calif.
Lollapalooza, Chicago

TOP ARENA
Bell Center, Montreal
Madison Square Garden, New York
O2 Arena, London

TOP VENUE-Under 10,000 seats
Auditorio Nacional, Mexico City
Radio City Music Hall, NYC
The WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden

TOP VENUE-Under 5,000 seats
Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center
Fox Theatre, Atlanta
The Colosseum at Caesars Palace

TOP CLUB
House Of Blues Dallas
House Of Blues Chicago
The Fillmore, San Francisco

TOP AMPHITHEATER
Comcast Center, Mansfield, Mass.
Susquehanna Bank Center, Camden, N.J.
Nikon at Jones Beach Theater, Wantagh, N.Y.

TOP PROMOTER
AEG Live
Live Nation
3A Entertainment

TOP INDEPENDENT PROMOTER
Jam Productions, Chicago
C3 Presents
Outback Concerts

TOP INDEPENDENT PROMOTER (International)
Frontier Touring Company, Australia/New Zealand
Michael Coppel Presents, Australia/New Zealand
3A Entertainment

TOP MANAGER
Bon Jovi Management
Front Line Management
Jon Landau Management

TOP AGENCY
Artists Group International
Creative Artists Agency
William Morris Agency

CREATIVE CONTENT AWARD
Walking With Dinosaurs

HUMANITARIAN AWARD
Jon Bon Jovi/Philadelphia Soul

ROAD WARRIOR
Widespread Panic

CONCERT MARKETING & PROMOTION AWARD (online voting at billboard.com)
Guerilla Union Presents Rock The Bells, Powered By: SanDisk
Crue Fest/Rock Band
The Vans Warped Tour, presented by AT&T
The Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Tour
Blackberry Presents John Mayer
The Jonas Brothers Burning Up Tour, sponsored by Burger King
Corona Extra Presents the Kenny Chesney Poets & Pirates Tour

LEGEND OF LIVE
Allman Brothers Band