Concert tours' 2006 gross up 38.5 percent

FRESNO, Calif., July 18 (UPI) -- The take for the top 100 U.S. concert tours in the first half of 2006 was up 38.5 percent, totaling $1.012 billion, but the biggest stars are aging.

The concert industry has been dominated by performers who have been popular for decades, Pollstar reported. Rock stars in their 50s and even 60s draw the biggest crowds, but they can't continue to perform indefinitely.

In the country music arena, younger performers are more common, the report said. Of the 12 acts in the Top 100, almost all are relative newcomers.

Fall Out Boy is the one new rock band that grossed $11 million and finished at No. 29 on the concert tour chart. It sold almost 400,000 tickets -- more than all but eight acts on the list.

Pollstar said the top 20 midyear tours included Madonna, The Rolling Stones, Billy Joel, Tim McGraw/Faith Hill, Cirque du Soleil, Celine Dion, Bon Jovi, Kenny Chesney, Coldplay, George Strait, Luis Miguel, Aerosmith, Rascal Flatts, Pearl Jam, RBD, Dave Matthews Band, Nickelback, Elton John, U2 and Jimmy Buffet.