The Promoters: Inside stories from the Australian rock industry

'To me, you're not a promoter until you've lost a lot of money over a very short period of time. I've lost up to half a million dollars a day - and done it three days in a row' - Michael Coppel

Most of us have been to see a major concert, but very few of us know what goes on behind the scenes. It's an astonishing, often frightening, sometimes exhilerating world of phenomenal risk-taking by a unique group of people.

Amongst them are names like Michael Gudinski, Michael Coppel, Michael Chugg, Paul Dainty and Kevin Jacobsen. Amongst their clients are names such as U2, Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, The Rolling Stones - and many more.

They bring out the big names - and introduce us to the unknowns. They cope with the demands and tantrums of the stars, the nuts and bolts of putting on a big concert, and always gambling that they know a year in advance just what is going to make us, the audience, happy.