Hugh Lynn New Zealand Concert Promoter
Musical Chairs; Concert Promoter Hugh Lyn
Hugh Lynn — Cultural Entrepreneur Radio Documentary · Radio New Zealand · March 2009
Hugh Lynn is a third-generation entertainer and one of New Zealand's most significant figures in rock and roll promotion. Over a career spanning decades, his occupations have included motorcross rider, dancer, nightclub owner, band manager, and running Mascot Recording Studios — but it is as a concert promoter that his legacy is most firmly established.
Lynn is credited with opening New Zealand's first punk nightclub and went on to work alongside David Bowie, Bob Dylan, Mick Jagger, Pink Floyd, R.E.M., Stevie Wonder, and Neil Young. His outdoor concerts broke national attendance records, and in 1988 he was recognised by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand with an award for outstanding contribution to the music industry.
Commissioned by Radio New Zealand and broadcast in March 2009 as part of their Musical Chairs series, the documentary finds Lynn reflecting on his career as a cultural entrepreneur — his management of the band Herbs, his friendship with Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh, and his decision to walk away from the world of concert promotion at the height of its commercial rewards.
