{{Infobox musical artist | name = Michael Cohl | image = | image_size = | landscape = <!-- yes, if wide image, otherwise leave blank --> | alt = | caption = | background = non_performing_personnel | birth_name = | alias = | birth_date = <!-- {{birth date and age|YYYY|MM|DD}} --> | birth_place = | origin = Canada | death_date = <!-- {{death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (death date 1st) --> | death_place = | genre = | occupation = Concert promoter, theatrical producer, touring impresario | instrument = | years_active = <!-- YYYY–YYYY (or –present) --> | label = | associated_acts = | website = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} --> }} '''Michael Cohl''' is a Canadian concert promoter, theatrical producer and touring impresario. He is the former chairman of Live Nation.<ref name="prnewswire.com" /> Cohl now runs S2BN Entertainment, with offices in New York and Toronto.<ref name="s2bnentertainment.com" /> Having been named the Howard Hughes of rock ‘n’ roll by ''Fortune'' magazine, Cohl is most famous for having overseen the tours and related ancillary businesses for more than 150 artists, including Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson, The Rolling Stones, Prince, Stevie Wonder, Pink Floyd, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, The Tragically Hip and U2.<ref name="cbc.ca"/> He has also been credited with developing the concept of "package" touring. Eliminating the middleman, Cohl worked directly with the artist to strategize and route the tour, promote the dates, and assist in the development and exploitation of the lucrative aftermarket – books, films, DVDs, television specials, and merchandising.<ref name="businessweek.com"/> He was the lead producer of ''Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark'', the most expensive musical flop in Broadway history, with music by Bono and The Edge of U2.<ref name="nymag.com"/> In December 1995, The Toronto Star printed a 4,000 word article entitled "King Cohl of Rock'n'Roll and the Tax That Never Was." From conversations with a number of managers of touring bands, the reporter argued that Cohl's Concert Productions International misrepresented to touring artists that it was collecting a tax, while not remitting any such tax to any government body.<ref>Kevin Donovan, "King Cohl of Rock'n'Roll and the Tax That Never Was", The Toronto Star, December 16, 1995, Page A1.</ref> The tax was a phoney tax Cohl added onto every ticket he sold at Toronto's CNE Stadium. Fans paid an extra $3 per ticket for Springsteen, U2, and Stones tickets. According to Canadian government auditors, that $3 per ticket added up to $5 million, all of which was pocketed by Cohl. He avoided jail time but had to sell back his BCL Entertainment Ltd stock to Labatt's.<ref>Bill German, Under Their Thumb, Villard Books, 2009, page 342</ref>
==Honours== Cohl was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame,<ref name="carasonline.ca"/> when he received a Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award at the 2002 Juno Awards.<ref name="junoawards.ca"/> Cohl is also a recipient of the 2004 Billboard Legend of Live award,<ref name="billboard.com"/> an honour previously bestowed on such artists as Elton John and The Allman Brothers Band. When ''Spamalot'' won the 2005 Drama Desk and Tony Award for Best Musical, Cohl was among the producers who received the awards.<ref name="ibdb.com"/> He was inducted in Canada's Walk of Fame in 2005
== Theatre == Cohl has produced several Broadway musicals as well as numerous other international touring shows.<ref name="ibdb.com"/> These include: *''Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark'' *''The Lord of the Rings'' *''Hairspray'' *''The Producers'' *''November'' *''Spamalot'' *''La Cage aux Folles'' *''Bombay Dreams''
== ''Satisfaction: The Life and Times of Michael Cohl'' == CBC Television released a 2006 documentary directed by acclaimed filmmaker Barry Avrich as part of the ''Life and Times'' series chronicling Cohl's rise to prominence in the entertainment industry. The film claims "When the Rolling Stones won’t make a move without talking to you first, your name must be Michael Cohl." Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Bono all make appearances.<ref name="cbc.ca"/><ref name="jam.canoe.ca"/>
==References== {{Reflist | refs =
<ref name="billboard.com"> {{cite web | url = http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1043899/allman-brothers-earn-billboard-legend-of-live-award | title = Allman Brothers Earn Billboard Legend Of Live Award | year = 2008 | publisher = Billboard | accessdate = 21 February 2011 | quote = Previous Legend Of Live award winners include Rolling Stones promoter Michael Cohl (2004) }} </ref>
<ref name="businessweek.com"> {{cite news | title = Live Nation Entertainment In (LYV:New York) > Michael Cohl: Executive Profile | url = http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=27445535&ticker=LYV:US | archive-url = https://archive.today/20130119031629/http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=27445535&ticker=LYV:US | url-status = dead | archive-date = January 19, 2013 | newspaper = Businessweek | publisher = Bloomberg L.P. | location = New York | issn = 0007-7135 | oclc = 1537921 | at = People Tab | accessdate = 21 February 2011 }} </ref>
<ref name="carasonline.ca"> {{cite web| url =http://www.carasonline.ca/HOF_grealis.php| title =Past Recipients/Inductees List by Year| date =13 April 2002| publisher =Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20110706171237/http://www.carasonline.ca/HOF_grealis.php| archive-date =2011-07-06| accessdate =21 February 2011| url-status =dead}} </ref>
<ref name="cbc.ca"> {{cite web | url = http://www.cbc.ca/lifeandtimes/cohl.html | title = Satisfaction: The Life and Times of Michael Cohl | date = 24 July 2006 | publisher = CBC Television | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071208131746/http://www.cbc.ca/lifeandtimes/cohl.html | archive-date = 2007-12-08 | accessdate = 21 February 2011 | url-status = dead }} </ref>
<ref name="ibdb.com"> {{cite web | url = http://www.ibdb.com/person.php?id=378872 | title = Michael Cohl > Male > Producer | publisher = Internet Broadway Database | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100211121635/http://ibdb.com/person.php?id=378872 | archive-date = 2010-02-11 | accessdate = 21 February 2011 | url-status = dead }} </ref>
<ref name="jam.canoe.ca"> {{cite web | url = http://jam.canoe.com/Television/2006/07/23/1698339.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160119222114/http://jam.canoe.com/Television/2006/07/23/1698339.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = January 19, 2016 | title = CBC doc profiles Michael Cohl Publicity-shy Michael Cohl grants us rare insight into his life and times with satisfying CBC documentary | author = Harris, Bill Toronto Sun | date = 23 July 2006 | publisher = Jam! | access-date = 21 February 2011 }} </ref>
<ref name="junoawards.ca"> {{cite web | url = http://junoawards.ca/database/artist-summary/?artist_name=Michael+Cohl&winners_only=1 | title = Juno Awards Database | date = 13 April 2002 | publisher = Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110706184420/http://junoawards.ca/database/artist-summary/?artist_name=Michael+Cohl&winners_only=1 | archive-date = 2011-07-06 | accessdate = 21 February 2011 | url-status = dead }} </ref>
<ref name="nymag.com"> {{cite news | title = A Web and a Prayer | first = Jesse | last = Green | url = http://nymag.com/arts/theater/features/69680/ | newspaper = New York | issn = 0028-7369 | oclc = 1760010 | date = 21 November 2010 | accessdate = 21 February 2011 }} </ref>
<ref name="prnewswire.com"> {{cite press release | publisher = United Business Media | date = 20 June 2008 | title = Michael Cohl Transitions to Consultant Role With Live Nation | url = http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/michael-cohl-transitions-to-consultant-role-with-live-nation-57517682.html | accessdate = 21 February 2011 }} </ref>
<ref name="s2bnentertainment.com"><!-- Not a great reference; the site lists office addresses and telephone #'s --> {{cite web | url = http://www.s2bnentertainment.com/ | title = S2BN Entertainment | publisher = S2BN Entertainment | accessdate = 21 February 2011 }} </ref>
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== External links == *{{IBDB name}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cohl, Michael}} Category:1940s births Category:Living people Category:Businesspeople from Toronto Category:Canadian music industry executives Category:Juno Award winners Category:Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductees Category:Music promoters Category:Year of birth missing (living people)