EXECUTIVE INTERVIEW CONCERT VENUE DIRECTORY

Jeff Apregan The Apregan Group / Venue Coalition

eff Apregan’s story should be required reading for every student slaving away on J JEFF (center) and his Apregan Group staff (L-R): Eric Gardner, Andrew Prince, their college programming committee, cleaning Lisa Cusworth, Jeff, Kelly McCormick, Justin Karch and Andrew Saunders. parking lots and catching flak ing from those in tertiary mar- Apregan Group is a company over bookings, because it’s a kets to major market sports hubs. that provides talent buying ser- So it seems you’ve found fine example of where hard work Apregan has spent a good vices for specific clients and a very successful niche that can take someone with an entre- deal of his adult life on the road special events, but also provides defies definition. preneurial spirit in a business and, just when one might think tour direction, project manage- Niche is a great word for what that can be tough to break into. he’d close that chapter and ment and strategic planning we do. Fifteen or 20 years ago, He’s gone from the program- be content to work the phones services. Our clients include I could have never imagined that ming committee of his alma from his base in Westlake Gridiron Stadium Network, Nitro we would have the kind of compa- mater, California State Uni- Village, Calif., a new project Circus Live, Mammoth Mountain nies that we have (and the num- versity, Fresno, to owning two – Nitro Circus Live – will see Ski Area, Steamboat Strings ber of clients that we answer to). businesses that play important him traveling again in 2014. Festival, the Bakersfield Fox As our industry continues to roles at venues throughout the He’s surrounded himself Theater and a number of others. evolve, the level of competition United States and Canada. In with a young but highly ex- The Gridiron Stadium Network has never been greater. The real- between, he’s handled business perienced staff, many of whom is a group of NFL stadiums for ity is that when looking at arenas affairs for Avalon Attractions, also got their starts in college which we provide consulting alone, there are more venues in managed artists, booked fairs, programs. Key to his companies services. As a booking advocate North America than there are acts run a major amphitheatre, and is Venue Coalition EVP Andrew for these stadiums, our objective and attractions that can consis- forged a longtime touring and Prince, who honed his skills is to find incremental content for tently fill them. Add in fairs, fes- professional relationship with with Neil Diamond’s Arch them and to help craft compel- tivals and casinos, and there are Neil Diamond among others. Angel Concerts, Shoreline ling deals and strategies that will lots of places for artists to play. But today, Apregan’s focus is Amphitheatre and Bill Graham attract promoters and artists. Among other things, part of on venues. His Apregan Group Presents. He is also a graduate One of the big projects that our job is to reach key decision assists venues in talent buying of IAVM’s Public Assembly we are involved with is Nitro makers, provide them with useful and project management on Facility Management School. Circus Live. Apregan Group information and to make compel- a start-to-finish basis, among “We have an amazing team of is providing tour direction ser- ling arguments (and in some case other consulting services. A people who are passionate about vices for this first-ever North offers), so that an agent, pro- major client is Gridiron Stadium this business and about servic- American tour in January. moter or producer will bring their Network, 10 stadiums he con- ing our members and clients. Venue Coalition is our other shows to the venues we repre- sults for and helps book con- I’ve been very fortunate to have business, which consists of a sent. Our Venue Coalition mem- tent into among other services. surrounded myself with great group of nearly 60 arenas in bers benefit from having us out He also heads up Venue people and have lots to be thank- North America. We are active- there helping to tell their story. Coalition, a company he envi- ful for,” Apregan told Pollstar. ly engaged on their behalf to sioned in 2005 with a handful identify new business opportu- You’ve had just about every job nities and to help drive events of Canadian venues but which You’ve worn a lot of hats over there is in the industry. How did has grown dramatically since to their venues. the years. What’s your focus you get your foot in the door? its first gathering at the Con- Between the two companies, now? cert Industry Consortium con- we are servicing over 70 ven- I have been very fortunate ference. I’m president of two compa- ues between theatres, arenas to have seen the industry Venue Coalition now boasts nies; Apregan Group and Venue and stadiums. That keeps us from a variety of perspectives; some 60 member venues, rang- Coalition. pretty busy. as a tour promoter, an artist

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representative and as a venue while I was there and toured operator. with John Denver, Bob Dylan, In high school, I was always The Blues Brothers, Eric Clap- the guy that was booking bands ton and, in 1982, did my first at other schools. Later, while tour with Neil Diamond. attending Fresno State to get a At this point, I have to men- business degree, I was booking tion my two greatest mentors shows on campus. As gradua- in this industry, both of whom tion approached, I decided I re- I am incredibly grateful to: Tom ally wanted to pursue some kind Miserendino, who gave me my of career in the music business. first job at Concerts West (and After graduation, I moved to others afterwards), and Sal Los Angeles, hoping to land a Bonafede, who I worked close- job in the mail room at William ly with for many years. The Morris. That didn’t work out, friendships I have with Tom, but I was able to get a job at and also with Paul Gongaware Management III / Concerts West, and John Meglen, who I also JEFF HAS SPENT MUCH OF HIS CAREER TOURING with Neil Diamond, including which was a huge management the superstar’s 25th sold-out concert at NYC’s Madison Square Garden in 2008. worked with, go all the way Jeff (R ) celebrates backstage with manager Irving Azoff, AEG Live’s Randy Phillips, and concert promotion company back to those early days at Diamond, MSG’s Jay Marciano and Azoffmusic’s Katie McNeil. at the time. They managed John (the original) Concerts West. Denver, Bob Dylan, The Beach When I left Concerts West, Boys, Neil Diamond, The Moody I went to work for a company I was Neil’s North American I remember doing a couple of Blues and a number of other called Eric/Chandler Ltd. tour promoter for many years, long runs at The Forum. I know artists. Concerts West was really Eric/Chandler had acquired and after Sal (Bonafede), passed one of them would have been one of the very first national a stake in Avalon Attractions at away, I was his tour director, in the ’80s, and that was a run concert promoters, promoting the time and was also the man- taking over additional responsi- of something like 10 or 11 dates shows throughout North Ameri- aging partner for Irvine Meadows bilities including international at The Forum. No one had ever ca. It was a very early version Amphitheater in Orange County, touring. I literally grew up on done anything like that before. of the national tour promoter Calif. I was with that group of that tour starting when I was Another run of dates I re- model that exists today. companies for about 11 years only 24. It was a great touring member very well was in March I started out in the account- and in that time ran Irvine Mead- family for me and it was always 1992, doing two shows, with ing department reading and ows and handled business affairs great to be able to work with one night off and then another reviewing show files and for Avalon Attractions. I was many of the same folks over four. My wife, Nancy, was very learned at a very early point later involved with several radio such a long period of time. pregnant at the time and we in- about show expenses and how stations that we purchased and Because of my involvement duced labor on that off day; the shows made money. I eventu- operated as well. with Diamond, I had the op- day our daughter Erin was born. ally graduated into a tour man- portunity to work with some When did you start working ager / promoter rep position Tell us about your long working of the most talented people in our industry and it was how with Sal Bonafede? relationship with Neil Diamond. I got to know guys like Doug I met Sal when I started work- Neil Diamond tours have been Clouse, Patrick Stansfield, ing at Management III/Concerts one of the common threads Doug Pope, Michael Weiss West in 1980. The first time I throughout my career. He’s an and so many others. worked with him was on a Bob incredibly loyal artist and has One of the great joys for Dylan tour, which was also the kept much of the same team me was taking my son Jeffrey very first I had ever been on. in place for many, many years. out on the 2008 tour and hav- We also worked together on He was very good to me. ing the opportunity to work John Denver tours while still I did numerous tours with together with him. It was at Concerts West, and from Diamond and literally hundreds his first tour at the time and 1982 until Sal’s passing in of shows over a span of more having him on the road was 2007, we worked together on than 25 years. Even after I left a reminder of how fortunate many, many Diamond tours. Concerts West and was with I have been to have worked For many years, we promoted Eric/Chandler, I was still in- with Neil and his organization Neil’s tours entirely in-house, volved with Neil’s North Ameri- for all those years. so Sal and I routed the tours can tours and, in 1998, after together, cut the venue deals, JEFF AND HIS SON, Jeffrey, take a I had already started Apregan Were you there for Neil scaled the houses, coordinated moment before a Neil Diamond show at Group, I was again involved Diamond’s famous runs at the the on-sales, and marketing. Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles before the crowds take over. in all of Neil’s North American Forum in Los Angeles? Every detail about promoting tours all the way up until 2009. those tours, we did together.

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planning for Kevin Donnelly, who runs ous arenas and got to know a a tour starts the MTS Center in Winnipeg, lot of venue managers. I devel- to take shape. Gilles Paquin of Paquin Enter- oped an understanding of how Every tour tainment, and I were standing venues operate and had an has a personal- behind the Century Plaza appreciation for the work that ity, in a way. Hotel one night talking out venue operators did. I had no It usually starts by the pool. I don’t know how idea at the time how relevant with the artist we got on the topic but Kevin those relationships would and the team of said, “These venues in Canada become so many years later. people he or she could really use some help.” has assembled. We kept the conversation What is your Venue Coalition John Denver going after that conference pitch? tours were al- and before the end of that year, It’s pretty simple. Every venue ways very fun Gilles and I had started Venue needs more event days and and relaxed. We Coalition with nine members fewer dark days. We can help would do short in Western Canada. By the them with that. We describe tours, but cram middle of 2006, we had picked JEFF AND DOUG CLOUSE from AEG Live Touring take our role as an advocate for our in the sights at Fenway Park in Boston, where fan favorite as many shows up a few additional buildings. venues. We actively reach out Neil Diamond prepares for a sold-out concert. as possible into We ran the business for to the industry to learn about that window. another year and a half, and upcoming tours and booking He was a tremendous I can remember doing runs I was really beginning to ques- opportunities that we can share mentor but he really became with 14 shows in 18 days, some- tion whether this could be a with our members. We are a great friend to me. His pass- thing like that. We would hub sustainable business with so on the phone every day with ing, which was right after the out of a city, allowing us to stay few buildings. We had already agents, promoters, producers Pollstar conference that year, in one hotel for nearly a week at started to get shows for our and managers, attend shows was very sudden and it was time, flying back after each show. buildings, but I just wasn’t sure and industry functions and try a huge loss for me. I am proud I can remember staying out by how effective we could be with to be as visible as possible to of the work we did together Pine Knob Amphitheatre in Mi- such a small number of mem- help represent our members. and I am grateful to this day chigan, flying out to do a show at bers. In early 2007, we decided We communicate with our for his friendship. Poplar Creek in Chicago, and then to invite a large group of arena operators to a presentation that members daily and work to- back to Detroit after the show. gether with them to identify How much influence does With Diamond, there were we made at that year’s Pollstar conference. At the time the ma- booking opportunities that the artist have on how tours more moving parts. In my early are relevant to their markets, jority of attendees were arena run on a business level? years with the tour, we would and we go after those oppor- fly out to each city prior to put- operators in tertiary markets. I think it really depends on tunities on their behalf. ting the tour on sale and do a We walked into that confer- the artist. There are definitely We have worked hard to de- full-on advance meeting. It was ence with maybe 12 members artists that have a very clear velop systems that allow us to an insane schedule. I can re- and walked out with 32. Guys understanding of how the provide agents, promoters and member doing 10 different cities that said, “We want to do this. business works and they have producers with real-time avails, in a span of three days – physi- This makes sense to us.” From well defined objectives that cally being in those cities doing that point forward, it was clear they want to meet and exceed. a four-hour advance, going over that we needed to operate dif- Creative decisions about pro- every detail of the show before ferently in order to make sure duction elements, sets, musi- putting tickets on sale. that we were servicing the cians, etc. at some point in time It was a tremendous educa- members of our group. intersect with the business of tion because you’ve got to be Andrew Prince, who is now putting together a tour. The able to handle a million different our executive vice president, size and weight of the produc- things at the same time, and pay had been working with me tion, the number of people on attention to the smallest details. since 2005, first doing a Dia- the road, the number of trucks But it was always a great experi- mond tour with me, and later and buses, all influence deci- ence and very rewarding to see working on special projects. sions about where the show can those tours come together. Andrew began to focus all of or should play. In addition, the his time on Venue Coalition timing of an album release and How did the idea for Venue and he has played an impor- singles may affect decisions tant role in helping to grow Coalition come about? Jeff (L) and Tom Miserendino, a long about the timing of a tour and the business and running time ago in a shed far, far away – what when certain markets should be The genesis of Venue Coalition day-to-day operations. used to be known as Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre, where Jeff was executive played in the album cycle. Once came from a conversation at As a tour promoter, I had the director of the California venue. these parameters are defined, the Pollstar conference in 2005. opportunity to work in numer-

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tech packets, market analysis, We have venues with capa- venue photos, seating diagrams cities from anywhere between and venue attributes that may 5,000 seats all the way up to influence routing decisions. Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky., It is not uncommon for us to with 23,500 seats. Addition- get a request from an agent or ally, we have acquired NBA tour promoter asking us to pro- and NHL buildings, including vide avails for a certain window US Airways Center in Phoenix, of time. In addition, however, we Energy Solutions Arena in may be asked to provide informa- Salt Lake City, Quicken Loans tion specific to tour parameters. Arena in Cleveland, First For example, we might be Niagara Center in Buffalo and asked to provide avails for ven- Canadian Tire Centre in Ot- ues that can do a GA floor with tawa – all examples of major at least 8,000 seats in a 180- market venues that we have degree configuration. We can added to our family of arenas. get that information turned around with just one phone What is Nitro Circus Live, and call. This is an example of how how did you get involved with it? servicing the industry helps to yield results for our venues. For someone that is not familiar We are extremely proud of with Nitro Circus, I’ll describe the working relationships we it as a cross between X Games have with our members and if I and “Jackass.” Nitro Circus Live were speaking with a prospec- is an established action-sports/ tive member, I would encour- theatrical event featuring the age them to speak with some world’s greatest athletes in of our members that have been freestyle motocross, BMX & with us for a long time and ask skate, with outrageous stunts them about their experience as that are launched off of a 50- a Venue Coalition member. foot-high Nitro Gigant-A-Ramp. Many are familiar with their Your first clients were Cana- TV show, which will be return- ing to MTV2 for a third season dian venues. How did you later this year. The live tour, expand from there? however, has already been a After our first nine members huge success in New Zealand, in Western Canada, we next Australia and Europe. We picked up a few small market are very excited to be a part venues in the US. After we be- in their first-ever tour of North gan more aggressively pitching American arenas and we look our services, we grew to over forward to many years of work- 30 venues, many of which ing together on future tours. were in tertiary markets. We’ve John Meglen at AEG Live, worked hard alongside with Steve Levine at ICM Partners our members – together, we’ve and Mark Powell of Energy produced great results. Our Solutions Arena in Salt Lake City members have become great were all instrumental in intro- ambassadors and, with their ducing me to Mike Porra, CEO, help, we have grown member- and Andy Edwards, COO of Nitro ship to where we are today. Circus Live. Shortly after, I went One thing that has changed in to Sydney to see the show and to more recent years is that we have meet Mike, Andy and their team. picked up much larger venues I’ve been so impressed not only and much larger markets. I think with the show, but their entire in the early years, there may organization. They have a great have been a perception that we vision and I expect Nitro Circus just had a group of small-market Live to be around a long time. venues. This is not the case. Deborah Speer 

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