Jeff Apregan the Apregan Group / Venue Coalition
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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 14 2013-2014 Edition CONCERT VENUE DIRECTORY EXECUTIVE INTERVIEW 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.