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Rock & Roll Suburban Soccer Mom
Becky Long – Vice President of Sales & Brand Marketing
Years working at PromoWest: 15 years
Family: 4 kids, 1 husband, 1 dog
Favorite Band/Artist: Adele, Chris Cornell, Ray LaMontagne, Sade
Favorite Wine: Cakebread Cellars Chardonnay
Favorite PromoWest Memory: Sitting with Ben Harper on his tour bus talking about our favorite movies. This was the Jack Johnson & Ben Harper show in summer 2003. AMAZING!
Favorite Hobbies: Yoga, wine, essential oils and dinner with friends
I sell rock & roll. I know right? Such a cool product to sell. You know the companies and brands you see displayed at our concert venues and music festivals? That’s my work. My craft. My passion. I bring in companies to sponsor our venues & festivals that want to advertise to our core demographic of energetic, trendy individuals between the ages of 18-34. The term “millennials” is used often in my meetings. I know, enough already. But, companies want their names and brands to be associated with the coolest bands in music with the ability to connect to the culture of these events and create unique experiences for you as the fan. Companies know how important you are to our business so our events provide them a fun way to tell you their story without HARD selling you and conveying their message to you in a place you chose to be.
As a long time concertgoer myself, I know the key strategies on how to best engage fans to a brand. It’s not being “corporate” and trying to hard sell you on their product. It’s in a laid back, easygoing approach providing opportunities and options for you to choose to participate. This is demonstrated through activations like photo booths, social media giveaways, product samples, etc.
How this process starts is that I meet with a potential client/business/brand to discuss their marketing goals so I can determine the best way to advertise their brand at our events. I then design a proposal for them that include advertising components with creative programming that fulfills their initiatives. Companies that choose to sponsor our venues and music festivals understand the importance of supporting our company that supports your favorite bands in hopes that you might consider becoming their future customer. That is the ultimate value in a sponsorship for a company. Earning your consideration and initial trust to try their product.
Corporate sponsors are a key piece to the success of our events and allow us to bring YOU the most popular bands in music. I always support the sponsors that support us and hope you will too!
Cheers!
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PromoWest Productions Employees favorite drinking songs!
Most of them are FIDLAR’s “Cheap Beer”
Becky – Brass Monkey – Beastie Boys
Bartender – Lady Antebellum
Have a Drink on Me – AC/DC
Marissa – Family Tradition- Hank Jr.
Brass Monkey- Beastie Boys
Tubthumping- Chumbawamba
Greg – The Doors – Alabama song
AC/DC – Have a Drink on Me
Hellyeah – Drink Drank Drunk
Joey – Fidlar – “Cheap Beer”
Fergie – “Big Girls Don’t Cry”
Cher – “Believe”
Fish -Shipping Up To Boston – Dropkick Murphy’s
It’s Martini Time – Rev. Horton Heat
The Drunkabillies – Whiskey in My Hand
It’s Time to Party – Andrew WK
Cheap Beer – Fidlar
Jeff – FIDLAR – Cheap Beer
Murder By Death – Kentucky Bourbon
Gogol Bordello – Alcohol
The Pogues – anything… just… all of it.
Mike – Whiskey Bent and Hell Bound (Hank Williams Jr.)
One Bourbon, One Scotch, and One Beer (George Thorogood)
Closing Time (Semisonic)
Britton – “Straight Tequila Night” by John Anderson
“Tipsy” by J-Kwon
“Cheap Beer” by FIDLAR
BJ – Drunken Lullabies – Flogging Molly
I’m Shipping Up To Boston – Dropkick Murphys
Cheap Beer – Fidlar
Jackie – Wine And Chocolates – Theophilus London
Mary Jane’s Last Dance – Tom Petty
Freedom At 21 – Jack White
The Seed – The Roots
How To Create A Flyer
By Matthew Fisher (aka Fish)
Over my years at PromoWest Productions and as a local musician, I’ve encountered a plethora of band artwork. Some of it good, some of it…well some of it not so much. When you are designing your next concert poster/flyer, there are a few things that I would suggest keeping in mind. These may seem common sense, but you would be surprised how often these things are left out, or hidden by the design.
Who, When and Where.
First and foremost, WHO is playing? You need to let your audience know what bands/musicians will be rounding out the bill. Generally you will want to place bands in order of performance (last to perform at the top to first at the bottom), or importance (most notable name at the top, and least notable name at the bottom). Depending on your design, you’ll either use band logos or type out each name.
Band 1 / Headliner
Band 2 / Support Band 1
Band 2 / Support Band 2
Second, WHEN is your show? Make sure to put your date in a clear and easy to read location on the flyer. Generally the month and day is acceptable. Some bands are really into days of the week…I’ll leave that decision up to you.
Month Date
February 15
Third, and finally, WHERE is your show? Now you have to let your audience know where they need to go. Wouldn’t want them going to the wrong venue, now would we? Clearly type the venue name or place their logo. I suggest placing this directly next to or below the date.
Month 12 • Venue Name
OR
Month 12
Venue
So now you have the big three WHO, WHEN and WHERE, here are few more things to keep in mind. I am a firm believer that less is always more. The more things on your flyer, the more distracting from your actual message, the more likely someone forgets about your show. Include your website and social media outlets (facebook, twitter, instagram etc.). Pick only one to two fonts, anything more and your flyer begins looking sloppy. Dafont.com is a great resource for fun fonts if you’re looking to spice up your designs. I suggest a simple, clean and bold font. You want something easy to read and hard to miss. A font with a few variations (bold, italic etc.) can add some variation, while still keeping everything unified. If you don’t have a design or art created for a flyer, grab your Sunday best and have someone take a nice clear group photo. I’d try and use a real camera, but sometimes an iPhone will do the trick. Finally, be sure to spellcheck!
Below is an example of a clean, simple flyer for Andrew Bird. Notice how the info is clearly. You know the Who, When and Where. Below that they’ve placed the website.
Hope these tips help. Happy designing!
– M
PromoWest Employees Favorite Love and/or Break-Up Songs. Happy February everyone!
Fish – Arctic Monkeys – Cornerstone
Marissa – Skinny Love – Bon Iver
Stall – Marilyn Manson – Para Noir
Jeff – Anything by Alkaline Trio. Let’s say “Love Love, Kiss Kiss”
Britton – For Once in My Life – Stevie Wonder… Love is blind.
PromoWest Gym: How Touring Bands Keep True to New Year’s Resolutions
By Britton Dove, GM of A&R Music Bar and The Basement
Several people I work with start their day with a 6-10 hour commute and still find time to eat healthy and exercise.
So what’s our excuse?
We aren’t on tour; that’s our excuse! I’ve worked with dozens of bands in The Basement and A&R Music Bar that keep personal fitness a priority even with a trying schedule. Here’s how they do it:
Substituting Hamburgers for Hummus
As you may have learned through Jack White’s GuacamoleGate, each band submits a “rider” with their contract that explicitly details any requests and/or demands each band needs to complete a concert. Sometimes a band wants “wild sustainable smoked Alaskan salmon,” sometimes they want “four large bumper packets of potato chips – assorted flavors,” and sometimes they just want “one vegan pizza with extra tomato, pitted olives, pineapple, green pepper, (no hot peppers) and NO CHEESE,” because, duh, it’s a vegan pizza. *
The rider is a great place to start when trying to remain healthy while on tour. With Whole Foods and Giant Eagle Market District being close enough I can’t even finish “Free Bird” in the drive time, it’s easy for me to pick up the heavy hitters of health food such as: organic hummus, almond butter, ripe avocados, Greek yogurt, assorted nuts, soy milk, dark chocolate, coconut water, and bananas.
Once the munchies are gone, dinner is the next concern. This is when I have to ask necessary questions to find the perfect local restaurant to dine. Questions like: are you driving or walking, any dietary restrictions, and is price range a concern? My favorite healthy restaurants to recommend are The Table and Brassica.
Sweat Before Singing
Hotel Gyms: The obvious first choice. Many hotels in the area have gyms fully equipped with treadmills, elliptical machines and free weights. Unfortunately for some up-and-coming acts, the 12-passenger van serves as the hotel most nights so if you want to break a sweat, ingenuity is a must.
Park Workouts: A few bands I have worked with have asked me where the nearest park is for a workout. I always send them to Goodale Park because that is where I do my own park workouts. There are plenty of monkey bars for chin-ups, picnic tables for box jumps, and soft grass for push-ups and crunches.
Yoga: I’ll be honest, The Basement isn’t the most Zen of facilities for yoga enthusiasts, but plenty of women and men have unrolled their mats for a quick cobra to plank. I just feel bad for the band that had to suffer through our house engineer’s heavy-metal playlist while trying to find peace and tranquility.
P90X: Tony Horton designed this program for the person that is on-the-go, and typically, bands are on the go anywhere from 4 weeks to 4 months depending on the routing and schedule. We have hosted several bands that plop their laptop on a merch table and fire up a DVD.
They say “you make time for what is important to you,” and to some of these bands staying in shape is just as important as shredding on stage. But if you want the easy way out in 2016, just wear all black – I hear it’s slimming.
*Note: all of the rider items mentioned were real rider items I shopped for in 2015.
PromoWest Staff’s Favorite Christmas Gifts (Either Received or Given)
Marissa – Marketing Director – Bluetooth headphones and an “adult” coloring book.
Jeff – Social Media Manager– Received: A grill, which I have been using in January, because hot dogs. I also received a copious amount of whiskey, which I made short work of. Given: Gave my dad a turkey deep fryer. Now I just hope he doesn’t burn down the house.
Megan – Marketing Manager – A&R Music Bar / The Basement – Among the gifts of gin and whiskey from my lovely co-workers which are always top notch gifts, I received a veggie spiralizer, to be specific the Veggetti Pro Tabletop Spiralizer. I love cooking and trying different things to make it a tad more healthy at home. So cheers to more booze and food in 2016!
Jackie – Festival VIP and Sponsorship Manager – My favorite gift given this Christmas was a “Selected Ambient Words” Aphex Twin greeting card for my boyfriend. It was a priceless Etsy find and while it took weeks to ship from the other side of the pond and he didn’t get it until after Christmas, it gave me the opportunity to select my own ambient words for him and I know he loved it most of all the gifts I got him this year!
Fish – Art Director / Resident Drummer / Resident Rhythm Maker – Favorite present received: …Gallons of whiskey. Favorite gift given: SFX Machine to a 2 year old to annoy his parents.
Stall – Office Manager – PS4
Steris – General Manager of Newport Music Hall – Best gift I received…A Dutch Oven.. No joke. My sister got me a dutch oven and I make amazing roasts with it.
Britton – General Manager of A&R Music Bar and The Basement – Tickets! My dad got me Bruce Springsteen tickets and my girlfriend snagged some Cincinnati Reds tickets for opening weekend. So essentially, I will be “Dancing in the Park.”
BJ – Director of Ticketing – Pink Floyd – The Division Bell on vinyl.
Becky – Vice President of Sales & Brand Marketing – My favorite was a custom made U.S. Army uniform for my 6 year old son with his last name on the name tape reading “PVT Long”
PromoWest Staff’s Year In Review
Marissa
Marketing Director
Years with PromoWest: 5 years
Favorite band: Anything involving Jack White
Favorite PromoWest concert: Santana
First concert: John Denver
2015 Year In Review
Favorite album: Modest Mouse, Strangers to Ourselves
Favorite movie: Mad Max
Favorite restaurant: Little Palace
Favorite TV show: Fargo
Favorite show to work: Bush
Favorite bar: Betty’s (Thong Thursdays, specifically)
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Jeff
Social Media Manager
Years with PromoWest: 4 in Pittsburgh at Stage AE, 1 in Columbus
Favorite band: Bad Religion
Favorite PromoWest concert: In 2003 catching AFI with Strike Anywhere at Newport way before even working here.
First concert: The Offspring with Voodoo Glow Skulls and Joykiller at IC Light Amphitheater in Pittsburgh on October 9th, 1997.
2015 Year In Review
Favorite album: This is tough… here are my top 5. Murder By Death, Refused, July Talk, Ghost, Sleater-Kinney.
Favorite movie: I’m sitting here trying, typing and deleting a list repeatedly to narrow it down from like four or five different movies, because I don’t want to publicly admit how geeked I was on Jurassic World. Like a 9 year old.
Favorite restaurant: Since moving to Columbus earlier this year, I’ve enjoyed practically everywhere I’ve eaten. But my girlfriend and I have probably gone to Bibibop the most. They don’t have those in Pittsburgh.
Favorite TV show: Better Call Saul
Favorite bar: Short North Tavern on Mondays for Dollar Taco Night! Plus Nate’s Monday night playlist is all old punk rock.
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Steris
General Manager of Newport Music Hall
Years with PromoWest: 8 years
Favorite band: The Strokes
Favorite PromoWest concert: J. Roddy Walston & The Business
First concert: Peter, Paul & Mary
2015 Year In Review
Favorite album: Car Seat Headrest – Teens of Style
Favorite movie: Ex Machina
Favorite restaurant: Wolf’s Ridge Brewing
Favorite TV show: Bloodline
Favorite show to work: Spoon
Favorite bar: Seventh Son
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Becky
Title: Vice President of Sales & Brand Marketing
Years with PromoWest: 15 years
Favorite band: Adele for sure. Sade…? And ummm… Ray LaMontagne.
Favorite PromoWest Concert: Jack Johnson & Ben Harper
First Concert: Aerosmith
2015 Year In Review
Favorite album: Adele
Favorite movie: Trainwreck
Favorite restaurant: Black Point
Favorite TV show: Chopped
Favorite show to work: Snoop Dogg
Favorite bar: King Avenue Five
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Britton
General Manager of A&R Music Bar and The Basement
Years with PromoWest: 3 years
Favorite band: Prince
Favorite PromoWest concert: The Black Keys – LC Outdoor – 2010
First concert: Hanson – City Center Mall – 1997
2015 Year In Review
Favorite album: ”Coming Home” by Leon Bridges
Favorite movie: The Hateful Eight. I haven’t seen it yet, but I know I’m going to love it.
Favorite restaurant: Hot Chicken Takeover
Favorite TV show: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Favorite show to work: Robert DeLong (Upstairs)/Albert Hammond Jr. (Downstairs) on the same night!
Favorite bar: The Bottleshop
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Jackie
Festival VIP and Sponsorship Manager
Years with PromoWest: 2 Concert
Favorite band/artist: Pharrell Williams
First concert: No Doubt
2015 Year In Review
Favorite album: Tame Impala – Currents
Favorite movie: Victoria
Favorite restaurant: Bar 145
Favorite TV show: hmm…tough one. I guess Archer? Or Parks & Rec? King of the Hill? Garfunkel & Oates? Let’s just go with Archer since it came to mind first.
Favorite show to work: Wiz Khalifa & Fall Out Boy
Favorite bar: Little Rock Bar
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Fish
Art Director / Resident Drummer / Resident Rhythm Maker
Years with PromoWest: 5 Years
Favorite band: Queens of the Stone Age
Favorite PromoWest concert: Arctic Monkey’s at The LC on my birthday
First concert: Reverend Horton Heat at Top Cats in Cincinnati OH
2015 Year In Review
Favorite album: Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds Chasing Yesterday / Fidlar Too / Graveyard Innocence & Decadence / Clutch Psychic Warfare
Favorite movie: Spectre…but could be Star Wars by tonight
Favorite restaurant: Bakersfield
Favorite TV show: Fargo
Favorite bar: Local Cantina
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BJ
Director of Ticketing
Years with PromoWest: 15 Years
Favorite band: Pink Floyd
Favorite PromoWest concert: Foo Fighters May 26, 2003 at PromoWest Pavilion
First concert: Lynyrd Skynyrd / Peter Frampton – Star Lake Amphitheater: June 14, 1998
2015 Year In Review
Favorite album: Tame Impala – Currents
Favorite movie: The Martian
Favorite restaurant: Forno Kitchen and Bar
Favorite TV show: Game of Thrones
Favorite show to work: Hall & Oates
Favorite bar: Land-Grant Brewing Company
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Megan
Marketing Manager – A&R Music Bar / The Basement
Years with PromoWest: 2 ½ years
Favorite band: Sylvan Esso
Favorite PromoWest concert: Sylvan Esso at Newport Music Hall
First concert: Phantom Planet
2015 Year In Review
Favorite album: Blood by Lianne La Havas
Favorite movie: Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Editors note: She hasn’t even seen it yet!)
Favorite restaurant: Tip Top
Favorite TV show: Nashville
Favorite show to work: The Blitz Great Summer Smoke Out
Favorite bar: Dick’s Den
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