Dale Haefner, director of MSU’s Performance Series, taliing with a student in Halling Recital Hall.
Music makers Meet two of the people who book the bands in Mankato By Nell Musolf
T
he Mankato area is fortunate to have several venues where live music can be found on a regular basis -Minnesota State University, Verizon Wireless Center, Riverfront Park as well as a variety of restaurants and bars where bands display their talents. So the question arises, just how is all that music found? Who books the bands for the local arenas and is it a dream job or can it be a nightmare? Dale Haefner is the director of Performance Series at Minnesota State University and part of his job involves lining up the talent that entertains students and community members throughout the year. Haefner says that there are several different things are considered when booking talent such as the amount of money that MSU has to spend as well as what kind of audience the Performing Series is hoping to entertain. 18 • June 2013 • MANKATO MAGAZINE
It also makes a difference if a band is local or not. “If the band is in the area already, it is an easier task to route the band to Mankato,” Haefner says. “When this occurs, the band’s asking price is lower.” Demographics also plays a role in Haefner’s decision-making process. Since MSU’s music department hopes to attract the general public to the Performance Series events, Haefner has found that blues and folk artists tend to be the most popular with the Mankato community and he tries to book a minimum of five or six blues or folks artists out of a possible 18 acts each year. To help with the budget, the Performance Series takes advantage of several grants and endowments. When this happens, acts are chosen according to the guidelines and wishes of the funding partners. One grant Haefner has won for