2009 soundcheck •
of whom really made an impact in the music world ... they’re legendary, and I’m honored sell the same number that we had sold before. to have had the pleasure to work with them. We were wrong. We only sold 287 seats. I reAlso I’ve been able to work with some artally think the present economy played a big ists who are shooting up in the ranks but role in that outcome. As far as a show that have not yet “made it.� I brought Allison we thought wouldn’t be successful but was, Krauss to the Great American Melodrama in I have to go back to that Raul Malo, show in Oceano. We got to do Faith Hill at the Per2007. That was our first show. We were nerforming Arts Center before she “launched.� vous as heck. Very few people had ever heard Like I mentioned, we did Jack Johnson at the of Raul Malo, and we were really hoping we Rec Center and at the Avila Beach Resort. No wouldn’t lose our shirt on the deal. Being that way could be play those venues now! I had this is very much a “last minute� community, an unknown artist open for Ray Charles up it was a nail-biter till the end, but by the night in Santa Cruz: Bobby McFerrin just before of the show we were sold out. “Don’t Worry, Be Happy� was released. Up Soundcheck What’s your best memory of in my Santa Cruz office some 20 years ago being a promoter? Worse? there was a comedian who was calling us Reinhardt The best was Ella Fitzgerald all the time, up and coming, willing to work singing in the backseat of my Oldsmobile for nothing. His name was Jay Leno. We did Delta 88 as I drove her back from the club Barenaked Ladies in the parking lot at the old Loco Ranchero, a free show. Sixty LADIES CHOICE The ladies of Five Sisters Entertainpeople showed up. I did Jacob Dylan ment who bring music to the South County, (left to and the Wallflowers at right) Susan Marple, Rikki Anderson, Kamryn Clarke, Loco Ranchero, also. Maria Carroll, and Kathy Clarke, surround Raul Malo. About 150 showed up. Those are precious memories, getting to meet some of the legends and getting to work with some struggling artists who were to become legendary. Burgos There’s no single best memory that outshines all the others, but there are situations where I just pinch myself and can’t believe how lucky I am to be around music every night. I get pretty geeked when I work with bands that I worshipped growing up. I remember even crying during an X soundcheck once, but some of the best moments come when you hook up the unexpected fan. I love PHOTO COURTESY OF FIVE SISTERS ENTERTAINMENT “miracling,� which is to her hotel. The worst was David Allan Coe giving free tickets to fans that get shut out walking off the stage after playing only 30 of sold-out shows. The joy in their eyes is minutes, leaving me with a standing-roompriceless. Worst memory is having someone only crowd of rowdy biker fans. die at a show due to unnecessary violence, See There was concert we did in Cambria which has happened on two different occaat the Painted Sky Studios with singer-songsions. writer Darryl Purpose. He was singing a song Carroll The best was the May 2007 Raul about a sister he never really knew that had Malo show at the Templeton Performing Arts tragically drowned in a pool at the age of 2. Center. With a packed house, the energy in Darryl’s singing this heartfelt song about leavthat place was palpable. Raul and the band ing flowers at her grave, and I look up to see were feeding off the crowd, and it was one everybody in the crowd with tears streaming of the best shows I’ve ever seen. It was down their cheeks. That was intense. Darryl gratifying beyond belief to know that we had has that kind of power with his music, and “created� that. It was such a high for me I’m a huge fan. My worst memory? We did that I knew I had found a new calling. Also, a concert, again in Cambria, with acoustic when we were out distributing flyers for the guitarist Tolouse Englehardt and percusPoco/Messina/Furay show, we handed one sionist Remi Kabaka. Tolouse was extremely to this gentleman in Arroyo Grande and he gifted but had a high level of attention deficit was so excited when he saw that it was Poco disorder type of issues going on. Remi had with founding members Messina and Furay actually played with all four Beatles but didn’t that he got tears in his eyes as he thanked us have any drums with him for the gig. Thank profusely. He couldn’t believe he was going God I had billed the Tolouse show as “a to get to see the original four performing topsychadelic Chet Atkins.� We all ended up gether again. That was extremely rewarding pounding shots at Camozzi’s afterwards. as well. At this point, I don’t really have any Howard For me to be able to work with bad memories. S✔ some of the legends—Bunny Wailer, James Brown, Bob Dylan, John Lee Hooker, BB King, Glen Starkey doesn’t have the balls to be Tony Bennett, Bo Diddley, Ray Charles, Little a concert promoter. Express your relief at Richard—some of whom are gone now, all soundcheck@newtimesslo.com.
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