“She came to me and said, ‘Hey, I want to start [booking],’” says Saftner. “So I help her, I teach her how to book, promote, market, help her make the posters, everything I do.” Randall now books Tuesday Blues Day at Wolfie’s. While owning and operating James Street Gastropub and Speakeasy with his mother, Saftner booked the shows at the North Side venue. It was known for its strong jazz programming, and he booked about 400 shows a year during its seven years in operation. This was nothing new to Saftner, who has been booking shows since he was about 14 when his mom would drive him around in a minivan full of DJ gear to proms, weddings, and birthday parties. “I’ll always try to help as many people start booking as I can because I don’t want to do this forever,” says Saftner. “I want someone to be able to take over for me one of these days. Hopefully, I’ll find that in one of these college students.” Aside from Randall, Saftner assists younger musicians with The Attic Music Group. The program gives monthly residencies to Pittsburgh bands and musicians, helping them learn all they can in hopes that they can find repeat paying gigs elsewhere.
CP PHOTOS: JARED MURPHY
Tracy Randall and Kevin Saftner at Wolfie’s Pub
TUESDAY BLUES DAY is held before every Pirates home game that falls on a Tuesday. 5 p.m. Woflies’ Pub, 274 Forbes Ave., Downtown. Free. 412-232-3001
On Thursdays, Pioneer Records, a Point Park University-operated record label managed by Sports, Arts and Entertainment Management students,
hosts an open mic night. Like Randall, the students learn how to book musical acts with Saftner’s assistance. However, Randall, Saftner says, is a
Follow staff writer Jordan Snowden on Twitter @snowden_jordan
unique situation and Tuesday Blues Day is Randall’s baby. “After the first two shows were booked, she was like, ‘Alright I’ll call you when I’m done [with the rest.]’ And then she came back [soon after] and said look they’re all booked.” Randall says that when Saftner let her have free reign, it was incredibly empowering. “I learned a lot going through Point Park’s Sports, Arts, and Entertainment Management program, but I was never able to apply it anywhere else.” She was also able to learn invaluable knowledge not taught in the classroom, like networking and to never bad mouth anyone. “It’s the golden rule,” says Randall, “because someday you could be working next to that person, or that person could be your boss.” The first Tuesday Blues Day took place on May 7 with Charlie Barath, Jimmy Adler, and John “The Junkman” Burgh. “I’ve never seen that kind of life in Wolfie’s Pub,” says Randall. “There were people dancing, and the doors were opened up to Forbes Avenue. With the foot traffic, it was kind of like the music was drawing people in. I felt like I was in a different place for a minute.”
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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER MAY 22-29, 2019
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