Creating the Niagara Music Scene
Chris Illich
Issue date: 11/17/09 Section: Arts & Entertainment
Working in the music industry has always been one of those 'golden ticket' jobs.
So many people try to break into the scene, and ultimately fail at living their illusions of grandeur. Luckily, for local promoter Pat Murphy, he found his niche when he was 17 and has been working towards building his business, the Niagara Music Scene, as high as he can fathom.
At 17, Murphy booked his first show at the now defunct Red Square, and then his progress moved somewhat unintentionally until he eventually began his own production company. Starting out as a high school kid with little knowledge of how to manage the events of a live music concert was tough, but he said that after a couple of shows he had people coming to him to play his shows.
"I had just booked my second show and they both went really well, and then all of a sudden I had all these bands asking me to book them shows and then overnight - I was a promoter. I didn't really plan on doing anything long term with it. It was kind of weird, but I ran with it," said Murphy.
He claims that it began as a 'high-school hobby', but six years later he has turned it into his full time job. Whether it is phoning and emailing agents, researching bands, posting advertisements on the Internet or postering in high proximity areas, there is a lot of work that goes into the construction of a concert.
Coincidentally, Murphy has found the job that most undergrads strive for. The opportunity to be your own boss and work your own hours, in comparison to the mundane nine-to-five that is ever-present in today's society, are few and far between.
But, being a promoter isn't as glamorous as it seems. Without a financial backer, every show that is booked is a liability. Generally bands have contracts and guarantees, and those deals need to be met, whether or not there are enough paying customers to aid in the collection of funds to support the act.
"Losing money is the worst feeling ever. If you have a show that you know it's not going to do well, you can tell within a couple weeks, and you just start hating those weeks. You can't get it off your mind. It's like a payment for nothing. It is really painful, you think about it all the time and think about how much you are going to end up losing," said Murphy.
So many people try to break into the scene, and ultimately fail at living their illusions of grandeur. Luckily, for local promoter Pat Murphy, he found his niche when he was 17 and has been working towards building his business, the Niagara Music Scene, as high as he can fathom.
At 17, Murphy booked his first show at the now defunct Red Square, and then his progress moved somewhat unintentionally until he eventually began his own production company. Starting out as a high school kid with little knowledge of how to manage the events of a live music concert was tough, but he said that after a couple of shows he had people coming to him to play his shows.
"I had just booked my second show and they both went really well, and then all of a sudden I had all these bands asking me to book them shows and then overnight - I was a promoter. I didn't really plan on doing anything long term with it. It was kind of weird, but I ran with it," said Murphy.
He claims that it began as a 'high-school hobby', but six years later he has turned it into his full time job. Whether it is phoning and emailing agents, researching bands, posting advertisements on the Internet or postering in high proximity areas, there is a lot of work that goes into the construction of a concert.
Coincidentally, Murphy has found the job that most undergrads strive for. The opportunity to be your own boss and work your own hours, in comparison to the mundane nine-to-five that is ever-present in today's society, are few and far between.
But, being a promoter isn't as glamorous as it seems. Without a financial backer, every show that is booked is a liability. Generally bands have contracts and guarantees, and those deals need to be met, whether or not there are enough paying customers to aid in the collection of funds to support the act.
"Losing money is the worst feeling ever. If you have a show that you know it's not going to do well, you can tell within a couple weeks, and you just start hating those weeks. You can't get it off your mind. It's like a payment for nothing. It is really painful, you think about it all the time and think about how much you are going to end up losing," said Murphy.
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