When I first moved to Pittsburgh in 2002, different
people used to tell me that if it took more than two degrees to make a
connection in the Steel City, I was spending time with the wrong
people. This could not have proved to be more true as my social
and work circles are constantly overlapping.
When I worked exclusively in the music industry, I liked to book some
of the bands I managed on the same concert bill. Some of my
favorite memories involve Brother Chameleon and Boogiehawg – bands that were
different stylistically but complemented each other performing on the same
stage. It was so fun to witness the interplay between members of each
group while performing and the good times that were had post-show in their
Georgetown loft. I also enjoyed connecting musicians from different
bands. It still makes me smile when I hear Jay C.’s (of Brother
Chameleon) organ sound on Apartment 3’s album “Bruised & Patient”.
This December I am celebrating 13 years at Ticketmaster
and I do not believe the job would have ever come to fruition if it were not
for the networking done by my wife. I used to book bands and performers
at the Walnut Grill in Pittsburgh’s Shadyside neighborhood between April 2004 –
December 2005. During this time a regular of the Monday Night
concert series was a gentleman named Pat, who at the time was the General
Manager of Ticketmaster. After he and Ranisa struck up a conversation,
the next step involved me having an interview and the rest as “they say” is
history. If you are not part of the Pittsburgh crowd that only goes out
to celebrate a birthday or New Year’s Eve, connections like this are happening
constantly.
And recently while working in the box office at Heinz
Field, I assisted in deciphering Le’Veon Bell’s handwriting to determine that
the tickets he was leaving for E.Dan was actually Eric "E. Dan" Dan
from the recording studio ID Labs best known for extensive work with Pittsburgh
hip-hop artists Wiz Khalifa and Mac Miller. When I was asked by my
colleagues in the box office how I knew who E.Dan was, it did not take long to
sort thru the Rolodex in my head of Pittsburgh local music. Although my days
of working with the Major League Entertainment hip hop artist Tribeca are in
the past, I do my best to stay in tune with the different music circles in my
adopted home city. And as I learned, you never know when you are going to
have to connect the dots.
Thanks for reading.
