Backstage Spotlight™
Concert Promoter Gina Zamparelli
Gina Zamparelli has worked in the live concert
industry for 23 years and was the first woman in the Los Angeles market to produce
concerts with national-level artists. Shows she produced at the legendary Perkins Palace
are still talked about in rock circles, including a Guns ‘n’ Roses show credited
amongst GNR fans as being the one that put that band on the map. Gina is active in
historic preservation and has been a theater financial consultant for 13 theaters around
the US. She heads Friends of the Raymond Theatre, a non-profit group dedicated to saving
the former vaudeville theater (built in 1921) that was known in the 80’s &
90’s as the concert venue Perkins Palace (which Gina’s company managed for more
than a decade). Once her preservation work with the Raymond Theatre comes to a close, she
will start producing concerts in LA once again.
MBADC: Any advice for people who want to get into concert promotion?
GZ: I would advise new concert promoters to understand the complex
web of industry relationships between artists, managers, agents, venues, media and
promoters. See if you can carve out a niche with a venue and/or artists to call your own.
It’s much harder today because of the competition from the major concert companies.
I would start on a club level to get your feet wet and if all goes well, graduate to
opening your own club, or take an exclusive on a venue, or even book an annual tour or
festival. You can also opt to co-promote with one of the larger concert companies.
I would take the craft seriously and understand what it takes to be a good promoter.
Beyond knowing how to manage and organize well, you need to know a lot of particulars
about booking, contracts, riders, production etc. There is also more risk involved today,
so understanding insurance, ticketing, fire code safety, venue rental agreements, and all
the details that go into concert promotion is imperative.
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