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: Give us an overview of your history.
GZ: I was a musician and wanted to pursue a career in the business
end of music. At age 19, I managed my first band, just to get my feet wet. We were selling
out shows due to the promotion I was doing. I realized my promotional skills would be
better utilized as a concert promoter vs. a manager. At age 20, I produced my fist show.
My early concerts were backyard parties, held at mansions in Pasadena. This was during the
early Van Halen era, when backyard parties in Pasadena were popular. To my surprise my
first show drew 700 people the second show 850. I felt it was best I take my shows to a
legitimate venue. I rented Odd Fellows Hall in Pasadena, where I produced a series of
concerts. The concerts were a little too well attended. I was drawing 1,500 to 1,700
patrons at a 700 capacity venue. I had lines around the block that went on all night. This
didn’t go over very well with the Pasadena Police, who said it was time I find a
larger venue.
I always had my eye on Perkins Palace (now known as the Raymond Theatre) in Pasadena. By
age 22 I produced my first concert at Perkins Palace, which is a 2,000-seat venue. This
was the point I started working with nationally known artists. My company also went on to
manage the Raymond Theatre (Perkins Palace) for a decade.
Over the years I ventured out producing concerts at other venues, including the Roxy,
Whiskey, Wadsworth Theatre, Santa Monica Civic and Palladium in Los Angeles.
I stepped away from producing concerts in mid-1990's because of the lack of product (a lot
of the bands we worked with were signed and doing large tours) and also because the
Raymond Theatre was faced with redevelopment. Along with my love for music, I have an
equal love for historic architecture. I knew when The Raymond Theatre was threatened, this
was my time to take a stand for historic preservation. I formed Friends of the Raymond
Theatre, a non-profit corporation in 1987. We currently have 6,500 supporters around the
world and national artists working to help us preserve the Raymond Theatre. In recent
years I have acted as a professional theater consultant, helping revitalize 13 historic
theaters around the US. When the Raymond project ends, I will be returning to concert
promotion again and I’m looking forward to it!
MBADC: How did you get your start in the music industry, and what was your first
industry job?
GZ: When I started out in this industry in the early 1980’s,
there were few positions for women. Finding a company that would hire me to work as a
concert promoter was unheard of. I did not want to be a secretary for 10 years and work my
way up the ranks. I knew if I wanted to produce concerts, I had to create my own
opportunity. I started my own company in 1980 and have worked for myself ever since.
MBADC: What was the first concert you ever produced?
GZ: Wow! The Greg Leon Invasion,
Stormer, and Rampage.
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