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: How has media consolidation (Clear Channel etc.) changed the role of the
promoter? Compare how shows were promoted then and how they’re promoted now.
GZ: One of the most unfortunate issues regarding the
consolidation is that it allows little room for those who want to enter concert promotion
to have that opportunity. At least in LA, if you want to buy talent, it’s difficult
to compete with Clear Channel. I also feel it has effected the artists and their choices
to have outside promoters help assist in their careers. I get so many calls from venues in
need of promoters, and my heart bleeds for these venue owners. Those that aren’t
chosen as a Clear Channel venue are left with almost no ability to bring in product, at
least the larger venues. Promoters have always been competitive for product, but when one
or a couple of companies monopolize the majority of the market, it paralyzes other
independent promoters, not to mention sound, lights, radio, ticketing, etc. I am glad to
see some promoters opting out of their contracts. I personally thought we had a better,
healthier industry before the consolidation.
The difference between shows in the 80’s and early 90’s and now is that you had
the ability to take a band from a small club dates to playing areas, if you wanted to.
There was always competition, but if you had strong enough relationships with the band and
the band managers, it was possible. If you were a good enough promoter and were
well-established, you could compete with other promoters for national acts. Now, if a band
becomes available and you want them for one date and Clear Channel or House Of Blues
offers them 50 dates in different cities, why would they choose the one-out date with a
promoter when you can get 50 dates from Clear Channel or House Of Blues?
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