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Getting To Know Your Pollstar Live! Panelists: Eric Mayers, Red Light Management
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Getting To Know Your Pollstar Live! Panelists
Eric Mayers, Manager, Red Light Management
Panel: “When the Going Gets Weird: Why Former Road Gurus Move Into Management”
Date/Time: Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022 at 11:30 a.m.
– Eric Mayers
Throughout the history of music touring there has long been a gulf between those strategizing in the offices and those on the road tasked with turning that strategy into reality. Increasingly, that gulf is evaporating as the industry is now seeing music professionals with actual road experience shift into management positions, proving the old Hunter S. Thompson adage to be true: when the going gets weird, the weird turn pro. Let’s see how that plays out here in this exclusive panel.
Moderator: Eric Mayers, Manager, Red Light Management
Speakers:
Brian Cross, Head of Touring, Monotone, Inc.
Amy Davidson, SVP, Head of Touring, mtheory
Alicia Karlin, VP Talent, AEG Presents
Zeke Hutchins, Artist Manager, Mick Management
Heather Ryan, Tour Manager, Sofi Tukker
Eric Mayers is a manager at Red Light Management, where he represents My Morning Jacket, Jim James, The Decemberists, Punch Brothers, Nickel Creek, Chris Thile and Noam Pikelny.
With 25 years experience in the industry, Mayers was previously the tour and production manager for My Morning Jacket, The Decemberists, Nickel Creek and others. Mayers co-produces The Decemberists’ Traveler’s Rest Festival in Missoula, Mont., and was the Production Manager for multiple music festivals such as Wakarusa, The High Sierra Music Festival, DelFest, Northwest String Summit, along with numerous one-off events throughout the country. He has worked for independent promoters throughout the Pacific Northwest, including Double Tee Concerts, and LMG Concerts where he was the Vice President of Touring and Production.
Outside of the music business, Mayers is an outdoor enthusiast, and local volunteer. He has been a longtime supporter of The Opal Creek Forest Center (https://www.opalcreek.org) as well as The Oregon Food Bank (https://www.oregonfoodbank.org). Currently Mayers also participates in a weekly meal delivery service, providing on average 250 meals and supplies to various homeless/houseless camps throughout the greater Portland metro area.
Mayers sits on the Advisory Board of the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund.
Pollstar Live! is set for Feb. 7-9 at Los Angeles’ Beverly Hilton. The 2022 event marks the return to the conference’s traditional February calendar slot following the 2021 edition, which was pushed to June in light of the pandemic. The conference is the world’s largest gathering of live entertainment professionals and the flagship event for Pollstar magazine, the leading trade publication for the global live entertainment industry.
With some of the best talent and minds in the business gathering once more in Los Angeles, you won’t want to miss the networking opportunities, insightful discussion and, of course, the Pollstar Awards honoring the best from the live entertainment world.
Pollstar Live! kicks off with Production Live!, the one-day companion conference that features insightful panels and discussions from industry professionals on all topics related to staging live events including lighting, video, staging and stage management, sound technique, concert production, video, regulations, security and more.
Click these links for the Production Live! schedule and the Pollstar Live! schedule.
Register for Pollstar Live! here. All registrants will be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination prior to gaining entry to the conference.
What tent poles are you most proud of in your career?
Eric Mayers: The fact that I am still surviving in the industry is what I am most proud of. Coupled with that is the fact that I am managing four incredible artists, all of whom I began working with as their tour manager.
Why must everyone go to this panel?
I believe that this panel will uniquely share examples of careers paths for touring professionals that are not always thought about. We also all know each other well, and have evolved together. It’s pure comedy that we’re all going to be on one stage at the same time.
What story will you tell during the panel?
Might talk about my first bonus deal settlement where we missed the bonus by a few tickets and the lessons learned.
What’s the story you won’t tell?
My lips are sealed.
What may cause tempers to flare?
There will be no flared tempers on this panel. It’s all love.
What was the best part of your 2021?
Booster shot and My Morning Jacket getting back out on tour.
Can you give us a prediction for a highlight of 2022?
Making it through the year. That alone will be a highlight.