2026 Impact NextGen Honoree: Chris Danis

CHRIS DANIS
Agent | AGE: 35
TBA Agency

Mana Screw?
“I’m randomly really good at Magic the Gathering, I qualified for the pro tour a couple years ago.”

As an agent at TBA, Chris Danis represents the touring interests of more than 20 artists including Yaeji, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, salute, Bassvictim, Mura Masa, STRFKR, Thaiboy Digital and TR/ST, with recent highlights including Bassvictim and Thaiboy Digital both selling out their first proper U.S. tours.
Danis, who got his first full-time music gig in accounting at Chicago-based Windish Agency, says ticketing is a core issue facing everyone in the live music industry.

“Ticketing practices and fan access need to improve,” says Danis. “There’s work being done on the legislative level, but agents and promoters also need to practice due diligence to make sure that the fans who drive our whole industry aren’t taken advantage of, and that artists get paid appropriately.”

Danis gives much credit to TBA principal Avery McTaggart, whom he’s been working with for over 10 years. “I mean, he’s taught me everything,” Danis says of his mentor. “I just looked through old emails for a choice quote and at one point when I was booking my first headline tour he told me ‘Desperation is never a good look.’”

TBA formed in 2020, after layoffs and overall upheaval of the live music business brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw disruption and layoffs across the industry including at Paradigm agency, which included the Windish Agency (and later was sold to Wasserman Music, which later became THE·TEAM). Founders Marshall Betts, Avery McTaggart, Amy Davidman, Ryan Craven and Devin Landau formed TBA with a roster including Cut Copy, Devendra Banhart, Ethel Cain, Faye Webster, Jungle and many others.

Maybe more seriously, he says the makings of a good boss include “Trust and candor. It’s also important to actively advocate for your team where relevant. Support staff put up with a lot in this industry and good work deserves recognition.”

Danis says he’s looking to expand his roster and “I’m really excited about a lot of new music at the moment, which hasn’t always been the case over the course of my career.” He likes to hear what friends and family are interested in musically – the ones not working within the industry.

“I’ve seen this new group B0YG1RL three times over the past month, they’re next up for sure,” he says.

In a job that requires meeting demands of multiple sides of the concert equation, Danis says his biggest challenge is having to “interact [with] way too many people in a single day, if I’m being honest. I mean, I’m good at it, but damn.”