Goldenvoice Makes Key Staff Changes at Great American Music Hall and Slim’s
A year after Slim’s and the Great American Music Hall (GAMH) agreed to allow booking by promoter Goldenvoice, the ramifications are starting to become clear. Since Goldenvoice took over the calendars, key people at the two venues, including publicist Tanya Pinkerton, manager Dana Smith and promoter Tracey Buck, have been laid off. Apparently, Goldenvoice is moving promotions and marketing duties for the venues to regional managers.
When it was announced last year, Jamie Zawinski, the owner of DNA Lounge, wrote an insightful blog post that foreshadows some of changes that are currently reshaping the San Francisco independent music scene. In Zawinski’s and others minds, Slim’s and GAMH ceding control to Goldenvoice was almost equivalent to the two venues closing down. “If Slim’s can’t make it work anymore, who can?”
For Anthony Bedard, who used to do booking for Hemlock and GAMH, another dimension, that of ever increasing rents, takes on more relevance than ever. “Even if a venue is thriving, there’s the looming question of how much more the landlord can make by redeveloping the property,” Bedard said. “It’s bigger than the music industry.”
What we’re left with is a fear that more independent venues will close as audiences get fewer chances to check out local, up and coming acts.
