The Buzz: Out of tunes

Wednesday, August 05, 2009

By Henry Sweets

Jackson Hole, Wyo.-Bringing bands to Jackson Hole is a gamble.

The only venue hosting national acts this summer is the Center for the Arts, where a big act can run about $40,000 after the Center pays the gig fee, transportation, sound, lodging and other expenses, executive director Steve Schultz said. The difference is shouldered by corporate sponsors.

Otherwise, Jackson Hole residents may have to go to Idaho.

Snow King’s usual summer concert’s aren’t happening, the Jackson Hole Music Festival is on indefinite hold and the Mangy Moose has decided to stop booking the big acts they used to lose money on.

Some music fans are miffed, because to see a popular band in a more casual setting nowadays, they have to drive over Teton Pass to the Knotty Pine, Driggs’ Music on Main series, Grand Targhee Resort or the Spud Drive-in. Next Wednesday, Papa Presents, Dom Gagliardi’s new production company, hosts Keller Williams and Dark Star Orchestra at the drive-in.

Gagliardi, long time music promoter in Jackson Hole, said the lack of a good venue, and the 20,000 person population make the valley a tough place to promote concerts with $20 and $30 tickets, and this year the bad economy has really put the squeeze on big concerts.

“Everyone who’s trying to put on music in Jackson has been taking big risks for a long time,” Gagliardi said. “ We don’t have a very big population and ... you really need all your shows to come close to selling out to not lose money.”

At the Mangy Moose in Teton Village, the days of seeing bands like Galactic and Sam Bush and the Digable Planets may be over. Over the last few summers, turnouts have been inconsistent as new venues like 43 North and the Center for the Arts have drawn new crowds, Moose co-owner David Yoder said. His business partner, Jeff Davies, now books smaller acts.

“For the last eight years we’ve owned the place, we’ve just lost our shorts in the summers,” Davies said. “If we sold every ticket, it cost me 500 or 600 bucks to see [national acts] walk in the door. And if something goes wrong ... we’ve lost $7,000 to $10,000 a piece on shows over the last few years.”

Over in Victor, the Knotty Pine regularly hosts bands like Galactic and On The One, both of which have played the Moose. Bar manager Adam Towle said it’s part of owner Brice Nelson’s passion for good music, a crowd of loyal patrons and a unique atmosphere that makes bands want to come back, and charge less.

In Driggs, the Teton Valley Foundation gets corporate sponsors to host live music on Main Street, though the festival did roll back from eight to five days, while Grand Targhee is drawing ever-larger crowds to its two annual summer festivals.
For his part, Gagliardi said he would like to see bigger acts return to Jackson. He said that the Pink Garter could have been a good in-town venue, but lacked a liquor license and full bar.

At Snow King, General Manager Dana Ahrensberg said promoters inquired about summer shows this year, but never followed through. He said Jackson was always a tough place for promoters: fans would wait until the night of a show to buy tickets.
The Center brings big acts because its mission is to bring the arts to Jackson, Schultz said. For Gagliardi, who says he hasn’t yet figured out how to make money promoting music in Jackson Hole, it is the hope that a more cultured lifestyle is possible here.

Whether it’s the right landowner who steps up and builds an outdoor amphitheater on their property or the right corporate sponsor to fund a festival at Teton Village, Papa Presents intends to find a way to bring big-time music to Jackson Hole, assuming the trial run at the Spud goes well.

“We live here and we’re going to live here forever,” Gagliardi said. “And I can’t live in a place where there’s no music.” JHW

FILE PHOTO/Andrew Wyatt
The Black Crowes played the Snow King Ampitheater.

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