Music maker
By Joe Viglione/ Correspondent
Thursday, November 30, 2006

Warren Scott


The Channel Nightclub's new website
 

Scott managing Chevalier venue


    Warren Scott has close to three decades of experience as one of the major booking agents in New England. As talent buyer for The Channel nightclub, he brought national and international acts into the Boston area. Two of Roy Orbison's last three performances before his passing were at The Channel; Greg Kihn had the room completely jammed when "Jeapordy" was a hit in 1983, while local legends Rick Berlin: The Movie and Girls Night Out featuring Didi Stewart were able to bring a huge audience into a Boston venue and generate the stir that made them two of the areas most exciting artists.


    Today the city of Medford hosts Scott's company, Boston Event Works, managing the prestigious Chevalier Theatre. The Marvelettes, Shirley Alston Reeves, local heroes New England and The Fools, all participated in recent memorable nights at the historic concert hall. The same hall, which, in the past, has also hosted immortal names such as Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra and John F. Kennedy.

    Recently, Scott sat down for a Q&A about his business and managing the Chevalier.

    Q: Warren, when did you open Boston Event Works?
    A: 2002

    Q: Concerted Efforts used to be located on Salem Street in Medford, John Gentile and Mickey O'Halloran worked in the suburbs in the 70s - Mickey working out of Mass. Ave in Arlington. How do you find working five miles north of Boston compared to Boston proper, and how has Medford responded to having a major booking agency within the city limits?

    A: You don't necessarily need to be in a metro city to run an office like BEW. With phones and e-mail, you could be anywhere as long as you are in touch and in tune to the needs of the market you are servicing.

    It's great to be here in Medford, it supplies a great business atmosphere with location and local amenities, especially being located in the Chevalier Theater; it's a natural fit.
    Q: Warren, you've certainly worked some of the finest rooms in New England. The Pia Zadora show at the Opera House that you were involved with was a real treat. Here's this movie actress in films that weren't memorable onstage with Sinatra's band and holding her own. She brought the house down if I recall.
    Would it be fair to say that the Chevalier is as acoustically perfect as the Opera House, and as important to this region?
    A: Most definitely, it's a beautiful room. Acoustically it's perfect, not a bad seat in the house, a beautiful structure, with as many seats to challenge any national concert hall.
    Q: Could you introduce us to the staff of Boston Event Works?
    A: Well I'm not as "news shy" as they may be, but we have a full-time staff with Julie in administration, Kevin and Ron in the contemporary club booking department, Aaron heads up the college division, Dave in the wedding and me at the helm of special events. Then we have show production managers that work out of the office producing the shows and events we put together for clients all over the USA.

http://www.townonline.com/medford/artsLifestyle/view.bg?articleid=624580&format=&page=2

Music maker
[continued from previous page]

Q: You have a large roster of artists. Who are some of the most in-demand performers you represent?
    A: Good question, and me not being right in the contemporary department, I'll try to answer ...Let's see, Boston Event Works represents, Audible Mainframe, Eclective Collective, The Well, The Brightwings, NBFB, Gordon Stone Band, Fungus Amungus, Sucka Brown, Parker House & Theory, VINX, Oneside, Arcoda, Lucy Vincent, Ramoniacs, Jumpstreet.
    Q: The region has changed dramatically since the 1970s with The Rathskellar, The Kenmore Club, The Club in Cambridge, The Channel, Jumpin' Jack Flash, Jack's in Cambridge and other vital clubs fading into memory.


    What are your thoughts on the changing marketplace?
    A: It's happening too fast and without care for the music industry itself. Music is a driving force in many people's lives, whether it's recorded or live, and it's the live portion of music Boston metro is lacking.
    There is swiftly becoming far too few live entertainment stages. For a region this large, the amount of actual viewing space for start-up, new bands, is small. We've got a fair amount of large venues to see nationals but the younger bands are sacrificing terribly.

    There is just nowhere to play, far less rooms are functioning now from even five to 10 years ago. One time there were 20 plus moderate sized clubs that presented live music, what are there now, six, eight??

    If you are a band who is releasing a new product and wants to showcase in a strong 400-seat room, it's tough to find. If the room is out there, if you don't mind waiting three months to get a slot. (Problem is) the production (professional lights and sound) is not.

    Again, a lessening support for live music.

    Q: Malden has My Honey Fitz, Arlington's "Right Turn" has major acts in for charity events, do you think a nightclub in Medford, or a consistent music presence at the Chevalier, is something the suburbs are ready for?

    A: It's always up to the city. A regular rotation of events at The Chevalier would work as long as the interval of time between shows worked.

    Q: What are Boston Event Works immediate goals?

    A: To continue to grow, booking the hottest bands into (what's left of) the clubs in this region, allowing us to bring visiting businesses and corporations to this area the best entertainment with the best and newest production.

    Q: What fun things can Medford residents look forward to from the Chevalier?

    A: We've got a bunch of events happening - Brendon from Nashville will be in for three nights, Whoopie Goldberg will be visiting in April and the region's best theatrical shows on the Chevalier large stage.

    Q: Boston Event Works specializes in all aspects of live music presentation, event management and promotional support. How do you choose the entertainment?

    A: Besides the many national attractions we work with, the locals and regionals are decided on by reviewing websites and promotional packages they submit to the agency.


http://www.townonline.com/medford/artsLifestyle/view.bg?articleid=624580&format=&page=3


Music maker
[continued from previous page]

For people interested in submitting material, the address is: Warren Scott Boston Event Works PO Box 180 Medford, MA 02155 (PH) 781-395-1732 (FX) 781-395-1733.

    Q: Would you kindly give us some of your most memorable moments in rock & roll in the Boston area.

    A: Working the Sarah Vaughn and Muddy Waters show at Berklee Performance Center, one of my first was unbelievable, Fela Kuti at The Hynes, Bunnie Wailer at The Wang Center, Ray Charles at Lynn Auditorium, Frank Zappa at Winter Island in Salem, The Ramones at The Main Event in Lynn (a.k.a. "The Harbor House") circa 1978; The Repacements, Miles Davis, Pobert Palmer, Morrissey at The Opera House, Bo Diddley and Roy Orbison double header in Volvo Tennis Chamionship opening, John Denver, same place, different night, or Jerry Lee Lewis: who admitted some profound news to (former Globe critic)Jim Sullivan and I, Divine and John Waters, Jello Biafra & the Dead Kennedy's whos name was changed to The DK's per order of The State House, Cameo, Grandmaster Flash & Melle Mel who when I paid, showed me who was in charge by using a 38 for a paper weight, The Gap Band, Charlie Watts Orchestra, The Young Snakes, Johnny Thunders, Billy Bragg, Dwight Youkum, Ian Dury and the Blockheads who opened up for an unknown John Cougar, Wendy O & The Plasmatics (no ping pong balls), Joan Jett, The Slits, Big Black, The Speedies, Motorhead, Meatloaf, Eisterzende Neubarton, Alice in Chains, Fine Young Cannibals with a fire alarm, everybody left the club then everybody went back in, there where 2000 people there that night, James Brown, who I had to talk into not flying back to Detroit because of his suite, it was at the embassy suites hotel in Allston and he was told him it was a full $3,000 suite, come to find out , it cost $149, Getting drunk with AC/DC; when I drank...George Clinton and The P-Funk Allstars, Iggy Pop, Pere Ubu, Gary Glitter, The GoGo's, Thompson Twins, Gary Newman, GNO, Freddie Kruger, Freddie McGregor, English Beat; our House Band, The Birthday Party, John Cale, JJ Cale, Tony Bennett, The Cramps at Halloween, multiple years in a row, Putting together the first ever Spinal Tap performance (and they did 4 shows!), Ron Wood of the Rolling Stones again & The Mysterians, The Jam, Dennis Brown, Sly and Robbie, B-52's regular yearly X-Mas gigs, Phillip Glass, and Goo Goo Dolls who I used to pay $400 a night ... all happened at the best nightclub America has seen...The Channel.


    Thanks for sharing those memories with us, Warren.

SIMON KIRKE performed with Jon Macey at RIGHT TURN in
Arlington.  Prior to the gig he did an interview on VISUAL RADIO, now airing across Massachusetts as well as selected other states


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Visual Radio #357  YGO airing currently

Visual Radio #362 with Simon Kirke airing December 06

Visual Radio #355  Richard Pomerance
Visual Radio #358  Arthur Wertheim "Vaudeville"
Visual Radio #361  Stephanie Moulton Sarkis
Visual Radio #396  Bill Janovitz Exile On Main St.
                   Taped 11/20/06

Visual Radio #363  Jon Marko & Robert Greenfield
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Visual Radio #253  Jennifer Weiner IN HER SHOES
Taped October 3, 2002, Jennifer Weiner's book became a
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===================================================

SIMON KIRKE of FREE, BAD COMPANY & Ringo's All Stars
taped for Visual Radio on Friday, September 29 at
WCAT Winthrop Cable.



Simon Kirke's web site


Here's a list of his hits with  FREE and BAD COMPANY

Bad Company Songlist

Shooting Star and Ready For Love

Can't Get Enough   (#5, 1974)
Movin' On   (Top 20, 1975)
Good Lovin' Gone Bad (Top 40, 1975)
Feel Like Making Love (#10, 1975)
Young Blood  (#20, 1976)
Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy (#20, 1976)
If You Needed Somebody  (#16, 1991)
Walk Through Fire   (#28, 1991)
How About That  (#38, 1992)

FREE hit with ALL RIGHT NOW  (#4, 1970)