Allen Anders - Talent Buying for AEG Live from South Florida to Dallas, TX and Radio to Music Festivals
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Allen Anders is a Talent Buyer for AEG Live in Dallas, TX. AEG Live is one of the largest concert promoters in the world, owns and manages sports teams, and owns and operates live entertainment venues. He is a graduate from Full Sail University, and started his journey working for radio in Orlando, FL. Eventually Allen Anders moved on to work for AEG Live in the Southeast office under the mentorship of John Valentino. In Dallas, Allen Anders started the Off the Rails Country Music Festival in the home of FC Dallas (the MLS Soccer Team). The inaugural festival included Blake Shelton, Erich Church, Sam Hunt, Eric Young, and many more.
This conversation is episode three of the Talent Buyer series which also includes podcasts with Dan Larson of Okeechobee Music Festival, and Wayne Lee from New Orleans, LA who booked for Tipitina’s and House of Blues. This episode is part one of two with Allen Anders.
I first met Allen Anders during my time at The Plaza Live in Orlando, FL. He was one of the Talent Buyers that booked shows for us from our partnership with the AEG Live Southeast office. Allen has been a mentor and friend for many years now. This is a really great conversation in which we talk about his story and journey through the music business, his role with AEG Live, about AEG Live, Dallas, TX, and much more.
Highlights from this episode
Allen’s journey from Philly (6:13)
Buyers in office (15:00)
What is AEG (15:45)
AEG’s culture (18:35)
Allen’s experience in Dallas (19:19)
Markets in Dallas (21:15)
The joys of booking shows (24:00)
Allen’s average week (26:10)
Advice for creating Artist Relations (29:50)
Allen’s daily routine (32:05)
Go to spots in Dallas (34:50)
Allen’s involvement in Off the Rails Country Music Festival (37:17)
First album bought and concert attended (49:10)
How the journey into country music began (51:31)
Mentors in Allen’s past (55:35)
Talent buyer boot camp (58:30)
What makes a good Talent Buyer (1:04:30)
Venues AEG looks to book (1:06:42)
How AEG makes the call on what locations to book in. (1:09:25)
Quotes from Allen Anders
“You have to pick and choose, you have to take the higher risk.”
“At the end of the day we all have jobs to do.”
“You have to take it all seriously. You have to respect the industry.”
“Don’t talk to them (artist) about stuff they don’t want to talk to you about.”
“Be honest, be yourself.”
“I live and breath this industry.”
“Find what you’re good at and do it. It doesn’t have to be cool or hip.”
“You gotta be diverse, get an internship.”
“Take advantage of every opportunity.”
“Take the internship, nothing it too good for you.”
“Find the right people, get to know them, be yourself.”
“It’s very personality driven, we’re all fucking weirdos.”
Links to people, places, and things mentioned:
People:
Travis Barker
Tom Miserendino
Jimmy Buffet
Ed Sheeran
Blake Shelton
Eric Church
Jason Aldean
Dirks Bentley
Bouncing Souls
Everclear
Phish
Smashing Pumpkins
Pink Floyd
Luke Bryan
John Valentino
Air Supply
Places and Things:
AEG
Off the Rails Country Music Festival
The Plaza Live
Full Sail University
WMMO
Star R&B
Amway
Fantasma
Live Nation
Staples Center
LA Lakers
Coachella
Stagecoach Festival
Hangout Festival
Bonnaroo
Verizon Theater
WME
Elm St. Tattoos
LockHeart BBQ
Billy Bob’s Texas
ACM
Tortuga Festival
CMA
The Barn
Mavericks Live
