McMenamins is so much more than music — although, with more than 15 concert spaces, the company certainly knows the business. In addition to the venues, McMenamins also boasts pubs, historic hotels, movie theaters, spas and breweries for beer, wine, cider, spirits and coffee for a total of 57 properties and counting. The company has created gathering places around Oregon and Washington since 1983, in many cases breathing new life into historic properties. Biron joined the company more than 30 years ago and now oversees the booking department encompassing film programming, special events and, of course, the music.
With so many different types of properties, what does the booking department look like?
We have one arm that is events, like our dinner with the Dandy Warhols (The Dandy Warhols Pagan Christmas). People from all over the world literally sit down to dinner with the band. One of my employees, Claudine Hemingway-Knapp, is really awesome. She sits with Courtney Taylor from the band and they have a whole lunch meeting with the chef to go over what the menu and wine pairings will be. You have 100 huge fans of the band literally sitting down to dinner with the band at the same table. We do these dinners throughout the year at all of our properties. Sometimes it’s a farm-to-table, which we call estate to table, or it could be just a Scotch dinner or something to commemorate a particular event. Then you have the different film programming that we’ve done over the years at the movie theaters. And, of course, you have the music. I also oversee the ticketing and marketing of the music.
How much of the event business is rentals as opposed to creating your own events?
Our business is probably 60 percent concerts to 40 percent private events. Out of the 60 percent concerts, half could be Live Nation, AEG, Monqui, Outback, Thrasher, DoubleTee, Steinberg, and half are our own presentations.
Each venue has a unique backstory and history. What affect does that have?
Crystal Ballroom, of course, is the jewel of McMenamins. It’s a historic venue that’s more than 100 years old. We had our 101st birthday Jan. 11. Bands want to play there because it’s a historic venue. Rock Creek Tavern is out in the forest in the west hills and definitely has kind of a rustic roadhouse flavor. When we try to send the cool hip bands that are playing in the city out there, and they’re great, talented bands, it doesn’t translate. We’ve learned the hard way that some places just want what they’re used to. Edgefield Winery: singer songwriter; Rock Creek Tavern: Americana; Boon’s Treasury: more blues. White Eagle Saloon is a 100-capacity supercool hipster venue. Just last week we had Isaac Brock (from Modest Mouse), Jim James (from My Morning Jacket) and Colin Meloy (of the Decemberists) all just hanging out there as customers. That venue does all sorts of stuff from free shows to ticketed shows, national acts to local bands. (Co-owners) Mike and Brian McMenamin have even said specifically of the Crystal or some of the others that we’re just the curators We’re just the ones running the Crystal Ballroom right now. This place has been around 100 years before us and will be around 100 years after us.
Is there any programming that’s unique to the specific venue?
Lola’s Room is pretty much video dance nights, which is a totally unique thing that’s some of our most successful programming. It’s 80s on Friday nights and 90s on Saturday nights where we show the videos on a screen, put the music through the PA system and have a light show. Davina (Labbe, a.k.a. VJ Kittyrox) originally came up with the idea and I said that she could try it, though I honestly didn’t know if people were going to be drawn to seeing videos, but it’s become a huge thing and she’s a brilliant woman. Al’s Den is a residency programming. The band plays three hours a night for seven nights. That changes the programming in that you have to find bands who have either a rich catalog or a lot of friends.
The 10-year anniversary of Great Northwest Music Tour is this year. How are you celebrating?
Great Northwest Music Tour is where a band goes to all of our different hotels. We’ve had the Avett Brothers play it, as well as Langhorne Slim, Deertick, and Elizabeth Cook. It is a very coveted booking for a band, as is Al’s Den. There will probably be six different months that we’ll do Great NW Music Tour in 2015. We’re in the process of lining them up.
With 18 music and event venues, does it ever feel like you’re competing with yourself?
Oh yeah. We strategize a lot, especially with our most frequent artists at smaller venues, trying to figure out how many times is too many to play them. For instance, one of our bookers, Alex Wideman, already has Garcia Birthday Band booked for 37 shows at McMenamins venues in 2015, and Lori Hughes is going to book them several times in addition to that. With Garcia Birthday Band, 37 dates isn’t enough, but for other bands that would be way too much and would dilute their draw.
Contact: (503) 223-0109