Today we’d like to introduce you to Eric James
Hi Eric, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
What does Northside Booking do?
Northside Booking is run by Eric James, booking agent and event planner. We plan 10-12 high quality events every year, with specialized themed shows. We feature local bands on the rise and give touring (out of
Town) bands an opportunity that is hard to come by. Northside links musicians with venues and connects music scenes through long term planning. We love the music people create and work to give people proper representation.
Northside Booking Company was created in order to bring attention to the performer and to support them. Our founder is Eric James and Northside Booking was founded in January of 2019. We started by putting on live music events, shows and gigs in Bowling Green and Toledo. The project started out of a few different basements, and house shows. The house venue was called the Northside house or by most people in the music scene, “Northside.” We adopted this name after hosting over 15 shows in its two year history.
Northside Booking’s initial goal was to book with a select 2-3 bands and to use a label to establish more concrete gigs. This was a great move and proved to generate more shows on a regular basis. After 3-4 years, the vision of creating a booking or tour lane for bands in the USA surfaced. We are about 20-25% complete with the touring lane at this time. We work to plan the show, ensure the sound is taken care of, a door man is present, and a payment is decided on.
Planning the show includes reaching out to an artist so a poster can be made. Sometimes, this is done in house by Eric. Northside does occasionally hire artists for local shows (we reach out to Columbus Ohio artists for Columbus Ohio live music shows). Planning also includes establishing a connection with more than 1 venue. Bars are fluid and change, come and go. Eric regularly goes into the field to establish connections and to get more leads for a successful show. This includes handing out show posters to people and posting event posters in local shops. Northside also plans for events by brining in photographers, lights specialists and sound engineers for higher end events.
Northside is also looking for help! We have offered multiple, low-commitment positions with little to no interest. Send us an email if you’re looking to get involved! Northside’s mission is to get people interested in live music and live shows! In a digital world, it’s nice to get out and see something in person. We like to have fun, and live music can have just about any theme with the right planning and support.
What’s next for Northside?
We plan on working to the south, to cities like Cincinnati, Louisville, Nashville, Atlanta, and Miami. The long term plan is to finish this in 5-10 years. We look to expand and have others take the role of door attendant, social media specialist, field specialist, promotional agent, booking agent, sound person, event manager. We hope to continue to work with musicians and create more opportunities for bands for years to come.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s been a lot of highs and lows. There’s a lot of learning and you get humble, fast. You see others grow and you see happiness spread like nothing else. Music is powerful and makes the struggle worth it. The biggest struggle is missing a goal or having a show not go according to plan. It’s important to regroup and analyze why it didn’t go well. I think I’ve gotten better with this, and handling disappointment. Through these experiences I’ve planned better and made better decisions. I’m ready for the unexpected and can see how things unfold in the scene. The positives always seem to outweigh the negatives.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a booking agent and event planner. I specialize in event promotion, event management and talent acquisition. I am known for my music connections in the Northwest Ohio music scene and specifically the Bowling Green, Toledo, Columbus and Detroit music scenes. I am most proud of the accomplishments and leaps I’ve made, and the resilience I’ve had over the years. I think the fact that I don’t give up and continue to work in a tough industry makes me different. I care more about the musician and performer. I am eager to be successful and to reach new levels.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
Meet me at a show. Talking through a phone is boring and makes it hard to determine who a person really is—if they have the drive I have and envision. I host shows on the monthly, and regularly attend live music in the local scenes. Outside of that… People can work with me by emailing me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Northsidebooking.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/northsidebookingco?igsh=emw4aGVweXhza3l5
