Who? Jack Spatafora, 37, has been promoting music concerts under the Aestheticized Presents (AES) banner since 1999 and on his own for 14 years. He makes his first foray into standup comedy this week by bringing outlaw comic Doug Stanhope to town on Saturday (see cover story).
Sphere of influence: Local musicians, fans of alternative/indie/experimental music, Bay area music critics and programmers at WMNF and other community radio stations. Spatafora typically books several shows a week, mostly at the Ybor City venues New World Brewery and Crowbar. Attendance at these gigs typically ranges from a couple dozen to 300.
How he makes a difference: Spatafora lures a fiercely eclectic array of national and international acts to Tampa Bay, ranging from burgeoning indie-rock luminaries such as Silversun Pickups (they performed at Crowbar in March) to Japanese noise-rock band Melt Banana (they perform at Crowbar Nov. 21). Spatafora then pairs the headliners with as many as three or four regional/local opening acts, making him the area's most important proponent of local music. Once a Bay area band has earned a following with opening gigs, it will then occasionally enjoy a headlining show. For instance, local jazz/bluegrass/jam band Poetry N' Lotion has opened numerous AES gigs and now will headline a show at New World on Nov. 21. For more info on upcoming AES gigs go to aestheticized.com. (Full disclosure: Spatafora worked from 2001-2006 as a coordinator in Creative Loafing's advertising department.)
CL: What inspired you to be a concert promoter?
Spatafora: A love of music. Wanting to share the music I'm into with others and make people's lives better during the time they're [at the show]. There's so much bullshit people have to deal with on a daily basis. If you can get lost in a show, then it's worth it. That's what it's all about.
What national/international act are you most proud of introducing to Tampa Bay?
I couldn't point to one band. I started doing this stuff in school, booking my favorite bands in '93, '94. It's probably been 1,000 shows I've done by now. … There are so many things I'm proud of introducing. Just this year there's been Caribou, Battles, Witchcraft, Saviours [sighs]. I'm brain dead from doing six shows in the last eight days or could come up with more.
Your music taste runs the gamut from psychedelic pop and indie rock to death metal and hardcore rap. At what age did you become obsessed with seeking out the best in virtually every music genre?
I would probably say about 14. I was so lucky. My parents played such good music. My mom played Motown, Beatles, Stones, Zeppelin; and Dad was into fusion and jazz. I came up with great music. Van Halen was the first band I got into on my own. Then I saw the Minutemen open for R.E.M. at 15 [years old]. That was kind of why I'm doing what I'm doing. "Our band could be your life," that lyric [by the Minutemen], really [speaks to] the philosophy of what we do.
How do you promote your shows?
We pride ourselves in just doing the best posters in town and have worked with about 50 artists. The visual component is very important. But in 2007, it's Internet all day, every day. We have the site [aestheticized.com] and the MySpace [MySpace.com/aespresents], and we're updating both all the time. We do what we can on our shoestring budget.
Unlike most concert promoters, you routinely take financial risks by booking obscure bands of an experimental bent. How do you balance the whole art/commerce thing?
I've done this long enough and I'm poor enough that I can't take risks that could cripple me. You'll never see me do a Blink-182. I have it down to a science of what I can lose, it's pretty well calculated. Some things I take a risk and at the end of the day lose $50 or $100. But it's worth it for me to introduce the band to Tampa and hope it pays off in the long run.
What is the best way for a local musician to get booked on one of your shows?
Come out to shows. Be a part of it … Checking out other bands, having a relationship. We're completely approachable. … There's also the bottom-line thing. There are bands I like but that have no draw. But I'll take my chances on that stuff. I tend to stick with people who take it as serious as I do.
So basically, a band that comes to your shows and supports the other bands has a better chance of playing one of your shows?
Definitely.
Other than the death-metal bands, a scarce few Tampa Bay acts have enjoyed national success over the years. Is there a dearth of talent in the area, or is the rest of the country just not hip to what's happening here?
There's a lot of talent here. Definitely. Most bands, we just don't have it in place, a system that gets people on the road. But I'm not so concerned about that. The cream rises to the top, on some level. But whether the rest of the country pays attention is not why I do this.
What's the most rewarding aspect of your job?
Turning people [on to new music]. Pretty simple … Ultimately, that's why I do it.
The most difficult part of your job?
Apathy, on a multitude of levels, whether it's mine, attendees', bands' — the sun beats down on us all.
Is the Tampa Bay music scene stronger or weaker than it was 14 years ago?
It's kind of cyclical. It's really strong right now. But people can't come out, bands tend to play too much and part of that is my fault and the system's fault. There's a lot of good bands and a lot of demand, but a lot of them burn themselves out. Or play too much and people say: "Nah, I've seen this band already this month." But I do think really there are some fine bands right now.
Do you have any advice for aspiring local musicians?
Stick with it. If it's something you have to do, practice, take it seriously. Unless it's just for fun. That's fine, too. I'm not much of one for giving advice.
This article appears in Nov 7-13, 2007.