FALL 2013
The Romeo Reporter
PAGE 1 | THE ROMEO REPORTER | FALL 2013
ROMEO Entertainment GROUP
Obliteride Raises $1.9 Million
for Cancer Research
huge hit with the bike ride participants, who could attend
the concert along with one guest. In fact, Franti was such a
hit that the event has already extended an offer through REG
to bring him back next year.
Michael Franti interacts with the crowd during his show at the
Obliteride Kick-Off (Photo provided by Obliteride).
REG was proud to be part of the first-ever “Olbiteride,” a charity
bike ride in Seattle, Washington that benefits cancer research
through the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (often
called “Fred Hutch”).
A kick-off celebration featuring a concert by Michael Franti
and Spearhead was held at Gas Works Park on August
9, 2013, the night prior to the bike ride. The concert was
booked by REG’s Eric Marcuse, who was referred to Obliteride
Coordinator Mark Grantor by one of REG’s fair clients.
“We wanted to kickoff the inaugural Obliteride with a concert
to create high energy and excitement for the participants,
sponsors, volunteers and Fred Hutch employees,” stated
Grantor. Franti’s blend of hip-hop, rock, and funk and almost
constant use of crowd interaction was a perfect fit and a
“The concert sent everyone into the weekend high on
Obliteride and ready to tackle the challenge of pedaling
the 25, 50, 100 or 2-day routes,” explained Grantor. He also
expressed how much he appreciated the guidance of REG’s
Eric Marcuse. “Eric is stellar. He was professional throughout
the entire process. He made my job easier by being mindful
that we are a non-profit, fundraising event, so was always
cognizant of our budget. Eric is just a great guy to work with,
always personable and available for our questions.”
The night also included registration, a dinner prepared by
premiere local chef Tom Douglas, a welcome program, and
speaker and opening act for Franti, Mike Brookshire.
Having Brookshire open the show added a personal touch
and had special meaning for REG’s Eric Marcuse and Fran
Romeo. Brookshire is a long-time close friend of theirs who
was treated for cancer (non-Hodgkins lymphoma) at the Fred
Hutchinson Cancer Research Center several years ago. He
took part in an innovative clinical trial that put his cancer into
remission. He was one of the first people to participate in this
trial that has gone on to successfully treat 68 additional cancer
patients. His story is a perfect example of the wonderful work
done at Fred Hutch, and Brookshire is a professional musician,
so he was a perfect fit to open the show. REG was honored to
be part of this awesome event.
REG Produces BCS Championship Game Concert Event
REG’s Steve Bogdanovich (Bogie) was hired to handle
production for a pre-show concert prior to the highest
profile game in college football. Bogie orchestrated all of the
production needed for the Bud Light Championship Game
Day Fan Zone stage in the parking lot of Sun Life Stadium in
Miami, prior to the BCS Championship game on January 7,
2013 between Notre Dame and Alabama. The tailgate event
included interactive games and exhibits, food and beverages
and performances by team bands, cheerleaders and local
performers, and was culminated with an hour-long concert
by Country star Luke Bryan.
The Orange Bowl Committee hired Bogie to arrange all
production – including staging, lights, sound, catering, and
all the scheduling for the sold-out event.
The Sun Life Stadium can be seen in the background as Luke Bryan
entertains the crowd from the stage thrust during the pre-game
festivities.
ROMEO Entertainment GROUP
THE ROMEO REPORTER | FALL 2013 | PAGE 2
IAFE Convention 2013~ Las Vegas, Nevada
December 8TH – 12th, 2013
In appreciation for your business,
You are cordially invited to attend a private reception
Monday, December 9TH, 2013
From 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
At the Romeo Entertainment Group Penthouse Suite
In Bally’s Las Vegas
(Call Bally’s front desk or any reg staff member to get suite number;
Party will be held in a penthouse suite this year - in a different location
than our client meetings that take place during the day)
Cocktails & Hors d’oeuvres will be served
Performances by special guest artists
Hosted by Fran Romeo, Bob Romeo
& the Romeo Entertainment Group Staff
We look forward to seeing you in Vegas!
Divots Adds Indoor Concert Series
limited capacity (1,800 seats) was certainly a challenge when
Bogie began working with Divots to find potential acts for
the indoor venue, but the first year produced results that
exceeded expectations.
The crowd is loving an indoor concert by Foreigner at The DeVent
Center in Norfolk, NE.
Divots DeVent Center in Norfolk, Nebraska has been hosting a
very successful outdoor summer concert series for nine years.
Based on the success of those shows, Divots’ management
and their talent buyer, REG’s Steve Bogdanovich (Bogie),
decided to utilize the center’s indoor facility and begin an
Indoor Series as well. They decided that while the outdoor
series always features musical concerts, the indoor series
would look to offer additional types of entertainment such as
comedy events and children’s shows in addition to traditional
concerts.
Finding the right type of entertainment for a building with a
A total of five indoor shows have been booked so far. The first
two shows, the Oak Ridge Boys Christmas show in December
of 2012 and a concert with Country star Lee Brice in March
of 2013, were sell out shows! A show with Class Rock band
Foreigner did well in September of this year. Two more shows
– a comedy show with Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood
and a Christmas show with Sawyer Brown – are scheduled for
December and on pace to do very well.
“The Indoor Series certainly seems to have filled a niche in
the Norfolk community,” commented the DeVent Center
manager, Shawn Severson.
Bogie added that the success of the indoor series would not
be possible without the venue’s hard-working staff who have
done a great job to turn Divots into a premiere entertainment
facility for northeast Nebraska.
Divots will be celebrating its 10th anniversary of hosting
concerts in 2014 and plans to bring in their biggest shows
yet in the upcoming year.
ROMEO Entertainment GROUP
PAGE 3 | THE ROMEO REPORTER | FALL 2013
A large crowd formed early in the day at the first Bands in the Backyard festival.
Bands in the Backyard Has
Incredible First Year
Most music festivals take a few years to build up a following.
Then again, most festivals aren’t owned by Tommy Giodone,
who has so many years of event promotion experience.
Tommy Giodone, owner of Tommy G Productions, has been in
the live event production industry for 18 years, and employs
a staff of 15. His specialty is Western lifestyle events such as
rodeo, Pro Bull Riding and mutton busting, but he has also
delved into monster trucks, demolition derbies, extreme
fighting, and more. He always wanted try his hand at a music
festival, but never felt the timing was right. In the last few
years, he noticed music festivals seemed to be on the rise.
The timing was finally right and so was the place. Giodone’s
family owns 15 acres of land in the Pueblo, Colorado suburb
of Vineland – the location is just ten minutes from I-25 and
right off the four-lane Highway 50. His family’s restaurant
and home is on the land, and so was an old rodeo arena that
is no longer used. Giodone figured he could turn the rodeo
arena into a concert venue. He also knew he could minimize
the financial risks of owning a festival because he wouldn’t
have to depend on or share profits with any third party – he
owned the land and could control all concession sales, along
with parking and ticketing.
Once Giodone decided to do a festival, his next step was to
contact Romeo Entertainment Group. Giodone had known
Bob Romeo and R.J. Romeo for years through their mutual
affiliation with the Colorado State Fair. REG has booked the
concerts for the fair for many years, and Giodone has ties with
the fair through his family’s catering business and from the
rodeo events he has produced at the fair.
Gary Allan, Florida Georgia Line, and Parmalee headlined the
first Bands in the Backyard on Saturday, June 22. Regional
acts Charley Jenkins and Overton Road also played.
Giodone credited REG’s expertise as a huge factor in his
festival’s first-year success.
ROMEO Entertainment GROUP
“Romeo helped me book the right artists for my event,”
explained Giodone. “They have their finger on the pulse
of these artists and really helped me book the right acts
at the right time.” He cited Florida Georgia Line (FGL) as a
key example. R.J. encouraged Tommy to book FGL, but at
the time of booking no one really knew who they were. By
summer time, they had three #1 songs and were the hottest
new name in Country music.
The line-up was key, but so was Giodone’s experience. He
basically took all he has learned from promoting other events
throughout the years and applied it to a music festival.
Giodone believes in providing his sponsors and patrons with
a unique experience that they can’t find anywhere else. One
way he did this was by creating some unique seating options.
He lined the inside of the arena fence with old pick-up trucks
he got from a junkyard his cousin owns. They took all the
glass out of the old trucks and turned the truck beds into
“Redneck Suites.” Each truck held 8-10 people and came with
12 packs of beer, pop, and water. He is adding a “Party Barn”
and “Party Bus” option in 2014, while the rest of the arena is
general admission and people can stand or bring their own
lawnchairs.
The festival targeted people on the eastern slope of Colorado,
northern New Mexico, the Texas panhandle, and the Dakotas.
He tried to stay out of the western part of the state because
they already have a Country music festival (fellow REG client
Country Jam). Giodone emphasized that social media has
made it easier to reach people that aren’t in the immediate
area.
Giodone has always believed that the key to marketing,
whether using social media or traditional means, is to
create a buzz that your event is a “can’t miss event,” which
includes making a BIG announcement. He made the initial
announcement about the festival and its line-up at one of his
Pro Bull Riding events. He wrapped the entire upper deck of
arena in banners about the festival. No idea is too big or too
small. He also included fliers about the festival in all the takeout orders at his family’s restaurant.
He also forms true partnerships with all his media partners
and allows them to take ownership of the event by offering
each partner a unique, exclusive promotional concept. For
example, one radio station was able to offer its listeners a
chance to use a “dumpster swimming pool” on the day of the
festival. (They took a clean trash dumpster and put a plastic
lining in it and filled it with water.) As a sponsor, Big R stores
were the exclusive ticket outlet for the festival. Tickets were
also available on the event website, but Big R was the only
retail outlet.
THE ROMEO REPORTER | FALL 2013 | PAGE 4
Bands in the Backyard’s first year surpassed all expectations.
The festival’s ticketing company, Elevate, said they had never
seen a new festival do so well and about 80% of attendees
bought in advance.
Giodone is already planning for next year. The festival will
expand to two-days in 2014 and already has several acts
booked including: Jake Owen, Chase Rice, Thomas Rhett,
Uncle Kracker, Casey Donahew Band, and Blackjack Billy.
Other plans for next year include expanding the number of
campsites from 200 to 1,000 and adding showers. The arena
capacity is also being expanded to hold up to 20,000 people.
One of the only problems at the 2013 festival was that
the lines to get in were slow. Next year there will be three
separate checkpoints for tickets, security, and i.d. checks in
order to keep lines moving faster. Giodone or one of his staff
members also respond to every email and every Facebook
post in order to provide excellent customer service.
In the end, Giodone has created more than just a wellattended, profitable festival. He has created an event that
really benefits the entire community. The festival created a
significant increase in sales tax revenue for the county. He
hired the local sheriff ’s department to provide security and
worked with the state patrol to avoid traffic problems, leaving
very few reasons for any one not to support this great new
Country music festival in southeastern Colorado.
See Us Online!
You can find us online at our website
www.romeoent.com
Facebook: Search for Romeo
Entertainment Group and “Like” our page!
Twitter: @RomeoEntGroup
Please send your 2013 photos
to add to our website!
(Email: [email protected])
PAGE 5 | THE ROMEO REPORTER | FALL 2013
ROMEO Entertainment GROUP
There’s an App for That
The REG staff
Th
ff compiled
il d this
hi list
li off must-have
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apps for
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ki or seeing
i a show
h on the fair and festival circuit.
• My Event Experience! – We are a little biased, as MEE is an app designed
especially for Romeo Entertainment Group clients. Inside lives full-on
apps for several REG events and basic info on almost all our client events!
Talk to your REG rep about getting your own event app as part of MEE!
• Zippo Lighter by Bandsintown, Inc. – You no longer need a real Zippo to
pay tribute to your favorite band during a concert.
• NOAA Weather Radar – A rain shower won’t catch you by surprise with
this app’s real-time animated weather radar images. You can also get
basic weather forecasts for any location you choose.
• Facebook – Pretty sure the whole world is on Facebook now. Check in to see how your Grandma is doing before posting
about your excitement for the night’s show. Be sure to include a photo of the best foods in catering or out on the food
court!
• Twitter – The social media form of choice for those under 25. Give them a peek of what’s going on behind the scenes of
the big event before they get there! Don’t forget the #hashtag!
• Instagram – Capture photos and videos of the show and instantly share them with everyone.
• First Aid by American Red Cross – Expert advice for everyday emergencies with step by step first aid directions for most
types of injuries and illnesses.
• Ultraviolet – Provides UV light info for any location to help you know what SPF sunscreen to apply.
• Battery Boost Magic – Provides battery performance stats that let you know exactly how much battery time you have
left on your smart phone and also gives tips on how to optimally charge and prolong battery life.
• Skype – Talk face-to-face for free with anyone from your family to an artist manager!
• Mapquest – This app will get you where you need to go!
• The Weather Channel – Just one of many weather apps we reference.
• Flashlight by iHandy Inc. – (includes compass): A lot better than carrying around a real flashlight!
• Audio Tools (Andrew Smith Music) – Works as a sound meter and shows decibel levels and has RTA (Real Time Analyzer)
that shows frequencies. Once again, one less thing to carry around!
• TripIt – Travel organizer – keeps track of hotel, rental car, and flight reservations.
Jason Aldean Breaks Cheyenne Record
On July 26, 2013, the concert arena at Cheyenne Frontier
Days (CFD) was more populous than most of the cities
in Wyoming. Jason Aldean took the stage with 25,000
people in attendance and broke the Cheyenne Frontier
Days all-time concert attendance record previously set by
George Strait in 2009.
"It's such an unbelievable thing to even have your name
uttered in the same breath as a guy like that," said Aldean.
"Strait is probably the best country singer of the last
century in my opinion. I can only hope for a career that
lasts half as long as his... there is still no one cooler than
King George!"
The show also set a record for the largest concert event
ever in the state of Wyoming. Ticket sales for the show
were strong from the start, but at about 2:00 p.m. on the
day of the show they realized it was going to set a record.
The news was thrilling to all parties involved, especially
CFD’s Contract Acts Committee Chairmen Larry Kehl, who
works closely with Bob Romeo to book the concerts for
Frontier Nights.
"Jason was able to set the attendance record at CFD by
bringing such energy and excitement in his music and that
carried over into his current tour,” stated Kehl when asked
about Aldean breaking the record. “He is certainly one of
the hottest acts on tour." Aldean set several venue records
across the country in 2013 and Romeo Entertainment
Group was proud to be a part of this one.
ROMEO Entertainment GROUP
THE ROMEO REPORTER | FALL 2013 | PAGE 6
Kansas State Fair Celebrates 100th Year
with Toby Keith, Tribute to Veterans, and More
of the 2,000 tickets to be provided to active-duty, Kansas
military personnel. He was able to secure funds to cover all
the tickets. Approximately 105 individuals and companies
contributed to the cause. Tickets were sent to military
establishments in Kansas and each were able to establish their
own criteria for distributing tickets to active duty members.
Toby Keith brought a member of the armed forces on stage to pay
tribute to the military during his show at the Mississippi Valley Fair
this summer. His show at the Kansas State Fair was free for 2,000
members of the military.
Toby Keith was booked as the headline concert to conclude
the 100th anniversary celebration for the Kansas State Fair on
September 15, 2013.
State Fair General Manager Denny Stoecklein and Fran
Romeo began working with Steve Dahl from Paradigm
Talent Agency two years in advance to bring in the Country
superstar. To make it even more special, 2,000 tickets to the
show were donated to local active duty military personnel.
The idea of donating tickets to the military came from
Steve Dillon, a board member for the Kansas Fairgrounds
Foundation and long-time Kansas State Fair supporter. Mr.
Dillon then took on the task of raising funds to cover the cost
Total attendance for the concert was 8,655, despite a heavy
downpour of rain that caused flooding on the fairgrounds on
the day of the show. The show almost didn’t happen because
of weather conditions, explained Steve Dahl, Keith’s agent
who was on-site for the show.
“It was a typical summer day in Kansas,” said Dahl, a
Kansas-native himself. “Right before soundcheck, a major
thunderstorm came through. Then it cleared up for a while,
but the radar showed another storm would be coming in
later, so we had to cancel the opening act and get Toby’s show
on before the next storm cell hit. The video walls couldn’t be
used because they had gotten wet during the storm, but it
turned out to be a really neat show because Toby worked
extra hard to entertain to make up for the lost production.”
Dahl also expressed that he was impressed with the
professionalism showed by Denny Stoecklein and the fair
staff.
“We worked closely with Toby Keith’s production team to
do everything possible to put the show on despite the
weather conditions,” explained Bogie, who was REG’s on-site
representative for the show. “Our first priority was to follow
protocol to make sure everyone was safe. Our second priority
was to get the show on, and we were able to do that as well.”
Other events that took place to help celebrate 100 years of
the Kansas State Fair included the dedication of a centennial
icon, which was mosaic artwork tile created and placed by
fairgoers at the 2012 Fair; a proclamation signed by the
governor commemorating the fair’s 100th birthday; the
opening of a time capsule placed in 1973; daily giveaways of
a unique souvenir item to the first 500 fairgoers to visit the
Information Center each day; a food drive with a daily $100
drawing for anyone who brought a non-perishable food item
or made a monetary donation to the food bank; and in the
competitive exhibits department, several classes unique
to the Fair’s birthday were offered, such as a birthday cake
competition.
Jason Aldean on stage at Cheyenne Frontier Days singing to a
record-breaking crowd.
ROMEO Entertainment GROUP
PAGE 7 | THE ROMEO REPORTER | FALL 2013
Small Talk with
Chris Young
Rising Country star Chris Young first shot to fame after winning the TV Talent Competition
Nashville Star in 2006 and released his first hit single, “Drinkin’ Me Lonely” soon after. In 2009, he
released his breakthrough album, The Man I Want to Be and went on to produce five #1 Country
singles in a row, including “Gettin’ You Home (The Black Dress Song),”“The Man I Want to Be,”
“Voices,”“Tomorrow,” and “You.” Presently, he is touring with Brad Paisley, and he will open some
shows on George Strait’s “Cowboy Rides Away” Tour in 2014. His latest song, “Aw Naw” is currently
climbing the charts.
REG just finished negotiations on a block buy for 16 dates with Chris Young in 2014. Earlier this
year, some of the REG staff were able to hear Young’s new album before it was released during a
meeting with his record label, Sony. They heard several potential hit songs and are excited about
Young’s new music and the chance to bring him to so many REG fairs and festivals in the coming
year.
Chris Young recently took a few minutes to talk by phone
with REG’s Mindy Klein.
Mindy: Where are you calling from today?
Chris: I actually just got back. We were in Canada for two
weeks with Brad Paisley, so I just got home and am doing a
little studio work today in Nashville.
M: What’s it like to tour with Brad Paisley? Is he still pulling
pranks?
C: Brad will definitely prank you whether on stage or just
kidding around, but nothing huge yet has happened, which
actually makes me a little nervous because I’m afraid he’s
saving something up. But it’s been really great. Brad is one of
my favorite artists and has been for a long time, so it’s pretty
cool to go and tour with him.
M: You recently recorded a version of Eric Clapton’s “Change
the World” for Reimagined (an online series launched by the
GRAMMY Awards and The Recording Academy). How did that
come about?
C: They asked me to be a part of it. I’ve always really loved
the Grammy’s and was lucky to be nominated a couple of
years ago for my first Grammy. They have this series called
the Reimagined series - it’s basically artists taking things that
were Record of the Year or Single of the Year and doing your
own twist, your own version of them. And I’ve always been a
big fan of Clapton and that song. I just think it’s just a beautiful,
beautiful song. I remember going through the list and it was
just pages and pages of songs to pick from and I came across
that song and I was like, “That’s it; I want to do this one.” So it’s
something I’m really proud of and I think it kind of surprised
people. It’s not something you would usually hear me sing.
M: What’s your favorite pastime on the tour bus?
M: I’ve heard you’re a sports fan. Which teams do you follow?
Who is your pick to win the World Series?
C: As far as the World Series, I guess I would go Cardinals. I’m
not a huge baseball fan as far as having a team, but I love
to go to baseball games and obviously follow it. One of my
best friends growing up is a die-hard Cardinals fan so if I
don’t pick them he might kill me (laughs). I’m a Cowboys fan
because when I was growing up we didn’t have The Titans,
but obviously I root for the Titans because I’m a Nashville guy.
Then The Preds for hockey, and then I’m actually a die-hard
Texas Longhorns fan.
M: You’ll be out on some dates with George Strait next year–
what is your favorite George Strait song of all time?
C: Probably “Carried Away.” The thing with George’s catalog
is that it’s just so big, so if you ask me tomorrow my answer
would probably be different!
C: Probably movies. I’m a movie buff. Me and my guys –
every week somebody will bring a new movie. We have a lot
of the classic bus movies like The Blues Brothers and Spinal
Tap. Right now since it’s close to Halloween we’ve been on
a horror movie kick and everyone’s been bringing horror
movies out on the road.
M: Who was the first artist you ever saw in concert?
C: The one that really stood out to me that I remember going
to is – and obviously the venue isn’t here anymore – when we
actually had an amphitheater in Nashville, I went there and
got a chance to see Vince Gill. I was a Vince Gill fan anyway,
but just seeing him live – he sounds just like his records. That
was really impressed upon me as an artist - I wanted to be
somebody who sounded like my records live because Vince
Gill did it and I should be able to do it, too, and it was just
such a great show.
ROMEO Entertainment GROUP
THE ROMEO REPORTER | FALL 2013 | PAGE 8
M: We book a lot of fair and festival shows. Do you have a
favorite “fair food?”
CLIENT QUESTION
C: Oh, dude, I’m a sucker for corn dogs. I can’t help it. That,
and honestly, it’s probably a tie – just being able to get just
an actual ear of corn.
What must-have item would be in
your catering rider if you had one?
M: What item on your rider could you absolutely not be
without?
“My must have would be ice water with lemon. It’s
a must-have to stay hydrated in the hot summer
weather!” – Rachel Bivens, Lane Events Center
C: Water, I guess!
M: What is the last song you downloaded onto your ipod?
“Peanut butter M&M’s.” – Jodi Buresh, Red River Valley
C: The new Kenny Rogers song. “You Can’t Make Old Friends,”
the duet with Dolly. I’ve always been a big Kenny Rogers fan
and I actually saw it on GAC going down the road in my bus
and was like, “Man, I need to download that!”
Fair
“Chocolate pie…and second choice would be M&M’s.” –
Bob Fox, Mississippi Valley Fair
M: What app do you use most on your phone?
C: I’m a fantasy football nerd so I’ve probably opened the NFL
fantasy football app more than anything else on my phone.
M: Which song is currently your favorite to play live?
Other than the new single, which is always really easy to pick,
right now I’m really enjoying “Who I Am With You.” I really
enjoy playing that. It’s a new one off my new record.
M: If you weren’t making a living playing music, what would
you be doing instead?
C: Construction. I used to do construction with my dad
growing up. So if I was just completely walled off from the
music industry – if they said you can’t write, can’t produce,
can’t sing, can’t play – then I would go back to that.
M: What are your plans for 2014?
C: We just locked down the tour we’re going to do. I’ll have
to wait for them to announce that. But pretty much burning
through to the end of the year, getting this new single out
off this new record and probably 2 singles by the end of next
year. Just touring, supporting this new album. I think we’re
going to go back to Europe and play there again, so that will
be fun. Just really enjoying it. It’s a really good time for me.
There’s a lot going on for me as far as having new music out
and having a new record and being able to tour and support
that, so I’m just going to try to make my show bigger and
better and enjoy my year!
“I think if I had to be on the road all the time, I
would want to try whatever the local fare is, or
whatever an area is known for. Could mean some
heartburn, but would be a good way to sample
different cultural delicacies...but maybe make sure
I had a cheeseburger for backup.” – Dani Griffith,
Colorado State Fair
“Lutefisk and Lefse! Ya, ya, ya!” - Lennis Moore,
Midwest Old Threshers Reunion
“Breakfast Burritos with green chili.” – Larry Kehl,
Cheyenne Frontier Days
“Cherry Chapstick and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.”
– Marilee Johnson, Logan County Fair
“Idaho Nachos: hot made from fresh cut potatoes
with sour cream, nacho cheese, bacon, onions,
jalapenos, lettuce, and tomatoes.” – Jen Devine and Julie
Hammer, Sioux Empire Fair
PAGE 9 | THE ROMEO REPORTER | FALL 2013
ROMEO Entertainment GROUP
Guests enjoyed an elegant dinner and lively auction before dancing to Huey Lewis & The News at the Rock the Foundation fundraiser.
Rock the Foundation
Raises Record Funds
A concert by Huey Lewis & The News helped the Multicare
Health Foundation hold their most successful “Rock the
Foundation” event to date on September 20, 2013. The event
was held at the Greater Tacoma Convention & Trade Center in
Tacoma, Washington.
Rock the Foundation is a dynamic fundraising event for
Tacoma General and Allenmore Hospitals, and is produced by
the MultiCare Health Foundation. Guests enjoy an intimate
concert preceded by a lively dinner and auction. The event
supports the hospitals by raising funds to benefit critical care
technology for adult and neonatal patients.
In its first form the event was a celebrity golf tournament,
followed by dinner and a live auction. Richard Karn and Nick
Lachey were the first celebrities. From there, the donors and
friends got together again to explore ways to take it to the
next level. From those conversations, the event morphed into
a private concert preceeded by a lively dinner and auction, and
in 2009, Rock the Foundation was born. REG’s Bogie became
the talent buyer for the event in 2012.
Each year the Foundation hopes to raise at least $500,000 at
this event. This year was the most successful year to date and a
total of $640,000 was raised, which is 31% over previous years
since the event began in 2009.
Monique Nadeau, Events Manager for Foundations of
MultiCare, thinks several factors contributed to the success
of this year’s event. First of all, this year’s beneficiary was the
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
“Premature babies are a compelling cause and it is an easy ask
to help them,” explained Nadeau. She added that the funds
raised were being designated for a very specific purpose,
which was to purchase 19 Giraffe Ominbeds to complete the
new NICU that the hospital is currently building. The ominbeds
are sophisticated incubators that are critical for the survival of
premature babies.
Nadeau said the other significant factors in the huge success of
the fundraiser were the talent and the talent buyer.
“Huey Lewis & the News is an attractive draw and we had a
record-setting guest count of 515,” explained Nadeau. “From
that first intro heart beat the band played the dance floor was
packed and stayed that way all night long. Finally, I have to give
credit where credit is due and that goes to Bogie. This was our
first time working together and it was a wonderful experience.
This was all so new to me when we started planning earlier
this year and he was so responsive by phone and email
whenever I needed him. He navigated the mysterious world of
negotiating with rock stars with the best interest of my event
at the forefront.”
REG donated an autographed guitar paired with the chance
to be on stage with Huey Lewis for a song to the silent auction
part of the event. $5,000 was raised from that item.
The Foundation is working with Bogie to book their event
again next year.
ROMEO Entertainment GROUP
THE ROMEO REPORTER | FALL 2013 | PAGE 10
FREE ROCK CONCERTS
IN DOWNTOWN
VEGAS BECOMING
A MAJOR ATTRACTION
A crowd shot during the Puddle of Mudd show on Fremont Street.
Fremont Street Experience (FSE) is a highlight of downtown
Las Vegas with its various entertainment attractions, including
free nightly concerts and entertainment on three stages.
The Summer of Rock concert series is quickly becoming one
of the most popular events for FSE. This was FSE’s fifth year
doing the Summer of Rock series with national headline
entertainment and the second year that REG has produced
the talent line-up. The series features Rock artists live in
concert on several select Saturday nights in May, June, July,
and August. The concerts are free to the public, and there is
some sort of theme to the type of artists booked each year.
In 2012, there was an 80’s/Hair Band theme. In 2013, 90’s
Alternative music was the focus and artists included Theory
of a Deadman, Lit, Fuel, Everclear, Live, Tonic, Sister Hazel,
Three Days Grace, Third Eye Blind, Puddle of Mudd, and more.
All the shows were filled to maximum capacity with the
exception of one show that was affected by inclement
weather. Average attendance was 7,000 to 10,000 per concert.
“This was hugely popular and so far the most well attended
and talked about summers to date,” said Len Turner, Director
of Entertainment Operations at FSE, of the Summer of Rock
Concert Series. “It was all made possible by the relationship I
had with R.J., and Romeo Entertainment being able to stretch
our dollars with their huge buying power… and ability to
negotiate great acts at a great fee.”
The relationship between Romeo Entertainment Group and
FSE started with R.J. Romeo working with FSE on the free
concerts during ACM week in Vegas. Soon FSE hired REG to
book the acts for the Downtown Hoedown, a night of Country
concerts that takes place in conjunction with National Finals
Rodeo week each year. In 2012, REG began booking several
other events for FSE, including the summer concert series.
REG currently works with FSE to bring in national level acts for
six different events or concert series including the Downtown
Hoedown, The Summer of Rock Concert Series, a concert for
NASCAR weekend in March, a Rock show in conjunction with
the UFC fight over the July 4th holiday, several acts for New
Year’s Eve shows, and a series of shows for The D Casino in
September.
“RJ is great to work with and understands his clients and
is able to provide full support on all sides (facility, talent
recommendations, and problem solving),” explained Turner.
“He is the main reason we went with Romeo Entertainment
and stayed with Romeo Entertainment. I always recommend
him to others in the industry.”
PAGE 11 | THE ROMEO REPORTER | FALL 2013
ROMEO Entertainment GROUP
REG’s Fran Romeo poses with Lynyrd Skynyrd before their show at the
Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson in September.
Country legends Alabama perform at the Norsk Hostfest in
Minot, North Dakota.
The crowd watches Gary Allan under the lights at Country Jam in Eau
Claire, Wisconsin in July.
Billy Currington plays to a packed house at the Genesee County Fair.
REG’s Bogie gets a smooch from Douglas County Fair Manager Harold
Phillips’ fiancé, Lani Kimoto, in Roseburg, Oregon.
The members of Country trio Gloriana take time for a photo with the
Logan County Fair royalty before their show in Sterling, Colorado in
August.
Bret Michaels lets members of the crowd strum his guitar during his
show at Divots in Norfolk, Nebraska in June.
Chris Young on stage at the Riverside Casino & Golf Resort in Riverside,
Iowa in March.
Trace Adkins points at the crowd during
his show at the Greeley Stampede in
Greeley, Colorado this past July.
Justin Moore displays a
can of chewing tobacco
during one of his songs at
the Brown County Fair in
Aberdeen, South Dakota.
ROMEO Entertainment GROUP
Jake Owen, Tyler Farr, and Chris Janson take time to meet with some
fans and pose for a photo in the creek before their show at Creek Fest
in Cherokee, Iowa.
The crowd is at near capacity for comedian Terry Fator’s show at the
Corn Palace Festival in Mitchell, South Dakota.
THE ROMEO REPORTER | FALL 2013 | PAGE 12
Country duo Montgomery Gentry were rocking at the Lane County Fair
in Eugene, Oregon in July.
Golden Oldies group Three Dog Night put on a great show at the
Tooele City Fourth of July celebration in Tooele, Utah.
2013 Event Photos
Randy Houser sings at the first-ever sold out show at the Cowlitz
County Fair in Longview, Washington.
Jerrod Niemann on stage at the Trails West! Festival in St. Joseph, Missouri in August.
Kid Rock performs to a full-capacity crowd on Fremont Street at The D
Hotel & Casino anniversary celebration show in Las Vegas.
Neal McCoy warms the crowd up for Hunter Hayes at the Madison
County Fair in Madison, Nebraska last July.
The LoCash Cowboys entertain at the Old Threshers Reunion in Mount
Pleasant, Iowa.
Tim McGraw shakes hands with adoring fans during his show at the
North Dakota State Fair in Minot.
ROMEO Entertainment GROUP
PAGE 13 | THE ROMEO REPORTER | FALL 2013
NE W CLIENTS
Creek Fest in Cherokee, Iowa had a great year with headliner Jake Owen.
Here’s a look at some events that were new to Romeo Entertainment Group in 2013.
Doane College Stop Day Celebration
Bands in the Backyard
Location: Crete, NE
Event Dates: April 22-23, 2013
Concert: Modern Pop-Rock band Hot Chelle Rae performed
a concert on the eve of Stop Day (April 22) at this college in
south-central Nebraska. Stop Day is an annual celebration
where classes are canceled for the day and the entire campus
is encouraged to participate in community events.
Location: Vineland, CO
Event Date: June 22, 2013
Concert: Gary Allan, Florida Georgia Line, and Parmalee were
booked for the inaugural year of this festival taking place
outside of Pueblo, Colorado. The event was a huge success
and is expanding to two days in 2014.
Lander Community Center Fundraiser
Silver Dollar Fair
Location: Chico, CA
Event Dates: May 23-27, 2013
Concerts: Gloriana on May 23, Blue Oyster Cult on May 24,
and The Farm on May 25.
Location: Lander, WY
Event Date: July 5, 2013
Concert: Joe Diffie was booked for a show at this fundraising
event.
Dodge County Fair
Loessfest
Tom Hanafan River’s Edge Park Grand Opening
Location: Council Bluffs, IA
Event Date: May 25 – June 8, 2013
Concert: The Beach Boys headlined the concert that opened
this new park on the banks of the Missouri River on May 25.
They plan to make Loessfest an annual event.
Location: Scribner, NE
Event Dates: August 1-4, 2013
Concert: REG worked with the Dodge County Fair to bring in
two “Red Dirt” Country bands, the Josh Abbott Band and JB &
The Moonshine Band on August 2.
ROMEO Entertainment GROUP
THE ROMEO REPORTER | FALL 2013 | PAGE 14
Creek Fest
Aksarben Queen’s Party
Location: Cherokee, IA
Event Date: August 2-3, 2013
Concert: Jake Owen, Tyler Farr, and Chris Janson played
Saturday, August 3. This was Creek Fest’s first year booking
national artists and they plan to do it again in 2014.
Location: Omaha, NE
Event Date: August 24, 2013
Concert: Singer-songwriter-pianist Peter Cincotti performed
at this special event for the Knights of Aksarben royalty.
East Texas State Fair
Obliteride
Location: Seattle, WA
Event Dates: August 9-11, 2013
Concert: Michael Franti and Spearhead headlined a kick-off
concert for this charity bikeride.
Location: Tyler, TX
Event Dates: September 20-29, 2013
Concert: REG booked The Swon Brothers for a show on
September 28.
Modern South Music Festival
NoCo 20/30 7th Annual Suitcase Party
Location: Greeley, CO
Event Date: August 23, 2013
Concert: Blues Traveler headlined this fundraiser concert.
Northern Colorado Active 20/30 (NoCo 20/30) is a non-profit
organization comprised of business leaders between the ages
of 20 and 39 that are focused on raising money for charities
serving disadvantaged children in Northern Colorado.
Location: St. Francisville, LA
Event Date: November 10, 2013
Concerts: This one day music festival featuring The Avett
Brothers will take place at Hemingbough Events Center on
Sunday, November 10.
Many families attended The Beach Boys show at Loessfest in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
PAGE 15 | THE ROMEO REPORTER | FALL 2013
ROMEO Entertainment GROUP
Norsk Hostfest Founder
Chester Reiten Passes Away
Long time REG client and Norsk Hostfest
founder Chester Reiten passed away on
January 22, 2013 in Minot, North Dakota.
Reiten was a life-long North Dakota resident, aside from the
few years he spent in the U.S. Navy. In 1951, Reiten began
his career in radio and television as farm director for KSJB
radio. He went on to become the sales manager at KXJBTV and later station manager at KCJB –TV (later changed to
KXMC-TV). He eventually owned television stations in Minot,
Williston, Bismarck and Dickinson, along with three radio
stations in Minot.
Reiten’s radio and television background was a natural
introduction to the entertainment industry, which served
him well when he started the internationally known Norsk
Hostfest in Minot. The festival began in 1978, and has
continued for more than 35 years. In addition to celebrating
the strong Scandinavian heritage of the area, the Hostfest
became known for bringing in first class entertainment,
including Bob Hope, Andy Williams, Tony Bennett and
returning Hostfest favorites such as Bjoro Haaland, Charley
Pride, Williams and Ree, and the Oak Ridge Boys.
Hostfest founder Chester Reiten (right) shakes hands with REG’s
Carv Thompson backstage after one of the many successful shows
they produced together.
years. Chester was involved in the community as chairman of
the Trinity Hospital Board, a longtime Rotary Club member,
and president of the Minot Chamber of Commerce. He was
also a member of the Sons of Norway. Chester was a member
of Bethany Lutheran Church, where he served on the church
council and taught Sunday school for many years. In 2002,
Chester was awarded the Theodore Roosevelt Rough Rider
Award, the highest honor in the state of North Dakota.
Reiten is survived by his wife of 65 years, Joy; three sons:
Steven, David, and Tim Reiten; two daughters: Kathleen
Hruby and Melanie Reiten Shonkwiler; four grandchildren;
REG began working with Chester Reiten and the Norsk and a brother and sister.
Hostfest in 1982. At that time, REG was the Don Romeo
Agency and Don worked with Chester to book the concert Chester’s son, David Reiten, is currently the President of the
entertainment for the event. Bob Romeo eventually took Norsk Hostfest Association, and REG continues to work with
over the account.
him on entertainment for the event.
“He really had a flair for how to promote things, and he always
thought big,” said REG’s Bob Romeo of Reiten. “He was part
of an era of great showmen, and I don’t know that we see
many people like that anymore. I will truly miss talking with
Chester.”
REG’s Carv Thompson serviced the shows at the Hostfest for
many years and came to know Chester Reiten very well.
“I had the privilege to service the Norsk Hostfest for the last
17 years. Chester was a dynamic individual who ran a tight
ship as he shepherded his staff and over 4,000 volunteers in
Reiten continued to lead the Norsk Hostfest until his health producing this spectacular festival for 20,000 guests annually.
forced him to resign in 2012.
Chester and I became close friends in producing this five
day event and he will always be remembered, quoted, and
Reiten was a staple of the Minot community and long time missed,” stated Thompson.
civic leader. He served as mayor for 14 years, beginning in
1970. He also served on the North Dakota State Senate for 16 (Parts of this article taken from The Minot Daily News)
ROMEO Entertainment GROUP
THE ROMEO REPORTER | FALL 2013 | PAGE 16
Hunter Hayes Delivers
concerts the past two years has allowed the fair to make
improvements to their grounds, and to be able to keep
bringing in big acts for the next year, according to Linda Haack,
Madison County Agricultural Society Treasurer. Hunter Hayes
fans began camping out at the gates the night before the
show at this venue.
An aerial photo of the grandstand at the Red River Valley Fair captures just how many people attended the Hunter Hayes show.
In last year’s newsletter, we told you Hunter Hayes was an artist
to watch. In 2013, we watched him produce sell-out shows for
many REG clients!
REG had eight dates with Hayes this past summer through a
block buy orchestrated by REG’s Fran Romeo. Hayes was one
of those artists Fran recognized early on as up-and-coming
talent. Though Hunter Hayes had barely released his first single
when most of these shows were booked, she encouraged her
clients to trust her gut instinct and book Hayes for their events.
“I wish everyone could watch Fran during the block buying
process,” described REG’s Michelle Romeo. “I have seen her
pace holes into the carpet, drink copious amounts of coffee
after several sleepless nights, as well as working into the wee
hours of the night. She spends months putting together a run
of dates for a single act, not to mention the time spent waiting
for answers from the agent.”
The work paid off with eight successful shows. In Fargo, North
Dakota at the Red River Valley Fair, 18,200 fans attended the
Hunter Hayes show. The show was free with paid admission
to the fair. Fans started lining up to get into the concert at
8:15 a.m. on the morning of the show, and the gates to the
fairgrounds did not even open until 11:00 a.m.! Red River Valley
Fair manager Bryan Schulz noted that Hayes and his crew were
easy to work with, and that Hunter kept the crowd’s
attention during the entire show.
Booking Hunter
Hayes helped
the Madison
County Fair
in Madison,
Nebraska reach
the sell-out
point for their
concerts for the
second year in
Hunter Hayes onstage at the Sioux Empire Fair. a row. Having
such successful
On August 9th, Hunter Hayes brought in one of the biggest
crowds the Sioux Empire Fair in Sioux Falls, South Dakota had
seen in years. This show was also free with paid admission to
the fair and had general admission seating, so the line started
early in the morning and there were thousands of people in
line by late afternoon. Scott Wick, Sioux Empire Fair Manager
explained the positive effect the show had on his fair.
“Having Hunter was very impactful for our fair. Not only did
he bring in 12,000-plus to the grandstand on his concert
night but he helped reinforce to our guests our commitment
to bringing in the hottest new artists in Country music” said
Wick. “ Having Hunter in the lineup allowed us to really drive
home our concerts through all of our marketing campaigns
while engaging our social media followers to see who would
announce next.”
Hunter Hayes takes time for a photo with the MontanaFair staff
after his show.
Hunter Hayes sold out shows in Douglas, Wyoming at the
Wyoming State Fair on August 13th and in Lynden, Washington
on August 15th. REG also booked Hunter Hayes at the
MontanaFair in Billings on August 11th, where 5,314 attended
the show, and in Chehalis, Washington on August 17th, where
there was a crowd of 4,173.
On August 10th, Hayes set the record for the highest grossing
concert in the 47-year history of the Logan County Fair in
Sterling, Colorado. Total attendance for the show was 6,818
and the gross dollar amount was $186,383.
“Thanks to Fran Romeo we were able to catch Hunter Hayes
early on his meteoric rise to the top of the current Country
headliners,” stated Marilee Johnson, Entertainment Director
for the Logan County Fair. “The fact that he broke records for
our Logan County Fair Night Show is evident by the interest
that ignited when we first announced his August appearance
in February. And while Hunter seemed to appeal to all ages,
our crowd was certainly heavy with young, female fans but
their excitement was contagious and fueled the showmanship
of the young star. Hunter was the ultimate performer - singer,
musician, and entertainer!”
ROMEO Entertainment GROUP
PAGE 17 | THE ROMEO REPORTER | FALL 2013
Full House
REG is excited to share with you a list of shows that sold
exceptionally well for our clients this year.
Quote: “There was so much energy in the air and Toby
certainly didn’t disappoint the 8,500+ fans that included more
than 2,000 active-duty military who had been afforded the
opportunity to enjoy a great night of music and patriotism.” –
Denny Stoecklein, Kansas State Fair Manager
Artist: Justin Moore
Kip Moore and his band have fun playing at their show at the
Buffalo County Fair in Kearney, Nebraska.
Artist: Lynyrd Skynyrd
Venue: Greeley Stampede – Greeley, CO
Date: 6/29/13
Attendance: 9,093
Quote: “We have been after Lynyrd Skynyrd for a long time
here in Greeley. Due to routing and other circumstances it
just hadn’t worked out until last year. I was extremely excited
to get them to the Stampede. To me, they offer a Classic
Rock/Country cross-over, that doesn’t come around very
often! That translates to a broader audience to market to for
that show.” – Kyle Holman, Greeley Stampede Night Shows
Chairman
Artist: Kid Rock
Venue: Burlington Steamboat Days Music Festival –
Burlington, IA
Date: 6/15/13
Attendance: 10,000+
Quote: “With flood waters just inches away from surpassing its
banks, rain falling from the heavens since the late afternoon
throughout the evening, and an 1 ½ hour delay due to rain
and 20 mile per hour winds - Kid Rock still went on. 10,000
plus Kid Rock fans waited out the delay while another 9,000
sought shelter. The surprise was not that Kid Rock put on
a Rock show that was second to none. The surprise was
the 10,000 plus fans who embraced the nectar from the
skies, consumed a record amount of adult beverages, and
purchased a record amount merchandise.” – Scott Smith,
Burlington Steamboat Days Vice-President of Marketing
Venues: Gage County Fair - Beatrice, NE
Brown County Fair – Aberdeen, SD
Date: 7/24/13, 8/15/13
Attendances: 2,876 – Gage County Fair
6,500 – Brown County Fair
Quote: ”With weather being fantastic and Justin Moore
starting off the weekend, entertainment was a huge success
for us. He rocked the house and had our fairgoers on their
feet. He finished with Brantley Gilbert stepping on stage
to join him with a song.” – Amy Scott, Brown County Fair
Manager
Artist: Terry Fator
Venues: Corn Palace Festival – Mitchell, SD
Oregon State Fair – Salem, OR
Dates: 8/23/13; 8/24/13
Attendances: 2,246 – Corn Palace
4,239 – Oregon State Fair
Quote: “The Terry Fator show was the talk of the 2013 Corn
Palace Festival. What started out with the question of ‘Do you
think we can sell this show?’ was answered resoundingly with
a near capacity crowd all saying ‘WOW!’ Patrons who have
come to shows for years commented how this show topped
them all.” - Mark Schilling, Corn Palace Director
Artist: Randy Houser
Venue: Cowlitz County Fair – Longview, WA
Date: 7/25/13
Attendance: 2,805
Quote: “Randy hit number one the week of our show and it
was the biggest factor into being the first sold out show in
our history. I am sure his prices had doubled from the time
we signed to the time of our show but that didn’t matter
because it is all about giving the same show to our little fair
as he gives in an arena.” - Joel Hanson, President of KLOG/
KUKN/101.5 The Wave
Artist: Toby Keith
Venue: Kansas State Fair – Hutchinson, KS
Date: 9/15/13
Attendance: 8,777
Artist: Luke Bryan
Venue: Cheyenne Frontier Days
Date: 7/24/13
ROMEO Entertainment GROUP
THE ROMEO REPORTER | FALL 2013 | PAGE 18
Attendance: 19,952
Quote: “The Wednesday Luke Bryan show at CFD was one
of the most memorable ever. Ticket sales broke our all time
Wednesday attendance record. Luke did an incredible show
and was a consummate professional. Despite a heavy rain
that caused electrical and sound problems, Luke never
missed a beat and played in the rain for a full set. He gave our
audience one of the best shows ever in CFD history. “ – Larry
Kehl, Contract Acts Chairman for Cheyenne Frontier Days
Artist: Eli Young Band
Venue: New Mexico State Fair – Albuquerque, NM
Date: 9/21/13
Attendance: 6,603
Quote: “The Eli Young Band put on a stellar performance for a
sold out crowd. Great way to end the 2013 New Mexico State
Fair Rodeo Concert Series!” – Sabrina Garza, New Mexico
State Fair Manager
Artist: Jake Owen (with special guest Kip Moore)
Venue: Buffalo County Fair – Kearney, NE
Date: 7/25/13
Attendance: 5,762
Quote: “The Jake Owen and Kip Moore concert was so successful
for Buffalo County for two main reasons. Both are first class
artists, but we booked Kip Moore when he was just starting
to really climb up the charts. Also, our facility is a state of the
art with air conditioning and no matter what the weather you
can guarantee the show will go on.” -Dave Roseberry, Buffalo
County Fair Manager
Artist: Miranda Lambert
Venues: Riverside Casino & Golf Resort – Riverside, IA; Grand
Falls Casino Resort – Larchwood, IA;
Dates: 6/28/13; 6/29/13
Attendances: 4049 – Riverside; 3853 – Larchwood
Quotes: “The Miranda Lambert concert was a huge success
and our highest attended concert to date. Miranda and her
band put on a fun, high energy show from start to finish and
the crowd loved it! Everyone was excited to see the reigning
country music female vocalist of the year and sing along to all
of her hits”. – Angie Mabeus, Riverside Casino and Golf Resort
The Eli Young Band performs for a sold out crowd at the New
Mexico State Fair.
Entertainment Coordinator
Artist: Montgomery Gentry
Venue: Last Chance Stampede and Rodeo – Helena, MT
Date: 7/24/13
Attendance: 3,300
Quote: “The Montgomery Gentry concert was to date, our
highest attended show since we began doing Night Shows
in 2009. I think their name recognition and song selection
had a lot to do with that. They did not disappoint either.
The compliments we received for their show by far and away
exceded any shows we’ve done in the past.” – Kevin Tenney,
Lewis and Clark County Fairgrounds Office Manager
Artist: The Band Perry
Venue: Red River Valley Fair – West Fargo, ND
Date: 7/13/13
Attendance: 21,000
Quote: “The show was fantastic for the Red River Valley
Fair. With The Band Perry having to cancel in 2012 and their
continued growth – people from all genres attended the
concert. We heard comments like ‘This was the best concert –
you need to bring them back!’” – Bryan Schulz, Red River Valley
Fair Manager
Artists: Stone Temple Pilots with Chester Bennington
on September 27 and Kid Rock on September 28
Venue: The D Hotel & Casino 2nd Annual Grand Opening
Celebration – Fremont Street Experience – Las Vegas, NV
Attendance: 7,500 for STP; 10,000 for Kid Rock
Quote: “Stone Temple Pilots was a sold out event with about
5,000 VIP’s and another 2,500 in free standing room only. Kid
Rock was also sold out with about 6,000 VIP’s and another
4,000 patrons standing on the side wings. This was the largest
crowd of the year.” – Len Turner, Director of Entertainment
Operations, Fremont Street Experience
Miranda Lambert drew the biggest crowd of any concert yet at the
Riverside Casino & Golf Resort in Riverside, Iowa.
PAGE 19 | THE ROMEO REPORTER | FALL 2013
ROMEO Entertainment GROUP
Staff News
Another Big Win at IEBA
Bogie is Fair Talent Buyer of the Year
REG agent Steve “Bogie” Bogdanovich received the
prestigious Fair Talent Buyer of the Year Award at the 43rd
annual International Entertainment Buyers Association (IEBA)
convention on October 22, 2013. This was Bogie’s first time to
win the award. Also at this year’s award ceremony, REG’s R.J.
Romeo was one of the nominees for Festival Talent Buyer of
the Year. Congratulations to both Bogie and R.J. for the welldeserved recognition!
Introducing Nancy
Nancy is the latest full time staff member to join REG. She
will work as an assistant to Steve Bogdanovich and also assist with Marketing and Email Marketing tasks. Here is a little
more information about Nancy!
Name: Nancy Rosenblatt
Bogie after his win at the IEBA Awards.
Hometown: Jackson, MS
Current Home: Nashville, TN
Educational Background:
B.S. in Recording Industry
Management from Middle
Tennessee State University in
Murfreesboro, TN
Work History: While
attending MTSU, I interned for 2 semesters at a boutique
artist services company in Nashville called Thirty Tigers
Management, Marketing, and Distribution, and was very
involved with our university organizations and volunteered
at industry conferences. After I graduated, I hopped on a
bus with 12 strangers as the Merchandise Manager for the
Nashville Star nationwide tour, which is where I developed
‘the road’ bug. When the tour ended, I decided to move up to
New York City, where I worked for Sony Music Entertainment
in their Global Digital Business department, and then moved
over to their independent division called RED Music, where I
was an Account Manager for over 50 indie labels needing our
digital distribution. I moved back to Nashville in early 2011
and continued to work for RED Music out of the Nashville
office. I also worked at PH2 and 377 artist management
companies, and started with Romeo in 2012 helping out with
marketing efforts for some of our fairs until I got promoted to
my new role in July 2013.
Why the Entertainment Business?: Hard to describe besides
just having an uncanny interest in all things music from a very
young age, and even though I started playing and writing
early on, I knew I was no performer! Once I realized there
was an entertainment “business,” I just had an immediate and
unrelenting magnetic pull towards developing a career in it.
Even though this business is a crazy rollercoaster ride, I find
it to be so fulfilling and energizing. It feels like this is where
I was always meant to be, and of course working with REG,
there is the added bonus of getting to see some of the best
live shows out there and being a part of the artists sharing
their talents in such an impactful way.
Hobbies & Interests: Cooking, interior design, walking my
dog on the greenways, hanging out with my friends, going to
the local shows, paddleboarding (or really any excuse to be
on a lake), bargain shopping, and travelling!
Personal Info: I have the cutest pound puppy in the world –
her name is Lucy and I’m convinced she has some deer in her!
ROMEO Entertainment GROUP
THE ROMEO REPORTER | FALL 2013 | PAGE 20
Carv Retires after 50 years in the Music Business
Carv Thompson, current REG
service rep and long-time
Country music promoter, is
retiring after 50 years in the
fair and concert business.
Starting in 1964, Carv was the
talent buyer for the Faith Stock
Show and Rodeo for 29 years
while concurrently buying
talent for the South Dakota
State Fair for 13 years.
Bob Romeo and offered a job servicing concert dates at state
and county fairs, rodeos, celebrations and festivals, for the
Don Romeo Agency. After consulting with his wife, Margaret,
and his business partners, Carv accepted the position with
his natural enthusiasm and went “on the road again.” For the
next 20 years, Thompson spent the months of June to October
putting on concerts in ten western states and Ontario, Canada.
He concluded his long run at the Norsk Hostfest in Minot,
North Dakota in October of 2013. Carv has worked with over
1000 acts in his 50 years and Margaret says he has a thousand
stories to tell.
For the first 14 years in Faith, Thompson bought acts from The
Harry “HAP” Peebles Agency in Kansas City, KS. In 1978 at the
IAFE convention in Las Vegas, Carv met Mr. Don Romeo and
signed Merle Haggard for Faith, and for the next 15 years,
Mr. Romeo supplied all the talent for Faith including acts like
Charley Pride, Loretta Lynn, Roy Clark, George Strait, Ricky
Skaggs, Travis Tritt, Barbara Mandrell, and the Statler Brothers.
Carv retired from the Faith event in 1992 after serving as the
fair’s concert and fair promoter for 29 years. He had promoted
65 acts in the 29 years and never lost money on any.
By profession, Thompson, who turns 81 this month, is a
pharmacist and he and his wife, Margaret, operated seven
drug stores in Western South Dakota and were also in the
banking business in Faith. They had three children and have
eight grandchildren and one great-grandson.
Carv Thompson
In 1980, Governor Bill Janklow appointed Carv to the
South Dakota State Fair Commission, where he served as
Entertainment Director for the 7,500 seat grandstand and six
free stages. The first thing that Carv and Commission Chairman,
Sheldon Songstad, did was to hire The Don Romeo Agency to
supply all the talent for the State Fair Grandstand and the large
Freedom Stage. In the 12 years there, Carv and Don produced
over 200 acts, including superstars from Bob Hope and Red
Skelton to George Strait and Garth Brooks. The State Fair’s net
on the Grandstand shows averaged over $100,000 per year
with tickets all scaled from $10 to a top of $15.
In 1993, Carv retired from both the Faith Stock Show and Rodeo
and the South Dakota State Fair. He was then approached by
Thompson said he will miss working in the entertainment
business.
“I will especially miss the great friends I have made over fifty
years in this wonderful industry and the real pleasure of
working with three generations of Romeos. I Love it,” he said.
When asked about Thompson, REG’s Bob Romeo described
him as “a showman.”
“He understands talent, but what he really understands is how
to promote. Carv always had an idea – and his idea always had
pizzazz - whether it was for promoting his drug store, a bank,
or a concert,” stated Romeo. “I will miss working with one of the
greatest showman ever out of the state of South Dakota.”
REG wishes to thank Carv for all of his hard work over the years
with many long days servicing shows and for a being a loyal,
trustworthy representative of our company for so many years.
Michelle Romeo Promoted to Agent
REG’s Michelle Romeo was recently promoted to a full-time
agent. Michelle has been working as a junior agent for the
past few years, while also handling marketing duties. She will
continue to assist with marketing, but is now booking talent
for 17 of her own accounts.
Michelle’s niche includes booking off-season events for fairs
and festivals, and also in booking Contemporary Pop, Rock,
and Alternative artists. Romeo is very knowledgeable when
it comes to current artists and is excited to help REG clients
explore various genres to find the right artist for their event.
Mark Schilling, Director of The Corn Palace in Mitchell, South
Dakota, has been working with Michelle to book shows for his
annual festival as well as some off-season shows. He expressed
how much he appreciated her professional demeanor, insider
knowledge, and outgoing attitude.
“Michelle is well-informed in the entertainment industry and
stays up to date with trends and developments in order to
provide a greater service,” stated Schilling. “Michelle’s smile and
warm personality is what makes the difference. She’s energetic
and always goes the extra mile to make sure that our facilities
needs are met. It’s a privilege to work with Michelle Romeo and
the entire team at Romeo Entertainment.”
ROMEO Entertainment GROUP
PAGE 21 | THE ROMEO REPORTER | FALL 2013
We asked the Romeo Entertainment Group
Staff to answer the following question:
“What must-have item would be in your
catering rider (if you had one)?”
Fran Romeo
President/Agent
Not sure about a specific food, but after each
meal I would require A REAL bathroom and no
porta potties!
R.J. Romeo
Agent/General Counsel
(2) bottles of good red wine (cabernet or pinot
noir preferred), (1) wine opener, (6) red wine
glasses (because nobody likes to drink alone)
Nancy Rosenblatt
Assistant to Steve Bogdanovich/Publicity
Assistant
1 box of either Wheat Thins or Triscuits, some
good cheese, some fresh berries, homemade
biscuits & honey, a hot meal with meat (please,
no more cold cuts!), anything with Nutella or
chocolate for dessert, and the locals’ choice of
adult beverage.
Staff Rou
Bob Romeo
Chairman of the Board
Extra Strength Tylenol
Steve Bogdanovich
Vice-President/Agent/Production Specialist
Diet Coke and Jujubes
Harlan Burggraaf
Accountant/Office Manager
Food from the Greek Islands Restaurant,
delivered by Bogie.
Jenny Fitzpatrick
Executive Assistant to Fran Romeo
Margaret Ryan
Executive Assistant to Bob Romeo
and R.J. Romeo
Lots of Advil, with bottled water & crushed ice
to wash it down.
Staff News
Welcome to Callie Jo
REG staff member Mindy Klein and her husband Steve
welcomed another daughter, Callie Jo Klein, on Monday,
June 10, 2013. She weighed 8 lbs and was 18 inches long. She
was welcomed home by her big sister Laney, age 4. Mom and
baby are both doing well.
Bagels and Cream Cheese
Mindy Klein
Marketing Director
Water and soda pop. For food, I want to go out
to the food vendors and find “something on a
stick.”
Michelle Romeo
Agent/Marketing /Publicity
Reese’s Peanut Butter Christmas Trees, Bacon at
every meal, Haribo Gummy Bears, Lunchables,
Soup, Mio Energy Black Cherry Liquid Enhancer,
Diet Coke, Water, and a Case of Bud Light Lime
Callie Jo Klein
Coming Soon!
REG staff member Jenny Fitzpatrick and her husband Joel are
expecting a baby boy, due to be born on November 22, 2013.
You won’t be seeing Jenny at the IAFE Convention in Vegas
this year as she will be home with her new little one. Check
next year’s newsletter to see a photo and find out the name
of this newest addition!
ROMEO Entertainment GROUP
THE ROMEO REPORTER | FALL 2013 | PAGE 22
REG Service Reps
Richard Ashby
Eric Marcuse
Wayne Rouse
ound-Up
Paul Fleming
Steve Owen
Chris Semrau
Keny Griffith
Phil Potter
Johnny Setser
Dave Harrington
Tracy Reynolds
Rob Tamisea
Rick Later
April Romeo
Carv Thompson
Rodney Atkins
Joe Diffie
Cole Swindell
Chase Rice
Chris Janson
3rd Street Stage
10:10 - 11:40pm
1st Street Stage
4:30 - 5:45pm
1st Street Stage
8:50 - 9:50pm
3rd Street Stage
7:30 - 8:30pm
Main Street Stage
6:10 - 7:10pm
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5247 North 129th Street
Omaha, NE 68164
402-359-1010
www.romeoent.com