hacking the Boston Music Scene
Anybody who has lived in New England long enough, knows that booking shows in Boston, wedging open those doors of opportunity in this city, can at times be hard and frustrating. It’s no one’s fault, really: combine the cold weather with an early last call, plus a whole lot of musicians looking to perform, and you get a series of tough crowds and limited performance spaces. So, here at BBG Boston, we’ve decided to turn to some experts and create a panel-discussion event to address some of the questions that you may have
Hacking the Boston Music Scene
When: Wednesday, May 3rd.
Where: The Record Co.
THE PANELISTS
TONYA BUTLER
Professor Tonya Butler, J.D., LL.M., is chair of the Music Business/Management Department at Berklee College of Music. She is the first woman and the first person of color to lead the department in its 30-year history.
A seasoned veteran of the music business, Butler has more than 14 years of expertise as an entertainment attorney and record label executive, as well as 16 years of undergraduate- and graduate-level teaching experience. She has a Juris Doctorate from California Western School of Law and a Master of Laws in Entertainment and Media from Southwestern University School of Law/Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, England.
Butler is an award-winning Toastmaster, motivational speaker, and author of the self-published career guide The Music Business Is Corrupt, or Maybe You Just Can’t Sing? She also hosts a weekly podcast on the business and legal aspects of the music industry, entitled the B.O.M.B. (Business of Music Bootcamp) Podcast.
Carmira Tessier
Carmira Tessier is currently a Talent Buyer Assistant for The Bowery Presents, based in the Greater Boston area. area. While working as an assistant, she has helped build shows for artists such as Rico Nasty, Steve Lacy, Rina Sawayama, keshi, Denzel Curry, Carly Rae Jepsen, and many more.
Carmira received her Bachelor’s in Communication and Media Studies from Bridgewater State University in December 2020. During her time in undergrad, she sought volunteer and freelance opportunities in the live events industry, working at concerts in the NYC and NJ area. She aspires to do work in A&R and artist management in the future.
Maddy Simpson
Maddy Simpson is a vocalist of the queer-freak folk duo, Sweet Petunia. Established in 2018, Sweet Petunia has toured up and down the east coast, opening for acts such as Kat Wright and playing festivals such as FreshGrass and Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival.
When listening to queer freak folk duo Sweet Petunia for the first time, many are blown away by the interchanging vocal lines of Madison Simpson & Mairead Guy. Unbelievably, the two are not related, though their voices are almost indistinguishable from each other. These brother harmonies lead Sweet Petunia through many shifting genres, melding traditional folk sensibilities with a distinct punk flare. Established in Boston in 2018, the pair have spent the last three years cultivating their sound and playing over one hundred shows.
The Topics
We’ve created a list of topics and questions tailor-made for both our panelists and our community members!
Booking Shows in New England
Legal Essentials for Performers
Digital Marketing & Community Building
