Micah Davidson - A Music Industry Serial Entrepreneur on being a Booking Agent, Talent Buyer, and Festival Producer
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Micah Davidson is the founder and CEO of Charlotte, NC based Midwood Entertainment. His company has multiple divisions in the live concert production realm. Starting as a Booking Agency whose team of agents now represent over 20 artists, and growing to producing music festivals and representing music venues as Talent Buyers across the United States. Micah has booked and produced thousands of shows throughout his career, and that comes with a lot of experience for artists and people interested in getting a career on the business side of the industry. After playing in bands and touring across the country, Micah went into the behind the scenes side of the industry becoming the Talent Buyer for the legendary Double Door in Charlotte, NC. Shortly after, he became an agent at Blue Mountain Artists, while still booking the Double Door. Along with some partners, he launched the North Carolina Brewers and Music Festival, which reached its 10th year in 2020.
Midwood Entertainment was founded in 2015, as a boutique multifaceted agency dedicated to guiding bands, festivals, events, and concert venues. Today, the company represents artists such as Acoustic Syndicate, Big Daddy Love, Dangermuffin, Flow Tribe, Robert Walters 20th Congress, Seth Walker, The Black Lillies, and many more. Along with the North Carolina Brewers and Music Festival, Midwood Entertainment also produces events such as Bristol Rhythm and Roots, WhigFest, Amplify Decatur, the Lake Wales Orange Blossom Revenue, Music in the Mill, Beech Mountain Winter Series, and many more. They also represent music venues across the country as their Talent Buyers, bringing in all kinds of national touring artists.
In 2020, during the COVID-19 outbreak, like a classic entrepreneur, he pivoted with another business venture with the No Contact Concert Series. A live stream concert series from a warehouse in Hickory, NC with a multi angle camera shoot, and full lighting and audio production. This has been a way to create work and generate revenue for the artists and the crew producing these productions.
In this conversation, we discuss Micah’s journey, being and becoming an agent, how to get a booking agent, how to get the attention of talent buyers and venues, and much more.
To learn more about Micah Davidson visit https://midwoodentertainment.com/.
Quotes from Micah Davidson
“At the end of the day, either you’re the kind of band that fans gravitate towards or they don’t.”
“Things bands should be thinking about, number one, do they treat themselves as a business.”
“At the end of the day this is a business, and our goal is to take your product, and have it become a more profitable product.”
“At the end of the day if everybody is easy to work with, and everybody is gracious, I’m going to want to work with you more and more.”
“If you’re the smartest person in the room, then everyone is learning from you, and you ain’t learning shit.”
“Don’t ever expect to do everything on your own.”
“If you’re not prepared to lose the money, don’t spend it.”
“An agent should understand how to truly tour a band, whether they have a manager or not.”
“Anything you can get done in two minutes, do now.”
“Set goals, stick to those goals, and move on.”
“I would rather have sold out on the door and be turning people away, because it not only builds the buzz for the venue, but it also builds the buzz for the bands.”
“If it’s a question of playing to a half full house or selling out shows, you want to have sold out on the door every time.”
Highlights from this Episode
[4:35] About Micah and Midwood Entertainment
[6:48] Restrictions for Agencies to Promote Shows
[10:44] Being affected by COVID-19
[15:02] Experience playing in bands
[18:09] Things not to when touring
[20:55] When to start playing outside of your hometown
[24:15] Guidelines to getting an agent
[31:42] When to reach out to agents
[36:55] Email tips when reaching out to Agents and Talent Buyers
[50:01] Becoming an Agent at Blue Mountain Artists
[58:10] Minimum Experience to Putting on a Music Festival
[01:04:55] Building the talent for your festival
[01:09:08] How to become an agent
[01:13:27] Starting an agency
[01:17:51] Bringing your agency roster to another agency
[01:20:32] Artist Development from an Agency standpoint
[01:23:15] Time management skills
[01:26:30] Playing the right venues
[01:29:45] Playing house concerts and alternative style venues
[01:33:25] Growing and running music festivals
[01:42:20] Getting to know Micah Davidson
Links to people, places, and things mentioned
Midwood Entertainment
Maxx Music
Madison House
North Carolina Brewers and Music Festival
Neighborhood Theatre
Front Country
The Attic [Venue in Tampa, FL]
Bandsintown
Pollstar
The Dead South
Tab Benoit
Eric Lindell
George Porter Jr.
Tim Reynolds
Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion
Gregg Hurwitz [Author]
How did this get Made [Podcast]
Criminal [Podcast]
Micah Davidson Definition of Making It:
“Waking up every morning and going to sleep every night making sure that you are happy and love everything you’re doing.”
Get in touch with Micah Davidson
https://midwoodentertainment.com/
Related Articles & Episodes:
Alec Vidmar - Booking Agent at United Talent Agency [Episode #007]
Joshua Knight - Booking Agent at Paradigm Agency [Episode #048]
Meg White - Booking Agent at ICM Partners [Episode #059]
Jim Mallonee - 35+ Years of Booking for Live Nation [Episode #080]
Ryan Murphy - Huntsville Amphitheater and St. Augustine Amphitheater [Episode #099]
Keep in touch:
chris.goyzueta@gmail.com
www.makingitwithchrisg.com
https://www.instagram.com/chrisgoyzueta/
https://www.facebook.com/makingitwithchrisg
Credits:
Host: Chris Goyzueta (Chris G.)
Producer: Jason Trosclair
Executive Producer: ONElive Creative Agency
Music: Emily Kopp
