May 15, 2017

Meet Bobby Dutton of GrooveBoston in Woburn

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Bobby Dutton.

Bobby, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
In 1998, I stumbled into the world of DJ-ing, and knew immediately that it was going to be a big part of my life. I fell in love with the fact that you could combine technical gadgetry with musical performance. It was the perfect combination, and I set out to become a DJ. I started like most DJs do: I’d take any gig I could find — block parties, graduation parties, friends’ parties, and then school dances, frat parties, and so on.

A the same time, I picked up some work in the realm of “real” event production, working long days at minimum wage, lugging cables in muddy stadiums at all hours of the night — and loving every second of it.

And then I noticed something: There was a huge gap between the biggest “DJ party” out there, and the smallest “real technical production setup.” The mechanics were the same (speakers, amplifiers, lights, etc.), but they were two entirely separate industries.

What if we built a new market space in the middle? What if we took all of the raw, organic versatility of a killer frat party, and plugged it in to a proper arena-sized sound system. This idea was the beginning of GrooveBoston.

It’s important to emphasize that this was before the era of mainstream electronic music and superstar DJs. This was something new, and we were about to change the game.

Over the next few years, we built the beginnings of a team, and the network to actually pull this off. In fall 2004, we got our chance: As a graduating senior at Tufts, I had my hand in the student activities scene, as well as the university events community. We were given a modest budget, a huge empty room, and a “good luck, guys.” We called our product the “mobile club,” and our first attempt drew 5,400 people (roughly 85% of the Tufts student body) for one of the most legendary events in Jumbo history.

The event, known as “Fall Ball,” was immediately adopted as a new tradition, and in fact, a second annual tradition (Winter Bash) was added due to the overwhelming success and demand of this new model.

With the concept proven, we set out to formalize our company, refine our product, and find more opportunities. We stayed focused on colleges, as it was the perfect target: A huge entity, with thousands of demographically-similar people living within walking distance, and massive venues available at no cost to the school.

We have since produced 8 concert tours, performed all over the US, and had an absolutely AMAZING adventure doing what we love.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Challenging the status quo is always difficult. When people think of a concert, their first question is “who’s performing?” We never had a great answer for that question, since our focus was on the VARIETY of music that we could deliver, and the technical production that you could experience it through.

This made it a very hard sell, as many prospects lost interest quickly, when there was no famous artist involved. We’d give a heartfelt pitch, and their response was essentially “you want me to pay HOW much? For a DJ I’ve never heard of. You’re crazy.”

They were missing the point, but they weren’t biting.

Gradually, we were able to build up momentum, retention, and a reputation. While it’s still challenging to get in the door with new clients, our involvement tends to be long-term once we get them to see the light.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about GrooveBoston – what should we know?
Our mission is to make people happy, through legendary events.

We are known as the team that can deliver technical production at any scale, and have an absolute blast every step of the way. We work closely with student leaders and advisers to build shows that belong to the STUDENTS. This still feels backwards, as compared to the traditional concert model: People are used to booking an artist first, and then building the show around the talent. Our approach is refreshing, engaging, and sustainable… and we have got it down to a science.

There really is no other company quite like ours, and while this blue-ocean strategy has come with its share of headaches, it has helped us avoid bidding wars and negativity.

Specifically, what sets us apart is that we were part of this model at the very beginning, and while others have come and gone, we’re still here. We are the only company in this space that has developed deep, long-term client relationships, and a 96% retention rate.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
Ed Slapik (Production Director) is my partner in crime, and shares the helm of the business. He is known around here as the “production wizard,” and we start most days drinking coffee and asking question like “What about lasers?”

My father has always been a huge supporter, including the initial financial boost to get things started, as well as sound guidance and relentless moral support. My mom instilled in me the importance of all things fun and happy, and this is at the core of the GrooveBoston ethos.

My brother Chris Dutton also crushes an active role, as our Brand Director.

Ben Huggins (a fellow Jumbo) was the first person to take the plunge and work full-time for a young GrooveBoston, and managed the company for a critical 5 years of growth.

Jason Slomovitz was part of this in the very beginning, at Tufts. He has since become a full-time dentist, but still manages to get to most of our shows. He is a lighting savant, serves on our Board of Directors, and leads the creative cohesion on shows.

Nate Almeida is an absolute badass in the world of lighting, and he believed in GrooveBoston even before it was a thing. He keeps us on the leading edge of lighting tech, and always makes us look good.

Jay Nightride and his team have always been a key part of the GB family, and we’re lucky to have them.

Our whole team — directors, managers, interns, and freelancers — is committed to our mission, and we have an absolute blast, even when the days get long and we’re running low on sleep.

Our vendor partners are virtuosos in their respective crafts, and they provide the building blocks that let us build incredible results.

Finally, our clients, and everyone who said “this is going to be awesome.” They’re the ones that allow us to do what we love, and call it “work.”

Thank you.

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