Today we’d like to introduce you to Ryan Agate.
Ryan, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I started booking shows in Southern NH and North Shore MA VFW Halls, church basements, and all ages venues. I booked my first show at O’brien’s in 2005, and never looked back. The staff always won me over, and the cheap drinks and eclectic lineup kept me coming back, plus the dedication for providing an outlet for anyone to perform is something important to me so…I just kept booking freelance here until they gave me a job.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Hardest part is turnouts. I’m just a kid good at scheduling who has a venue, but learning social media and shit that is a whole other world. We are getting a pretty good grasp of it but there is a natural ebb and flow here to crowds in Boston and its finding what’s popular. Before, there was a thriving basement scene where bands would develop a following and come to OB’s with 40 kids on their first show, now that the BPD shut down the majority of the spaces, they get their training wheels here at OB’s and the crowds can sometimes reflect that.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
O’Brien’s is a real blank slate, we can be anything to anyone and we like that about it. It can be a punk night on Wed, a Metal night on Thursday, an Indie night on Friday, bluegrass on Saturdays and hip hop on Sundays with mixed bills on Monday – Tuesday. We have a low room cost allowing artists to get paid easily, and a pretty good sound system but hey we aint the ritz. Not the fanciest or the diviest, but we strive to be comfortable.
What were you like growing up?
I have no idea. I was probably Ok but like I didn’t really hang out with myself. Then as a teenager I became a reaaaal loudmouthed opinionated jerk and that hasn’t really left.
Contact Info:
- Address: 3 Harvard Ave
Allston MA 02134 - Website: https://www.obrienspubboston.com/
- Phone: (617) 782-6245
- Email: obriensbooking@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/obrienspubboston/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OBriensAllston/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/OBriensPub02134
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