LOCAL STORY With 15 years in the business of booking music acts in Denver, Tony Mason has assembled the following list for the VOICE of the best places to hear different types of live music in 2021: TOP 3 BEST VENUES FOR LOCAL MUSIC: 1. Number 38 2. The Oriental Theater 3. Larimer Lounge CREDIT: GILES CLASEN But just as 2020 giveth, 2020 taketh away. Soon after he received the job offer, the pandemic hit, and days before Mason was set to move, he received a call. With the pandemic bringing live music to a halt there were no promises that the venue would survive. To tighten their belt, they were laying off staff – including Mason. To make ends meet, he went on unemployment and even did some shifts working for his parents’ painting business. “I was literally almost crying walking out the door in the mornings,” Mason said. “I was just on this huge track, new job, huge venue, huge raise, full benefits. I finally got my big break in the music industry and now, all of a sudden, I’m putting on a hard hat and steel-toe boots and doing something that I, like, hate. I was grateful for the work and hated that I wasn’t working in music.” The life changes brought clarity. Mason had a stronger feeling than ever before that he wanted to be a music promoter, but he no longer wanted to work for other people. He longed for the early days when he was hustling to book shows as an independent promoter. He wanted the freedom to schedule national acts at larger venues while helping budding performers book smaller shows. As quarantine restrictions began to ease up, Mason dusted off his old Tonedynamix brand and got to work reaching out to old colleagues, musicians, and venues and bringing his business back to life. He has already booked several shows throughout Denver and is negotiating with some national acts. He even took on the job of managing the Colorado shows for Denver’s Flobots. CREDIT: GILES CLASEN A little more than a year ago, Mason knew where his life was heading, but as it did for so many, the pandemic completely altered this path. However, his struggle over the past year and a half has reinforced Mason’s passion, pushing him to rebuild his business and land on what might an even better path. ■ TOP 3 BEST VENUES FOR NATIONAL MUSIC: 1. Red Rocks 2. Levitt Pavilion 3. The Oriental Theater TOP 3 BEST VENUES THAT ARE FAMILY-FRIENDLY: 1. Levitt Pavilion 2. Jazz in the Park (City Park) 3. Mutiny Information Cafe July 2021 DENVER VOICE 7
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