Rocketown Nashville
Volunteer
October 2010 – May 2013
Official Website
Founded in 1994 by Christian singer Michael W. Smith, Rocketown has grown from a safe haven for teenagers to a popular live music venue, skatepark, after-school center, and host of various community groups and outreach programs.
As a volunteer at Rocketown, I work live shows on a weekly basis and work with the staff and other volunteers to keep shows running as smoothly as possible. I frequently work during the show’s entry process, collecting tickets from patrons and providing them with wristbands granting access to the venue. I also help with clean-up and maintenance of the facilities.
Volunteering at Rocketown has given me many opportunities to meet other young and talented individuals, learn how to book and host live shows, and how to work with the artists performing in the venue. I have gained invaluable skills that will be of great aid to me in the professional world of the music business.
Live shows I have worked include:
-Fall 2010 AP Tour
-Decade of Destruction Tour
-Yellowcard Fall 2011 Tour
-August Burns Red Winter 2012 Tour
-The End of The World Tour
-Everything’s Fine Symphony Soldier Tour
-Dead Throne Tour
-Spring 2012 Glamour Kills Tour
-The Lucky Street Tour
-The Pioneer Tour
-Of Mice & Men Winter 2013 Tour
-The Ready Set & Outasight Tour
-Sleeping With Sirens Take It Or Leave It Tour
-A Day To Remember Right Back At It Again Tour
-Rise Records Spring 2013 Tour
Festival Experience
7/31/2011 - Fueled By Ramen @ Vans Warped Tour
I assisted with hanging up posters prior to doors, handed out promotional materials
as patrons entered the venue, and assisted with merchandise sales at the label’s tent.
10/1/2011 - IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) Fan Fest
I worked at the information/volunteer check-in booth and was responsible for checking
in all volunteers and providing them with the necessary credentials and assignments.
6/16/2012 - Northside Festival
I assisted with the set-up and organization of Northside’s outdoor street art fair,which included
arranging booths for artists and assisting them with the set-up of their stations.
6/23 – 6/24/2012 - The Governors Ball NYC Festival
I was responsible for collecting and scanning tickets for all incoming
festival patrons, utilizing Eventbrite ticketing technology.
7/14/2012 - Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival
I assisted with event set-up, which entailed unloading and setting up of merchandise and sponsor tents.
Upon completion of event setup, I was responsible for manning the festival’s official merchandise booth.
7/21/2012 - American Rag / Ragged Mag @ Vans Warped Tour
I assisted with distribution of free promotional material both at the tent and at festival doors. After doors, I was responsible for assisting with the in-tent photo booth as well as managing and organizing fans for the in-tent signing with We The Kings.
7/27/2012 - Keep A Breast Girlz Garage @ Vans Warped Tour
I assisted with the sale of Girlz Garage & 5683 Collective merchandise available at the tent, and at the end of the day, I helped tear down the Keep-A-Breast tent.
7/28 – 7/29/2012 - Substream Music Press @ Vans Warped Tour
I assisted with the assembly of the Substream tent, handed out promo posters upon the opening of festival doors, worked in the tent to sell subscriptions and acquire e-mail signups, and assisted in the teardown of the tent at day’s end.
Street Teams
One of the great and easy ways I remain constantly involved in the music scene is through street teams. Working on street teams has taught me the fundamentals of artist promotion and proper marketing techniques.
My work on the following street teams has consisted of completing daily online promotion, posting and sharing local advertisements in the form of posters and promo cards, serving as a local promoter for shows, and sharing my personal experiences with different artists.
I have participated on the following street teams:
AC Entertainment
Allstar Weekend
All Time Low
Amely
Black Cards
Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows
Forever The Sickest Kids
Fueled By Ramen
Photo Finish Records
The Pretty Reckless
Teen Island Records
To Write Love On Her Arms
The Summer Set
SXSW Experience
During the Spring 2012 semester, Belmont University sent a group of 15 students to the SXSW Music Conference. As part of this special, interactive 1-credit course, myself and the other students were required to attend a variety of panels each day, attend showcases and discover emerging talent, network with industry professionals, and present our experiences to both the university’s Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business faculty and student base.
Belmont East
During the Fall 2012 semester, I was among a group of 30 Belmont University students who were selected to live and intern in New York City for an entire semester. During my time in New York City, I had the great privilege of completing a full-time digital marketing internship with Atlantic Records while completing courses both online and in the evening hours. The nature of the Belmont East program allowed me to dedicate a great deal of my time to interning and advancing myself as a young professional in the music industry. The program allowed me to gain industry experience that I wouldn’t have been able to gain as a full-time student in Nashville, TN.
