Making A Sound Living: Scott Boorey, Manager For Steve Miller And Gregg Rolie

Scott Boorey: 40 Years Of Musical “Abracadabra” By Lori Baldassi

Before you get to your seat at the concert, there is a kaleidoscope of moving parts and people working behind the curtain.

They are nameless, faceless, dedicated tradespeople who coordinate themselves with military precision to put an artist on the stage to bring you the very best experience.

Without their timing, knowledge and musical expertise, shows don’t happen, tours don’t happen and most artists are crippled without them. For The Steve Miller Band their Sergeant At Arms is Scott Boorey, a 40 year veteran of everything attached to the management of a musician.

Through the years, Boorey has experienced the music industry from a musician, a seat on the tour bus, collecting pay from hidden offices in the back of smoky bars and hotel rooms, to the office suites of the most influential powerhouses of the music industry.

It was his place in the high school marching band in need of new uniforms that propelled him to produce his first show. Can you imagine at the age of 17 persuading eight parents to pony up $500 each, cold-calling legendary promoter Bill Graham and through him not only booking Elvin Bishop and Tower of Power, but taking care of the staging lights and sound?

A sold-out show gave the band their uniforms and sparked Boorey’s natural ability to get it all done.

An accomplished musician himself, Boorey’s side-hustle was managing a local music store called Leo’s Music, in San Francisco, where he dealt with artists like Santana, Jefferson Starship and The Grateful Dead and interacted with numerous managers and musicians assisting them in purchasing their gear.

After leaving his own band and the music store, Boorey dedicated his attention to a group called Y&T (Yesterday and Today). He was negotiating record deals, co-producing and engineering the music as well as booking and managing tours for a solid 10 years.

Running on that frequency can burn out even the most diehard people. Not Boorey! He absorbed every moment and loved it. The band saw concrete success as an opening act for major artists that garnered their own hits in Europe and the United States. A shakeup at their record label made them a causality of cuts that ended the band and therefore Boorey’s job.

His career pivot was headed into finance when a call from his long time Bay area friend, legendary Manager Herbie Herbert (Santana, Journey) set the wheels in motion to manage Gregg Rolie (Santana, Journey, Abraxas The Storm). For the last 26 years (never missed a show I might add) he has managed and mixed sound for The Steve Miller Band. Boorey spoke with me from his home in California in January between phone calls booking the band’s 2020 tour. (See tour dates on: SteveMillerBand.com). Scott Boorey — manager of Steve Miller and Gregg Rolie — still “Fly(s) Like an Eagle”. Photo courtesy of David Woo.

Biz X: Does being a musician make a big difference in how you perform your duties as a manager? Scott Boorey (SB): Absolutely. It was when I had my own band that I learned where to put the microphones, how to EQ the drums, where the equipment on stage should be and so forth. Again, I never went to school for any of this, I just had an ear for what was right and what wasn’t. I attribute that to being a musician. Today, you would be surprised at how many managers cut costs on the sound only because they don’t really know what is good. They know what’s too loud, but that’s about it. When I made my management deal with Steve Miller the contract specifically stated that I mix the shows.

Biz X: What are the top five things you need to be a tour manager? SB: 1) Honesty. I pride myself on that and my reputation, a deal is a deal I will hold people accountable. 2) I have a saying “Everybody deserves to make a buck, but you have to be equally smart enough to understand when it’s

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not a good deal.” There is power in the word “NO”. There are times when I say, “no” and the promoter says, “I’m paying you everything you want” and I’ll say, “We need to take a break from this market this year.” You can only go to the well so many times. 3) A good ear when it comes to sound. Good eyes when it comes to lighting and a general understanding process producing music. 4) Good sense of how to hire people, because you get a lot of BS in this business. You have to hire people who will roll up their sleeves and do the work to get the job done. You also have to manage the dynamic of the people you hire including the artist. 5) I learned every facet of the business by doing it. If I had any advice it would be to learn every aspect of the business. The more you know the better off you’re going to be.

Biz X: Managers also settle up after the show. Have you ever had a time when the cheque didn’t clear? SB: Yes just once, but it was a classic example of a promoter that didn’t know what they were doing and was writing cheques that weren’t worth the paper they were written on. It was a stressful month as I was on the phone with them constantly,

before the show, walking him through what he needed to do and I was receiving tickets counts that were not good. I did give them the option to move the date or cancel. They chose to do the show and ended up writing us a bad cheque, which is a felony, and we went after the promoter who was found guilty and went to jail.

Biz X: How do you handle the travel? SB: Touring is getting harder and harder to do, but you just learn how to do it. I never got wrapped up in that sex, drugs, and rock and roll thing. You have to be ready. Last year we played two shows in England, flew home and the next day we played in the States. You have to have it together at this level. Your artist might call you in the middle of the night and want to meet. You also can’t hold people accountable if you’re not. From working backstage production to the radio airwaves, Lori Baldassi has been involved in the music industry on a number of professional levels for many years. Having spoken in front of the CRTC, Baldassi holds a certificate in Adjudication from York University Toronto and is a graduate of St. Clair College’s Media Convergence program. If you have any questions for her, please email: editorial@bizxmagazine.com.

EVENT PROFILE

Lavender Promotions — Not Dragging Their Heels With Upcoming World Class Drag Shows

By Joe McParland

RuPaul is the world’s most celebrated drag queen. His “RuPaul’s Drag Race” television series is now in season 12 and together with thespin-off shows— “RuPaul’s DragU” and“RuPaul’s Drag RaceAll Stars” — has contributed to a growing widespread interest and cult-like following in drag shows worldwide.

Traditionally, drag shows were the exclusive domain of gay bars, Pride parades and festivals. But today, drag shows are now being performed in mainstream entertainment venues and attended by a cross section of society.

Drag is an artistic art form that has, so to speak, “come out of the closets of gay bars everywhere”.

As proof of his popularity and success, RuPaul recently hosted “Saturday Night Live” (SNL) on February 8, the unofficial pinnacle of stardom and relevance for celebrities. It is believed to be the first time a drag queen has been granted this honour by SNL.

Drag is not a new or recent phenomenon. As an art form, men dressing as women has been around for centuries in theatre. It is believed the word “drag” itself refers to the male actors dressing as women in theatre whose petticoats often “dragged” on the floor behind them. They were said to be “putting on the drags”.

There are persons in society who are “cross-dressers”. In the past, they were known as transvestites. Some are gay, some are heterosexual. What they share is a personal preference for dressing in the clothing of the opposite sex.

Drag queens are not the same as crossdressers; they wear feminine clothing for the sake of providing entertainment, not as an everyday personal preference.

They have also been tagged in the past — and still are today, to a lesser extent — with the term “female impersonators”. But, as American drag queen RuPaul once said, “I do not impersonate females! I don’t dress like awoman; I dress like adrag queen!” The point he was making is that few drag queens with their expansive bouffant wigs, five-inch heels, amazing makeup, costumes and accessories, hardly look like traditional females. They present themselves not as impersonators of women, but as an exaggeration or caricature of the female.

In the 1970s and 1980s, drag shows RuPaul star Willam (far right) at the RockStar Music Hall on September 27, 2019 on stage with local queens (from left): Juice Boxx, Erin Brockobic, Priyanka Love, Mel Lucier (Emcee), BOA, Geena Hayze and Bettie Rebel. Photo courtesy of Lavender Promotions/K&M Photography.

took place in Detroit-Windsor’s many gay establishments. Torchy, one of Detroit’s earliest drag queens recalls: “There were 45 gay bars and five steam baths; it was huge in the ‘70s and ‘80s.”

A good number of these establishments featured drag shows. And some of the notable gay bars of the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s in Windsor, such as JP’s, The Happy Tap, Louie’s, Sahara and Complex, let patrons be entertained by young gay males appearing as women lip synching the hits of their favourite divas.

During these decades, the Detroit area spawned many successful drag queens; performers like Torchy, Lady T Tempest, Cellophane, Chili Pepper, Trisha Trash, Christina Collins, Trixie Deluxxe, Jennifer Foxx and more. A few of them did not just remain local favourites, but went on to become national celebrities.

Foxx, a frequent drag performer at JP’s on Riverside Drive, had over 60 national television appearances in the ‘80s and beyond, including: “Entertainment Tonight”, “The Sally Jesse Raphael Show”, “The Tonight Show”, “The Joan Rivers Show”, “The Geraldo Rivera Show”, “Sonya Live” (CNN), and also had long-standing gigs at casinos in Atlantic City and Las Vegas. Then RuPaul came along, in 2009, with the “RuPaul’s Drag Race” television series. It has resulted in six primetime “Emmy” Awards and having him listed on Time magazine’s “The 100 Most Influential People in the World”. And RuPaul’s success meant success for the many contestants on his shows who became household names and went on to experience their own careers and fame.

Tapping into the stable of RuPaul’s showcased queens since January 2018 is Lawrence Lavender, Owner of Windsor’s Lavender Promotions. Lavender, a part time professor at St. Clair College and former event promoter in the local LGBTQ community, explains why he ventured into drag shows . . .

“I’ve always looked to make a positive contribution to our Windsor LGBTQ community,” he comments. “I was an event promoter for a few years, putting on dance parties at different downtown venues. Being a big fan of RuPaul and his television series, I decided that drag shows were something the community was lacking, and what the community was looking for.” At the same time, RockStar Music Hall and Platinum Room (Meeting and Banquet Hall) at 2418 Central Avenue in Windsor (RockStarPlatinum.com) had received a physical makeover under the direction of owner, David Michael.

Detox is simply intoxicating and you’ll definitely need to “detox” after experiencing this show! Photo courtesy of Lavender Promotions.

RockStar now offered the perfect venue — a performance hall with appropriate capacity levels, a stage, a bar, food service, and plenty of onsite parking.

According to Lavender, “David Michael is a great businessman to work with and we have a terrific working relationship.”

Lavender started off, initially, by showcasing the talents of regional queens at RockStar. The success he experienced soon inspired him to go bigger and to include “star power” drag queens. RuPaul spinoffs Pandora Box, Miz Cracker and Darienne Lake were among the first he recruited to perform in Windsor. To date, he has brought 10 queens of RuPaul fame to Windsor for shows as headliners working alongside regional area queens.

“We have had near or complete sellouts at every show featuring the queens and the crowds in most cases have been 60 to 70 percent heterosexual, not just the expected LGBTQ crowds,” Lavender notes. “Seniors, men with their girlfriends, an entire cross section of society, make up the enthusiastic crowds.”

More recently, RuPaul contestant Willam (Belli) performed at RockStar on September 27, 2019 in a show emceed by local comedienne, Mel Lucier. Joining Willam were regional queens Juice Boxx, Erin Brockobic, Priyanka Love, BOA, Geena Hayze and Bettie Rebel. Lavender then arranged for the “Windsor International Film Festival” and RuPaul star Trixie Mattel to team up on November 9, 2019 for the screening of the cult dragqueen classic, “The Adventures of Priscilla: Queen of the Desert”.This became one of the highlights of the 10 day film festival.

Two of the bigger names from RuPaul fame are slated to perform soon in Windsor. They are Detox and Trinity “The Tuck” (formerly Trinity Taylor). Detoxis performing at theSt. Clair College Life Centre (main campus) on March 6, 2020 at 8 p.m. After appearing in season five of “RuPaul’s Drag Race”, Detox was runner up in 2016 in season two of “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars,” and has an extensive background in drag performance including music videos withKeshaandRihanna. Trinity “The Tuck” appears April 4, 2020 also at the St. Clair College Life Centre (main campus) and is best known for competing on the ninth season of“RuPaul’s Drag Race” and winning “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” season 4. Tickets are $30 to $50 with VIPs receiving early entry, a Meetn-Greet and more. The show is all-ages, but parental discretion is strongly advised.

I had the opportunity to email Trinity a few questions in February in advance of the April performance in Windsor. Here’s a quick recap. Biz X: Trinity, what do you attribute to society’s recent growth and interest in drag performers, something that for so long has been relegated to primarily the gay community? Trinity: The biggest attribute is obviously “RuPaul’s Drag Race”. There are also other shows that have been created that give visibility like “Dragula”, among others. Also, social media and YouTube play a huge part now too. Drag is just so accessible by everyone. Biz X: Your comedic pieces are hilarious. Have you always had this ability to make people laugh? Trinity: You know, I never thought of myself in a comedic way. But, my friends have Presenting Trinity “The Tuck”! Like the song goes, “Pretty in pink, isn’t she”? Photo courtesy of Lavender Promotions.

always laughed with me or at me. I can’t really tell which … ;-) Biz X: Finally, have you performed in the Windsor/Detroit area before? What can your fans expect to see in your upcoming show? Trinity: I have travelled so many places over the years that I can’t remember if I have been in your area. I’m very excited to come and visit and meet everyone. You can expect to have a blast! I’m known for my tuck and crass humour so maybe a little of both … LOL it will be a fun show!

Not wanting to forsake the local or regional drag queen talent, Lavender has recently kicked off “Starr’s Drag Brunch” at RockStar Music Hall, on the second Sunday of each month from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. hosted by Koko Starr with a different guest co-host each time. Drag, brunch and drinks — all so reminiscent of gay tea parties at bars on Sunday afternoons from decades ago.

For more information on these drag shows and other related events, or to purchase tickets, visit: LavenderPromotions.com.

1. An event of this magnitude wouldn’t be possible without the incredible Transition to Betterness (T2B) office staff, Board of Directors, the T2B Action Committee members plus 100+ volunteers. Photographed are committee members and staff: Nicoleta Burlea, Ashley Ruccolo, Kasey Martins, Donna Gervais, Ruth Paesano, Susan Lengyel, Amber Hunter, Zishan Ali, Renee

January 25, 2020 at Caesars Windsor. Photos by Rod Denis, Assisted by Janice Peters. All people in photos listed from the left. “T2B Goes East” The 23rd Annual Gala For Transition To Betterness

Laforet, Doris Lapico, Dave Hunter, Tania Sorge, Lisa Franchi, Samantha Arpino, Lina Mastronardi, Bianca Franchi, Elaine Boccioletti, Laurie Ohler, Linda Ruccolo, Lisa Albano, Linda Santos and Sandra Presland. For more information about this charitable organization, their on-going programs, volunteer opportunities or ways to give, just visit their website: T2B.ca.

2. Raising a whopping $400,000 certainly was good reason for a family celebration for siblings Nauman Ali; (brother in law/husband) Dave Hunter, Co-host of “Dave and Chuck the Freak” on WRIF, and Emcee/Host for the evening; Amber Hunter, Executive Director of T2B and Afshin Ali, Developer OfficerSpecial Events & Community Outreach for The Downtown Mission of Windsor.

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3. (on previous page) Funds raised from the gala go directly to support T2B’s ongoing programs within our local hospitals and healthcare facilities, providing comfort to patients and their families impacted by a life-altering illness. Esteem Medical Esthetics — Jenny Griffin, Laura Faust, Sarah Deschamps, April LeBlanc, Krystal Souilliere, Dr. Donna Jezdic, Owner, Wendy Dowhan, Claudia Mastrogiacomo, Lauren Pereira, and Mairi Janisse — were all proud to be an event sponsor contributing to the charity's success.

4. One thousand guests turned up to show their support for T2B, including RBC Financial Group, event sponsors and their spouses: Debbie and Jeff Osgarby; Deb and Michael Tehan; Kristen and David Ochs; Margaret and Tony Corio; George Georges and Tina Ewanski.

5. At the Windsor Regional Hospital table (another sponsor) we found a few of their valued employees, board members and their guests. (Standing): Andrea Pontoni (Pontoni Professional Corporation); Richard Vennettilli (Past President, Windsor Regional Hospital Foundation); Shrenik Parikh (Foundation Board of Director); Cristina

Naccarato (Manager Philanthropy) and John Comisso (President, Windsor Regional Hospital Foundation). (Seated): Sandra Pontoni, Aarti Parikh, Gisele Seguin (Director Public Affairs, Communications and Philanthropy) and Louise Comisso.

6. Laurie Stockwell was the first man to graduate from Hôtel-Dieu Hospital School of Medical Technology and was a volunteer fire fighter. Sadly, he lost his battle last year with Parkinson’s disease. His family attending the gala were: Jean Wark, Michael Dame, Christine StockwellDame, Jovan Keca, Patricia Keca, Marilyn Stockwell, Sharon Rogers, Brooke Rogers, Marilyn Landry and Esther McGuire.

7. Nolan Trepanier was just over the age of two when he passed away of Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia. Paying tribute to this brave little boy was his family: David and Wendy Koop; Daniel and Jennifer Clifford; Peter and Luigina Trepanier; John and Beth Trepanier; Gary and Kaylene Chapman; Shawn and Shannon Chapman.

8. For 2020, the theme “T2B Goes East” was inspired by the Moroccan, Indian, and Arabian cultures and beautifully decorated by Diane Spencler Glover of Designs by Diane, with fresh flowers by I&F Design. And who better to know that fantastic décor, food and company always “adds” up to a good time than an accounting firm? Chapman, Sanger & Associates, Chartered Professional Accountants in Kingsville was represented by Shawn Chapman who is shown with family, friends and clients: Chuck and Rachel Grover; Todd and Julie Preston; Shannon and Shawn Chapman, Tim Dobson and Sam Badreddine (O’Sarracino Trattoria & Wine Bar).

9. In the V.I.P. Lounge, socializing over a few spirits, the Biz X photography team met up with Sandra Bauer, John Ondejko,

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Donna Bosco, Anna Rita Giorgi, Doris Lapico (T2B Co-founder), Jody Braithwaite, Fo Abiad (Title Sponsor FA Investments/ Abiad Family), Tania Sorge (T2B Co-founder) and Antonia Maceroni.

10. Scotia Wealth Management (sponsor) was another company present and was represented by: Jennifer O’Neil, Kyle Funkenhauser, Elaine Genyn, Dane Rushmere (Senior Associate, Private Banker, Private Banking, Bank of Nova Scotia); Tracey and Terry Roman, Jennifer and Sean White (The Sean White Group, Senior Wealth Manager at Scotia Wealth Management, Scotia McLeod division) and Abby White.

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11. Joe Varacalli, President at Sunset Luxury Homes, Inc. (event sponsor) and his wife Agapi know that when the sun sets the real gala fun begins, which included entertainment by DJ PJ Productions and a late night buffet.

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12. Gathering in the silent auction hall were: John Chisholm, DSMA — Dealer Solutions Mergers and Acquisitions; Sophia Chisholm, V. P. of the Windsor-Essex Children’s Aid Foundation; Ken Quinn, President of Quinn Roofing Solutions Inc. and Sue Quinn.