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Grab your ticket 🎟️ and hop aboard in Convergence Station 🚇 as we explore worlds beyond with Sophie Prince, Event Marketing Manager at Meow Wolf Denver, and their out-of-this-universe venue — The Perplexiplex, an immersive performance venue within the larger space. 🪐 Sophie guides us from the accessible unknown through the surreal world of Meow Wolf, which started in 2008 as an artist collective in Santa Fe and has now grown to five immersive and maximalist exhibits in Santa Fe, Denver, Vegas, Dallas and Houston. The Denver location, which was built with music in mind, is one of many locations which hosts touring artists. Hear all about the 360° projection-mapped venue, the wide mix of events they host, and how they have carved their space in a dense Denver market. Sophie tells us how she fell in love with live events at Trinity College and her path from hosting a radio show and events at the campus venue to pursuing her dream job at Meow Wolf in Denver. ✨ This episode invites you to explore the unknown, expand your definition of venue, hear some amazing stories, and dive into The Converged Worlds of Meow Wolf Denver. Sophie Prince: LinkedInMeow Wolf: Instagram | TikTok | LinkedIn –––––– ADVENTURES IN VENUELAND Follow on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or X/Twitter Learn more about Event & Venue Marketing Conference Meet our team: Paul Hooper | Co-host, Booking, Branding & Marketing Dave Redelberger | Co-host & Guest Research Megan Ebeck | Marketing, Design & Digital Advertising Samantha Marker | Marketing, Copywriting & Publicity Camille Faulkner | Audio Editing & Mixing Have a suggestion for a guest or bonus episode? We'd love to hear it! Send us an email.

We’re venturing to West Texas to chat with Stephanie Rivas, General Manager at Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center and Vice President of International Entertainment Buyers Association (IEBA). With two decades of experience working in media, marketing, entertainment and performing arts, Stephanie tells us about her role with the venue and Legends Global, which manages the PAC. We learn about the Midland and Odessa market and the importance the venue has in providing arts programming to a huge part of the state – making it more accessible and equitable. We talk about her role on the board with IEBA and discuss the importance of conferences to career growth. Stephanie tells us about her career history from going to college at what is now Texas State University to beginning in broadcasting as a producer and anchor. Hear what tips she has for building relationships with local media and how you can help control the image and brand of your venue. Enjoy this great episode with interesting insight into “The Shining Star of West Texas” as well as excellent career advance and fun stories. Stephanie Rivas: Instagram | LinkedInWagner Noël Performing Arts Center: Facebook | Instagram | TikTok –––––– ADVENTURES IN VENUELAND Follow on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or X/Twitter Learn more about Event & Venue Marketing Conference Meet our team: Paul Hooper | Co-host, Booking, Branding & Marketing Dave Redelberger | Co-host & Guest Research Megan Ebeck | Marketing, Design & Digital Advertising Samantha Marker | Marketing, Copywriting & Publicity Camille Faulkner | Audio Editing & Mixing Have a suggestion for a guest or bonus episode? We'd love to hear it! Send us an email.

We’re dancing our way to the Live Music Capital of the World – Austin, Texas to chat with Chelsea Masler, Marketing Director at Messina Touring. Whether she’s working on campaigns for major stadium tours like Ed Sheeran or strategically rolling out a legendary underplay tour for Phoebe Bridgers, Chelsea works with the Messina Touring team to act as an extension of management for their artist roster. We talk about some of her tasks from arranging radio campaigns, strategizing marketing content, working closely with venues, and how they dive into fan communities to understand what resonates to ensure tours remain authentic to fans. Learn what it’s like launching a tour from her perspective and how they use data to identify trends while also understanding special fan connections that the data can’t capture. Chelsea tells us about her industry path from writing for a music blog and joining the event board in college, starting at Oracle Arena as an intern and working her way up, time she spent at Goldenvoice and Facebook, all the way up to her current role. You’re bound to love this fun episode that’s packed full of interesting stories, perspective, and laughs. Chelsea Masler: Instagram | LinkedInMessina Touring: Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn –––––– ADVENTURES IN VENUELAND Follow on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or X/Twitter Learn more about Event & Venue Marketing Conference Meet our team: Paul Hooper | Co-host, Booking, Branding & Marketing Dave Redelberger | Co-host & Guest Research Megan Ebeck | Marketing, Design & Digital Advertising Samantha Marker | Marketing, Copywriting & Publicity Camille Faulkner | Audio Editing & Mixing Have a suggestion for a guest or bonus episode? We'd love to hear it! Send us an email.

We’re off to “The Land” to chat with Carrie Samek, Vice President of Event & Media Marketing at Rocket Arena and Cleveland Cavaliers in Cleveland, Ohio. After learning about the arena and Carrie’s role with the venue and team, we chat through what it was like curating an exhibit around the 10 year anniversary of the Cav’s iconic 2016 NBA Championship, and the challenges of joys that came along with it. Carrie tells us about how they planned the arena’s 30th anniversary two years ago, which included a performance by Diplo and a drone show. We talk about her fun career path, from cold emailing the creator of Warped Tour to working phones at ClearChannel to touring with The Black Eyed Peas to her time with Belkin Productions and Live Nation and ultimately her current role. Whether you know her as Carrie, Wizzysis, Queen of Drones, or museum curator – to know Carrie is to love her and we know you’ll love this episode all about someone who has helped shape some of Northeast Ohio’s biggest moments. 🤘 Cleveland Rocks! Carrie Samek: Instagram | LinkedIn Rocket Arena: Instagram | Facebook | X/Twitter –––––– ADVENTURES IN VENUELAND Follow on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or X/Twitter Learn more about Event & Venue Marketing Conference Meet our team: Paul Hooper | Co-host, Booking, Branding & Marketing Dave Redelberger | Co-host & Guest Research Megan Ebeck | Marketing, Design & Digital Advertising Samantha Marker | Marketing, Copywriting & Publicity Camille Faulkner | Audio Editing & Mixing Have a suggestion for a guest or bonus episode? We'd love to hear it! Send us an email.

Join us on the left side of the “Michigan mitten” as we head to Grand Rapids to chat with Hannah Flynn, Communications Manager with Legends Global, which manages Van Andel Arena, DeVos Performance Hall, DeVos Place, newly opened Acrisure Amphitheater, and Amway Stadium (opening Spring 2027). As a passionate social media and pop culture guru, we dive into the details of Hannah’s role, the structure of their department, and learn a bit about each of the venues. We talk with her about collaborating with local businesses and hear tips about pitching ideas and some examples of fun promotions. Known for dressing up as artists coming to their venues for TikTok videos, Hannah talks about their approach to following social trends and how to discover new ideas. We talk about how she got into live events as well as the creation of her concert social account (@hangoestoaconcert), which has evolved from providing tips for going to concerts to advice on joining the industry. This is a fun episode that’s sure to spark some ideas, give you some accounts to follow, and (for those of you not already in the industry) may just inspire you to dive in. Hannah Flynn: Instagram | TikTok | LinkedIn Van Andel Arena: Instagram | Facebook | TikTok –––––– ADVENTURES IN VENUELAND Follow on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or X/Twitter Learn more about Event & Venue Marketing Conference Meet our team: Paul Hooper | Co-host, Booking, Branding & Marketing Dave Redelberger | Co-host & Guest Research Megan Ebeck | Marketing, Design & Digital Advertising Samantha Marker | Marketing, Copywriting & Publicity Camille Faulkner | Audio Editing & Mixing Have a suggestion for a guest or bonus episode? We'd love to hear it! Send us an email.

Journey with us to the Aloha State as we visit Hawaii and talk with Barb Saito, President of Aloha Group International Inc., who is based in the capital city of Honolulu on the island of O’ahu. Barb, who has 45 years of experience in the industry, supports concert promoters by consulting and assisting with financial and logistical challenges that come with promoting shows in Hawaii. She also works a lot with Asian artists who often do fan club flyaway events in the area. We chat through the many benefits of routing shows to Hawaii and learn about how they navigate challenges in keeping costs low and making adjustments to tours, using local vendors and shipping gear to make the finances work. Barb tells us about her start in live events, stage managing for plays in high school and ultimately getting a job as a book keeper with legendary concert promoter and DJ, Tom Moffatt. She shares memories from early shows and talks about what it was like breaking barriers as a woman handling settlements and production in the 80s and 90s. We also talk about her volunteer work with Hawaii Events Coalition, a group which formed during the pandemic to support overall live event business in the state. Enjoy this fun, fascinating episode filled with aloha, a love of live events, and amazing stories. Barb Saito: LinkedIn | Email Aloha Group International: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter/X –––––– ADVENTURES IN VENUELAND Follow on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or X/Twitter Learn more about Event & Venue Marketing Conference Meet our team: Paul Hooper | Co-host, Booking, Branding & Marketing Dave Redelberger | Co-host & Guest Research Megan Ebeck | Marketing, Design & Digital Advertising Samantha Marker | Marketing, Copywriting & Publicity Camille Faulkner | Audio Editing & Mixing Have a suggestion for a guest or bonus episode? We'd love to hear it! Send us an email.

We’re off to the Midwest as we visit the city of Omaha, Nebraska and chat with Adam Straight, President & CEO of Metropolitan Entertainment & Convention Authority (MECA). Adam tells us all about MECA, which is a venue management company which manages city-owned properties including CHI Health Center Omaha (which includes an arena and convention center), Charles Schwab Field Omaha (which hosts the College World Series), and The RiverFront (72-acre urban green space along the Missouri River). We hear what makes each venue special and how their combined strength makes the city competitive when attracting events. Adam tells us about what makes Omaha special, trends he is seeing in the convention side of the industry, and we discuss the importance of sustainability with venues. We learn about Adam’s history in the industry, which he started unconventionally as an electrician working sporting events at University of Maryland, eventually leading him to working at two of the top five convention centers in the country. Enjoy this episode which provides an interesting perspective of managing a diverse group of venues and is sure to add Omaha to your visit list. Adam Straight: LinkedIn MECA: Facebook | LinkedIn | X/Twitter –––––– ADVENTURES IN VENUELAND Follow on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or X/Twitter Learn more about Event & Venue Marketing Conference Meet our team: Paul Hooper | Co-host, Booking, Branding & Marketing Dave Redelberger | Co-host & Guest Research Megan Ebeck | Marketing, Design & Digital Advertising Samantha Marker | Marketing, Copywriting & Publicity Camille Faulkner | Audio Editing & Mixing Have a suggestion for a guest or bonus episode? We'd love to hear it! Send us an email.

Live from Sacramento – Join us on the red carpet as we interview award winners at the 11th Annual Event & Venue Marketing Conference Awards. Dave and Paul speak with award recipients in the various categories and get insight into their experience and advice they have for others wanting to be in their shoes. In addition to this audio version, click this link to watch the video version: 🎥 Watch Video Interviews Winners (in order of appearance): Mortgage Matchup Center – Most Creative Artist Gift (Under $500) Intrust Bank Arena – Marketing & Publicity Campaign of the Year Fiserv Forum – Most Creative Artist Gift (Over $500) Fiserv Forum – Most Creative Artist Welcome Paycom Center – Grassroots Campaign of the Year Kaseya Center – Impact Award Alyson Katz – Breakthrough Professional of the Year Jeff Johnson – EVMC Hall of Fame Inductee Kate Bean – Gigi Award of Excellence –––––– ADVENTURES IN VENUELAND Follow on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or X/Twitter Learn more about Event & Venue Marketing Conference Meet our team: Paul Hooper | Co-host, Booking, Branding & Marketing Dave Redelberger | Co-host & Guest Research Megan Ebeck | Marketing, Design & Digital Advertising Samantha Marker | Marketing, Copywriting & Publicity Camille Faulkner | Audio Editing & Mixing Have a suggestion for a guest or bonus episode? We'd love to hear it! Send us an email.

Live from Sacramento – Sit in on this 2026 Event & Venue Marketing Conference session as we chat with Vanessa Mancao (Tour Marketing Manager, Red Light Management), Karl Crudup (Director of Event Sales & Production, Sacramento Kings), and Jessica Eckley (Managing Partner, Crackerjack Media) in front of a live audience. In this session, titled "Beyond Venue Walls: Creative Strategies for Marketing Experiences Beyond Traditional Events" we explore how creative marketing and branding can promote activities tied to other events, plaza parties, and unique experiences beyond traditional events inside venue walls. Walk away with actionable ideas to craft fun interactions, boost awareness, maximize assets, create a larger community impact, and build deeper fan connections beyond event night. Hosted by Adventures In Venueland’s Dave Redelberger and Paul Hooper, this episode gives you a taste of this year's sold out conference at the Hyatt Regency Sacramento. If you joined us in-person, this is a great way to re-listen for notes and share this episode with a boss or colleague for them to get a taste of the EVMC experience. Vanessa Mancao: LinkedIn Karl Crudup: LinkedIn Jessica Eckley: LinkedIn –––––– ADVENTURES IN VENUELAND Follow on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or X/Twitter Learn more about Event & Venue Marketing Conference Meet our team: Paul Hooper | Co-host, Booking, Branding & Marketing Dave Redelberger | Co-host & Guest Research Megan Ebeck | Marketing, Design & Digital Advertising Samantha Marker | Marketing, Copywriting & Publicity Camille Faulkner | Audio Editing & Mixing Have a suggestion for a guest or bonus episode? We'd love to hear it! Send us an email.

Join us as we head to the Sparkling City by the Sea – Corpus Christi, and chat with Krystal Gonzalez, Director of Sales at Richard M. Borchard Regional Fairgrounds (RMB Fairgrounds). We learn all about the fairgrounds, which is home to a conference center, two exhibit halls, arena pavilion, and equestrian arena which host a wide mix of social events, expos, rodeos, concerts, and dinner events. We learn about the city, Krystal tells us about her role, and we talk about how they leverage the versatility of all their venues to sell clients and market their spaces. We talk with her about her history in the industry and how all her experience working on different sides in different departments prepared her for her current role where she handles different tasks and collaborates with coworkers to make sure they are meeting their client’s needs. Enjoy this fun, unique episode which includes some nerdy venue talk, great career advice, and interesting perspective. Krystal Gonzalez: LinkedIn RMB Fairgrounds: Facebook | Instagram –––––– ADVENTURES IN VENUELAND Follow on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or X/Twitter Learn more about Event & Venue Marketing Conference Meet our team: Paul Hooper | Co-host, Booking, Branding & Marketing Dave Redelberger | Co-host & Guest Research Megan Ebeck | Marketing, Design & Digital Advertising Samantha Marker | Marketing, Copywriting & Publicity Camille Faulkner | Audio Editing & Mixing Have a suggestion for a guest or bonus episode? We'd love to hear it! Send us an email.

BONUS EPISODE – Warm up your taste buds and meet us in the Farm to Fork Capital because the 2026 Event & Venue Marketing Conference (EVMC) is just around the corner! This bonus episode is filled with everything you need to know as you pack and prepare for this year’s conference in Sacramento, California. Hosts Paul and Dave are joined by a couple special guests which help craft this podcast KBYG — Kim Allen (EVMC President, Director of Arena Marketing at Golden 1 Center) and Brandon Darnell (Director of Marketing at Visit Sacramento). Hear about the agenda, evening events, awards, and top conference advice from each person. If you’re visiting Sacramento for the first time, learn what makes the city special, some restaurant and dish recommendations, and key landmarks to visit on your trip. Whether this is your first time attending EVMC, you’re a seasoned vet, or you’ve never been and are wondering what it’s about – we’ve got you covered! Coming to the conference? 🎙️ Be sure to join us Thursday, June 11 at 9am in the Regency Ballroom for Beyond Venue Walls, an Adventures In Venueland LIVE session! Our hosts will moderate a special, recorded session that explores creative strategies for marketing experiences beyond traditional events. Come say hello, meet our team, and grab a free AIV sticker! We’ll see you in Sactown! Event & Venue Marketing Conference: Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | X/Twitter –––––– ADVENTURES IN VENUELAND Follow on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or X/Twitter Learn more about Event & Venue Marketing Conference Meet our team: Paul Hooper | Co-host, Booking, Branding & Marketing Dave Redelberger | Co-host & Guest Research Megan Ebeck | Marketing, Design & Digital Advertising Samantha Marker | Marketing, Copywriting & Publicity Camille Faulkner | Audio Editing & Mixing Have a suggestion for a guest or bonus episode? We'd love to hear it! Send us an email.

Ahoy Venuelanders! 🛳⚓️ Join us for a revelry at sea as we set sail with Jeff Cuellar, CEO of Sixthman, a promoter focused on “tearing down walls” by creating community-inspired festival experiences that use cruise ships as their venue. Celebrating their 25th anniversary as a company, Jeff gives us an overview of Sixthman, their approach to their experiences, and the history of the company. Learn how they bring to life the magic of passionate communities through performances, food and lodging, international destinations, and entertainment while providing a safe space for fans to be together and bond over shared passions. While music is their core business and what started it all, they have expanded to comedy, podcasting, as well as other passionate groups that led to the creation of events such as Chefs Making Waves and The Broadway Cruise.  Additionally, Sixthman has had the pleasure of working with other brands that have extremely tight communities like the Savannah Bananas and Hallmark, providing an opportunity for a more intimate and curated experience for their fans. We also chat nuts and bolts with Jeff about setting up, loading in, and challenges producing a festival at sea – including things like working with naval engineers, accounting for motion and weather, and coordinating production operations. So, grab a Mai Tai and dive into this fascinating episode that gives you an inside look into a wonderfully unique side of live events on the open seas. Jeff Cuellar: LinkedIn Sixthman: Facebook | Instagram | TikTok –––––– ADVENTURES IN VENUELAND Follow on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or X/Twitter Learn more about Event & Venue Marketing Conference Meet our team: Paul Hooper | Co-host, Booking, Branding & Marketing Dave Redelberger | Co-host & Guest Research Megan Ebeck | Marketing, Design & Digital Advertising Samantha Marker | Marketing, Copywriting & Publicity Camille Faulkner | Audio Editing & Mixing Have a suggestion for a guest or bonus episode? We'd love to hear it! Send us an email.

Welcome to Messina Touring Week on Adventures In Venueland! 🎉 As we celebrate 2️⃣5️⃣ years of Messina Touring, we’ve got a couple special episodes dropping this week to give you a behind-the-scenes look at what makes them one of the top concert promoters today. — For this bonus episode which extends our Breaking In series, we talk with Rachel Powers, VP at Messina Touring Group, about artist growth from clubs to Sphere. We jump right in and talk about Rachel's role with Messina Touring, where she oversees marketing and promotional strategy for some of the biggest names in country music (Eric Church, Blake Shelton, Zac Brown Band and Ty Myers). Using the case study of Ty Myers, she tells us about his growth from a local Austin kid to playing a club tour, growing into an arena artist, and some of their strategies and challenges facing developing artists. We then chat about Zac Brown Band, in which Rachel helped with their Sphere residency. From 500 cap rooms to global stages, hear what things stay consistent, what recommendations she has for emerging artists (and those marketing them) and some great stories as we break in with this fun episode capping off our Messina Touring Week. Rachel Powers: Email | Instagram Messina Touring: Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn –––––– ADVENTURES IN VENUELAND Follow on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or X/Twitter Learn more about Event & Venue Marketing Conference Meet our team: Paul Hooper | Co-host, Booking, Branding & Marketing Dave Redelberger | Co-host & Guest Research Megan Ebeck | Marketing, Design & Digital Advertising Samantha Marker | Marketing, Copywriting & Publicity Camille Faulkner | Audio Editing & Mixing Have a suggestion for a guest or bonus episode? We'd love to hear it! Send us an email.

Welcome to Messina Touring Week on Adventures In Venueland! 🎉 As we celebrate 2️⃣5️⃣ years of Messina Touring, we’ve got a couple special episodes dropping this week to give you a behind-the-scenes look at what makes them one of the top concert promoters today. — To kick things off, we’re chatting with Kate Des Enfants McMahon, Executive Vice President at Messina Touring Group, who has been with the company since the beginning. One of the most influential forces in live music touring, Kate has helped shape the modern touring business across companies like Pace Concerts, SFX Touring, and Clear Channel Touring before starting Messina Touring with Louis Messina and Rome McMahon 25 years ago. We chat about the history of the company, her current role, and how their “concierge promoter” all-in services have earned them such a great reputation. We learn about her career in the industry, what she thinks makes a good venue, advice she has for women entering the industry, and some landmark moments of her career – such as being involved in one of the first country music stadium shows. Enjoy listening to this five-time Billboard Woman in Music recipient and Pollstar Impact 50 recipient as we talk shop, share stories, and discuss amazing career advice. Kate Des Enfants McMahon: LinkedIn Messina Touring: Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn –––––– ADVENTURES IN VENUELAND Follow on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or X/Twitter Learn more about Event & Venue Marketing Conference Meet our team: Paul Hooper | Co-host, Booking, Branding & Marketing Dave Redelberger | Co-host & Guest Research Megan Ebeck | Marketing, Design & Digital Advertising Samantha Marker | Marketing, Copywriting & Publicity Camille Faulkner | Audio Editing & Mixing Have a suggestion for a guest or bonus episode? We'd love to hear it! Send us an email.

We’re headed to the Home of the Blues, Memphis, for this episode where we chat with Crystal Carpenter, Event & Marketing Coordinator at FedExForum. In a city known for its culture, music, soul, and food, Crystal tells us all about FedExForum, which is the home for the Memphis Grizzlies (NBA) and Memphis Tigers (NCAA). We discuss her role with the building and some of the unique ways their departments are structured. She tells us about fun promotional ideas they have done with local businesses and how her role, which is nested under the Arena Operations side, focuses on being in the community, working with promoters and managing show day experience and hospitality. Crystal also tells us about being a DJ, which she has done for over 17 years, and co-founding SheDJs, which is a network of over 50 women DJs who support each other. We learn about her career journey from being an athlete to her time in radio to managing a record studio that worked on GloRilla’s debut hit album. Enjoy this fun, creative episode full of inspiration, grit and grind, and creative ideas. Crystal Carpenter: Instagram | LinkedIn FedExForum: Facebook | Instagram | X/Twitter –––––– ADVENTURES IN VENUELAND Follow on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or X/Twitter Learn more about Event & Venue Marketing Conference Meet our team: Paul Hooper | Co-host, Booking, Branding & Marketing Dave Redelberger | Co-host & Guest Research Megan Ebeck | Marketing, Design & Digital Advertising Samantha Marker | Marketing, Copywriting & Publicity Camille Faulkner | Audio Editing & Mixing Have a suggestion for a guest or bonus episode? We'd love to hear it! Send us an email.