We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Libby Ballengee. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Libby below.
Libby, appreciate you joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
Booking my first concert was a risk. I had no idea what I was doing, how to do it, or what was involved. I just dove head first into booking a national touring act as a birthday gift to my best friend. How cool would it be to have his favorite band play our town and get to hang out with them? Sign me up!
I fell in love with live music early in my life. Some of my high school band mates took me with them to see the Grateful Dead after graduation. It was my first concert, and a real baptism by fire. I was fanatic about seeing all the local music I could, which in my city was pretty cool during the early – mid 90’s. Bands like The Breeders, Guided by Voices, and Brainiac were busting out of the Dayton, Ohio local scene, climbing the national charts and inspiring the alternative rock movement at large. It was so cool!
When it came time for me to graduate, I put on my own music festival. It was my version of a graduation party, with a bunch of high school bands performing in a local community center. That was a one time hurrah, but the love of producing that event stayed with me.
Fast forward almost 20 years, and I’m hanging out with the guys in New Riders of the Purple Sage (NRPS), a band that Jerry Garcia originally formed. My buddy and I were so enthralled with hearing about Jerry in the good ole days from original member and legend in his own right, David Nelson.
David asked me why he never played our hometown. I really didn’t have a good answer other than the bars and venues that booked music at that time booked mostly indie rock, punk, and metal. I got to thinking about it and realized there were no women booking music where I lived. It was definitely a very male point of view. Although I love indie rock too, sometimes I like to lighten it up, dance and get funky. Dayton is the birthplace of funk music after all!
I resolved to change that, and surprise my best friend with a hometown NRPS show. So I reached out to the booker at a local venue, and luckily we knew each other from my college years. He took pity on me, and showed me the ropes. I had no idea how complicated it was, and was so grateful to have a mentor guiding me.
Once I announced the show, I got such an amazing response from friends and the community. I got a big write up in the local paper, which really set a lot of things in motion, including me forming my own production company (Venus Child Productions). The show sold enough tickets to fill the room and pay all the show expenses. I added some personal memorable touches like having dancers & a drum circle between sets. It was such a fun evening! And my friend had the most amazing birthday ever.
That one risk, that was a hobby while I had a corporate job, is now my full time gig! I’m booking music for a Dayton venue called The Brightside, and it’s honestly a dream come true. It really shows how following what excites you, and makes you go “hell yeah!” is such wise advice. I’ve learned to say no to opportunities I’m “meh” about, and chase after the ones that make me feel like this first concert did!
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
My name is Libby, and I’m from Dayton, Ohio. I went to college during the late 90’s studying photography. Back then it was a real trade and viable skill in the job market. I excelled at using a variety of cameras, including 4×4 cameras (think Ansel Adams) – and knew how to develop black & white, color, and slide film. Scanning photos and putting into a new software called “Photoshop” was a very new thing. By the time I graduated from college however, photography was completely digital. All the darkrooms were being replaced by computer labs, essentially making most of what I learned a lost art right off the bat.
I found a job using my photographic eye at a textbook publisher. I was considered a “photo researcher” at first. When I started, the digital revolution had not taken root completely, and I researched photos for textbooks using a binder of slide photography. So for instance, if there was supposed to be a photo of a hot air balloon on page 64, I had to order a binder of hot air balloon slides from a stock agency, they would mail them to me, and then I would put the pages on a light board and look for one that best fit the layout of the page and context of the writing.
That opportunity led me to being a studio photographer in our in-house studio, which was really fun and finally was applying my skills from college. I expanded my understanding of copyright and photography licensing. I also learned how to commission illustrations and maps from artists, for when art was required over photography. It was a really valuable experience in terms of learning how to work in a creative team, with writers, designers, production artists and especially clients!
The only problem with that industry is that it took a major hit between the Great Recession, offshoring, and the change from printing to digital in the publishing world. Over the last twenty years, it’s been largely managing a decline, but even that has been educational. I still do that work on a freelance basis through my own company “Libby Images” and as an agent for IlloZoo.
While that work was declining about 10 years ago, I started to book concerts and produce events in my hometown. It started off as a hobby, but grew into its own business, Venus Child Productions. Most of the events I produce are located at The Brightside, a gorgeous venue in Downtown Dayton. I also help produce Dayton Porchfest, Dayton Battle of the Bands, Culture Works After Hours, and the Yellow Springs Film Festival.
I’m known locally as “Dayton’s Music Insider” – which came from a long-running blog I wrote pre-covid. I now co-produce Dayton937, an online and print event guide for our local area. What’s funny is that even though I have a degree in photography, work as an art agent part time, and create events, most people know me locally as a writer and it’s the skill I get complimented on the most. I’m secretly working on a novel that may or may not ever see the light of day.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
I will start out with the caveat that I don’t have children, so I do not have my personal time buried in family obligations. So this advice might not work out for people who are already overly time committed already. If you are just starting out, and you have the time, volunteering is one of the best ways I grew my personal network and particularly my social media presence.
I always wanted to be a ballet dancer. I was not an athlete, so that was my way of staying in shape when I was younger. I just loved it! The reality of being a professional dancer crumbled as I started to form a very hourglass shape, which at the time, was a no-no for anyone going pro. Just like not growing tall enough to play basketball professionally, sometimes life deals you other cards.
Instead of feeling down about that reality, I wanted to support dancers who had the figure, talent and luck to go pro! So I started volunteering for the Dayton Ballet. It was a great opportunity to connect with dancers, patrons, and other volunteers. From there, I got the volunteering bug! I became a Big Sister for Big Brothers Big Sisters. I helped find artists to paint murals downtown for revitalization project. Anything that I could apply my skills and enthusiasm to, I helped with. It was amazing how many people I met along the way. Now everyone locally thinks I “know everyone.”
In 2019, Dayton faced a series of tragedies. One evening we had 16 tornadoes all at one time, and it absolutely wrecked havoc across the region. Because the tornadoes touched down in multiple counties, the response from officials was disjointed. I immediately started using the social media network I had to coordinate volunteers, send out help information, and get donations to those who needed it. The local news networks started using my personal social media feeds to report on the rescue effort. My social media network grew as a result! It all started with my desire to help others.
Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?
One thing I think non-creatives might think is that promoters and venues are not getting rich off events. Maybe Live Nation and Ticketmaster are, but the vast majority of the rest of us are struggling just like the artists and musicians are, especially those of us who are operating in smaller cities. The cost of maintaining buildings, paying staff a fair & equitable wage, paying artists what they are worth – it’s all so, so, so expensive. Most of the time, I’m just praying to break even. Ugh!
It’s so easy and comfy – and cheap – to just stay in and watch Netflix. I get it! However, the Arts are what give our communities personality and soul. These artists, events, museums, venues are so vulnerable after covid especially. If you want to live in a “cool” community, it’s imperative that you support these organizations & artists. Love live music? Support independent venues and record stores. Tip generously. Buy the merch at the show (it’s called “gas money” by bands for a reason).
Live remotely and can’t go out as much as you’d like? Make donations! Share a post about an upcoming event or album. Buy music from local artists online (Bandcamp Friday is a great time to do that). There are lots of ways you can support the local arts in your community, and they will really appreciate it!
Contact Info:
- Website: libbyballengee.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/venuschild/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VenusChildProductions
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/libby-ballengee-2064968/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/LibbyBallengee
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZkziMdcuCp3rMcoa4oQRTA
- Other: https://www.facebook.com/libby.ballengee
Image Credits
Jordan Freshour Phats Photo Shon Houston