Photo by Alfanso Vega

Industry Profile: Joe Lucchese

Former tour manager Joe Lucchese started EventJoe, an event production and tour management company with offices in Las Vegas and Chicago, in 2005. A native of Chicago, Joe has worked in the event and touring industries for the past 12 years, coordinating live events and managing tours in the United States and throughout the world.

Joe is currently working on a sixth month tour for a major liquor brand. “We're traveling the country setting up a touring nightclub in six different markets for a month at a time,” he explains. He is also working with other bands as they set up their spring tour schedule. Other upcoming projects include marketing events in Chicago, a concert event in New York, and a possible European / Asia Tour in the summer.

Joe’s start in the entertainment industry began while he was in high school in Chicago when he worked on area events for organizations such as the Chicago Cubs and the AIDS Foundation of Chicago. At the University of Nevada at Las Vegas, Joe served as the entertainment director of the university’s student government, coordinating live events, concerts and festivals, with a budget of more than $200,000, and created relationships with local and national sponsors.

"As a senior in college," he says, 'I spearheaded the campaign to get national sponsors Microsoft, Pepsi, In and Out Hamburger, and Trojan Condoms to help fund our events, concerts and other programs. As the entertainment director I held brainstorming sessions with my committee, and we would think of national sponsors to target for additional funding as well as create sponsor packets and other materials necessary to pitch our ideas. This was a great way to learn how to create sales pitches and sponsorship proposals. The whole experience gave me and many others the confidence to talk to professionals as college students and turn our dreams into reality. One of my mentors, Joseph Santiago, the entertainment director of the Thomas and Mack Center and now the vice president of Entertainment for all of the Station Casinos, helped us secure Xbox as a major sponsor for a festival we were producing. I'll never forget when he told me they were going to give us between $10,000 and $15,000. I was shocked at how high the number was that I had to sit down. I was so proud; go figure that a group of students were able to obtain national recognition from a major sponsor."

Joe also taught classes at UNLV on festival management, assistant teaching during his junior year and teaching the entire class his senior year. "UNLV has a great entertainment program with classes such as entertainment law and festival management," says Joe. "Since I was producing our student-run festivals, it was a natural that I teach other students about it. I had two very influential professors, Kathy Nelson and Patti Shock, who gave me an opportunity to teach."

After his junior year in June 2000, Joe took a year off and moved to China to work in a five-star hotel, producing events and assisting with the management of Nanjing’s hot spot, the Golden Eagle Plaza Hotel, for seven months. "It was unofficially arranged through UNLV,” he states. "I was paid as an employee of the hotel and worked directly for the general manager and owner of the property."

Teaching was just part of his senior curriculum. In addition to carrying a full load, Joe also was also working full time producing UNLV’s student-run events and at Freemont Street Experience.

"During my senior year I told myself that I knew my career was going to be challenging and a great way to make my future endeavors easier is to train for them now. Therefore, I took on as much responsibility as possible so when I got into the real world, it would be easier for me. That's exactly what happened. Since I spent so much time in college training, working professional events was easy. I did all of this by effectively managing my time."

Prior to EventJoe, Joe worked in Las Vegas as production manager for Triumph Entertainment, a venue/event management company that produces every thing from elaborate stage productions to fashions shows, parties and concerts. “During my time with them, they had offices in Orlando and Las Vegas. That was probably one of the best times of my early professional career,” says Joe. “Triumph really did a great job of taking care of their people. My boss, Wyatt Foley, was amazing, inspiring and very supportive. Definitely a great experience that allowed me to spread my professional wings.”

At Triumph, Joe coordinated live events and fashion shows for designers such as Paul Frank, Zach Posen, and Perry Ellis. While serving as special events manager at the famed Fremont Street Experience, he managed hundreds of concerts, festivals, commercials, music videos, movies and television shows for artists and directors such as the Flaming Lips, Ridely Scott’s BMW films, Ripley’s Believe it or Not, and American Idol. Prior to Triumph, Joe worked at Bill Silva Management in southern California as an assistant tour manger and then tour manager, on and off for about eight months in 2003 on national tours with artists such as Jason Mraz and Unwritten Law.

A University of Nevada, Las Vegas graduate, Joe received his BA in Hotel and Entertainment Management.

How competitive is the event management industry?
There are thousands of event companies that produce corporate events so the competition is tough (in that section of the industry). However, I've found that our clients look for a different type of organization to produce their events. Our clients usually are freethinking, think outside the box and have a more liberal belief. Because of those philosophies I've found that there is less competition than there normally would be.

What makes a good event manager?
They have to be able to take the vision of the event designer, client or who ever created the event and make sure that those specific details are met. Being able to think quickly, effectively and efficiently are also good traits. Being able to delegate and manage other people is also necessary, as well as keeping a cool, level head, along with always being positive.

What makes a good tour manager?
Someone who is very focused organized and can work efficiently under very stressful situations. A good tour manager needs to be able to control the rhythm of the tour, know when the tour needs to take a break, know when the tour needs to kick it into high gear to get the impossible done. A good tour manger should be firm and aggressive but not rude or abrasive. Good tour managers should know everything from accounting to production and even a little psychology would serve well. Good tour managers also know their place: they aren’t the band and they aren’t famous. However, a good tour manager knows that the people who take the stage along with the crew, who makes every thing look seamless, look up to the tour manger to make sure that every thing goes perfectly a pretty big responsibility. Finally, they should also be very personable and have a positive attitude.

Which do you prefer: event or tour management?
That’s a great question that I constantly ask myself. Touring provides you with so many great experiences in a short time. You’re in one city for about 12 hours working with other people you probably never met before. Then when the show starts, you've hundreds or thousands of people you come in contact with either directly or indirectly. It can get pretty intense, and that’s what I like along with the traveling and constant problem solving.

On the other hand, event managing is a little less intense but still provides its own unique set of circumstances. I like producing events because it allows me to be in one place for longer than 12 hours. It also allows you to get to know the people you're working with a lot more. Most likely, the event has taken weeks or months to create. I love being able to work together with people towards one common goal and that camaraderie is often felt when producing events.

Experience & Advice
I've made my fair share of mistakes along the way--probably enough to write a book. However, with a mistake comes a lesson and with a lesson arrives an opportunity to learn and ultimately learning leads to experience and wisdom.

One of the worst mistakes I ever made/had was when I put all of my eggs into one basket. There was a major project that I was working on that would have given me a huge opportunity to grow my business and career. Because it was such a big deal, and I was certain that it was going to work out, I didn’t feel the need to obtain any other business. Once the big project slipped through the cracks, I was with out any work and that really was devastating to my bottom line as well as my personal life.

I walked away from that experience knowing that nothing is for certain in this business until the job is over and behind you. There are a lot of flakey people out there that say big things, but it's up to us to use our judgment and not let those negative people influence our business or lives. I now try not to get excited about a project until it is signed or over.

It was that experience that helped me to realize my time and energy is valuable, that my business has a value, my services have a value and I shouldn’t bend over backwards for others that do not realize that or respect that. I always try to see the good in others, their business, work ethic and life. It helps to make the working process that much more fun and enjoyable. You know what they say--you get what you give.

Another great mistake I made was when I was at Triumph Entertainment. My immediate boss and I were in a meeting with the owners of the company. I felt very strongly about a particular subject on an event we were producing, and my boss and I had several heated discussions about it. He, having the ultimate say, made a decision that I felt was wrong. So during our meeting with the owners, I brought up the subject again in hopes to step over my boss’s decision. He was extremely pissed--rightfully so--at me, and it caused a great deal of negativity. It was my fault, and I felt horrible, but you know what? If it wasn’t for that experience, I wouldn’t have effectively learned the chain of command. Therefore, I'm thankful it happened, and my old boss and I remain good friends to this day.

First concert attended
Chubby Checker around 1987 He was playing at a music festival near my hometown of Elmhurst, Illinois when I was around nine.

First concert worked
It was my first job in the business in 1993. I worked for a production company as a PA. The company was assisting with a festival in Chicago--Survivor was the headliner. I remember my boss asking me if I knew who they were, and I simply replied no. He then asked if I had ever seen the movie Rocky. When Survivor played “Eye of the Tiger,” I went bananas.

First tour worked
Jason Mraz right before he made it. We toured in a van all over the country. At that point in my life, it was the hardest I've ever worked. I would sleep about four to five hours a day, drive about 300 miles, set up for the show, tear down and do it all over again the next day. I lived like that for about two months.

First industry job
Working for NSBB Productions in Chicago. I was a production assistant, office manager, tech, dancer, DJ and host. I was in high school doing shows for the Cubs, corporations and other interesting clients. At that time my friends were flipping burgers or bagging groceries, and I was out beginning my career. It definitely was an inspiring experience that helped me determine what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

Career highlight
Having the courage and faith in myself to work for myself and start my own company. Also, when I realized that no matter how hard I work or how stressful the project is, I’m doing what I love.

Career disappointment
There was a time when I worked for one year--2005-2006 straight traveling all over the world, putting events on and touring. I didn’t have more then one or two days off in a row that entire year. I was so focused on what I was doing in that moment that I didn’t plan for more work after the year was over. I found myself with out any projects or direction. I took it hard and began beating myself up and thinking negatively about my career and path…

Overcoming my career disappointment. There was a long stretch of time that had passed that I didn’t work. Without work there's no money, and I had a mortgage and other bills. I was stressing out, couldn’t sleep and felt sorry for myself. I then went inside myself and asked myself what would make me happy and how could I overcome this. I began to create my own happiness by attracting positive experiences, people and yes, more work. It's hard to overcome your own mind and the challenges that we put before ourselves. However, with persistence and desire, any thing can be achieved.

Best business decision
Betting on myself rather then gliding on the coattails of other artists or another company; following my heart, working for myself and starting EventJoe.

Best advice you received
Be strong, go with your heart and believe in miracles because anything can happen. Whatever it takes.

Best advice to offer
Be strong, go with your heart, and believe in miracles because anything…anything can happen.

Most memorable industry experience
It was my first summer home from college in 1998, and my friends and I went to see Dave Matthews. I was looking at the crowd in amazement at what was taking place. There were thousands of people all enjoying the moment and the experience together. I then looked beyond the band and thought that there must be someone behind the band that puts this all on. It was then that I realized that was what I wanted to do: to be the man behind the scenes leading others in making this magic.

Years had passed by and now I was tour managing Unwritten Law. We were playing at a festival in front of 10,000 people. There was a familiar feel in the air. I looked around the backstage area and then out at the crowd. I then realized I was no longer the kid looking at the band from the crowd. I was the person behind the band making the magic happen.

Favorite teams
Being a native of Chicago; the Bears, Cubs and Bulls.

Favorite restaurants
Roberto’s, Elmhurst, Ill.; Del Frisco’s, Las Vegas.

Favorite hotels
The Establishment, Sydney, Australia; The Hudson Hotel, New York City; Hard Rock Hotel, Chicago; The “Riot” Hyatt on Sunset Strip, Los Angeles.

What friends would be surprised to learn about you
That I'm a traveling man. It’s an inside thing; those who know me will get it.

Industry pet peeve
People who say they can’t and have a negative vibe about them.

Office paraphernalia
Laptop, cell phone, bottle of water, gratitude rocks and iPod

What’s on your iPod?
I've a little bit of every thing from John Coltrane to Daft Punk. For inspiration, lately, I've been listening to Kanye West, Oasis, Matisyahu, Jay Z, and Nightmares on Wax.

If I wasn't doing this, I would be...
…in a temple in China learning Kung Fu.

Industry mentors
Dick Hill (MGM Grand Garden Arena), Joseph Santiago (Station Casinos), David J and Jeff K (NSBB Productions), Z Trip, Susan Tobey (Tropicana), Brian Saliba (Bogus Productions), Ron Onesti (Onesti Entertainment), Dick Smith, Wyatt Foley, Kanye West.

Joe can be reached at: 702-610-6661; e-mail: joe@eventjoe.com