This month marks the 4-year anniversary of RI Ska Productions, the only promotional company in the Providence area that focuses on putting together quality ska and ska/punk shows around the state. They'll be hosting two concerts this month to celebrate this milestone, both at The News Cafe (43 Broad St., Pawtucket, RI). The first will be on Saturday, Feb. 11, featuring Saturday at Nine (RI), Cougar Skates (RI), Survey Says! (NJ), and Hank Sinatra Jr. (RI). The second show will be on Friday, Feb. 24, with Llama Tsunami (CT, but with members from Providence College), The Copacetics (RI), Kill Lincoln (DC), Stealing Gadsby (RI), and No Such Noise! (NJ).
RI Ska Productions was formed in 2008 by founders Mackenzie Prior and Alex Frobel after they noticed that the ska scene in Providence was completely disjointed, mainly because no one was concentrating on booking and fostering the genre. Mackenzie, who is known simply as Mac among people that go out to his shows, says, “There would be ska bands, but they'd be on shows with emo bands, or hardcore bands. No one was booking all ska, or ska/punk shows.” For the most part, Ska bands were just being thrown on wherever they could find space, which often resulted in some unusual pairings.
The Living Room, a legendary Providence venue (its fame matched only by its seediness), hosted their first show, but closed down later that year, leaving Mac scrambling to find a ska-friendly venue that wouldn't overcharge the small production company out of business. For the next few years, shows continued at The Mill in Greenville, and then at Firehouse 13 in Providence. Last year, RI Ska Productions finally found the intimate venue that they were looking for when they stumbled across The News Cafe in Pawtucket – an all ages venue that also features a bar for the older crowd. Mac says of the people who run it: “They're all about the local music – all about the local scene.”
Booking companies like this are the #1 way that bands can get the opportunity to play shows in real venues, with real audiences. Clubs are reluctant to take chances on bands they've never heard of, and often rely on people like Mac to act as a filter. Matt Di Chiara of The Copacetics says, "[Mac] is always willing to give a new band starting out a chance." He goes on to say, "By booking us, RI Ska Productions has allowed us to reach a wider audience of fans who already have a built in appreciation of our music."
Mac explains, “Connections are 100% of the business,” and he uses those connections to ensure that bands get the chances that they deserve, not only in this state, but out of state as well. RI Ska Productions has made it a policy to actively book at least one out-of-state act on each show they put on. Not only does this help the local scene by adding variety, but for Rhode Island bands, this means that if a band is trying to put on a tour around New England or down the East Coast, RI Ska Productions has the contacts with people in those areas that can help make that tour possible.
Always approaching it as a fan first and a promoter second, Mac avoids booking the marathon shows that seem to dominate the Providence live music scene, maxing out his shows at five bands, saying that shows longer than that, “tend to drag.” Ultimately, Mac is in it for his love of the music. He says, “I may not play music, I may not be in a band, but I love ska, and I love punk. I just love it that much that I'm willing to devote a large chunk of my time to making the scene better and making sure there's quality shows.”
For more information on shows, or if you are in a band looking to play a live show in or around Providence, visit the RI Ska Productions Facebook page here.
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