Allen's Reflections on Tarlton & Seligman

Donald Tarlton and Dan Selgiman provided a unique insight into the past and present of Montreal concert promoters. They also provided a stark contrast into a dichotomy of music and the music business, in their numerous comments about making money, and not making money.
Mr. Tarlton did mention that he didn’t get into concert promoting for the money, but for the love of spectacle. I will take him at his word, but while that may have been true at the beginning of his career, many of his other comments would indicate that in fact money was a very important part of the music business for him. This was evident when he concluded his presentation with the following statement: “the music industry has never been black and white, but still can be very very green.” He repeatedly lauded Michael Cohl and the way he revolutionized the concert promoting business by signing the first $100 million contract. His future business model for the music industry was all about making money – flat-rate subscription streaming services. He added that there are all sorts of opportunities for us and “the entrepreneurial spirit,” with stress on the entrepreneur part.
Mr. Seligman, on the other hand, seemed to embody the independent music spirit, being much more about the music and less about the money. While he accepts that money is part of the equation (“it’s a business at the end of the day. You have to make it work somehow.”), it was clear that the money is only the means to an end. He clearly stated that starting up Pop Montreal was about more than making money. In fact, Mr. Tarlton’s statement that he got into the business for the love of the spectacle was in direct response to this comment. Mr. Seligman was all about making Pop Montreal “a community event.” He has gone so far as to make Pop Montreal a non-profit organization. While this was done in part to benefit from the many grants available to non-profits, there is no way that if Mr. Seligman was in it for the money he would have done that. Pop Montreal, he said, is all about grassroots and collaboration, which is the key for indie culture and the indie spirit.
I do not purport to pass judgment on which position is “correct” or which view of the music industry and concert promotion is preferable. I am a pragmatist (not to mention a lawyer and MBA) so I can see the business side of things, yet there is something to the position that music should be independent and free. Whatever my position, it was fascinating to see the two sides on display.