Interview with Jake Diamond — Marketing Director, Union Stage
Jake Diamond is the marketing director at Union Stage Presents in Washington DC, running marketing efforts for their entire portfolio of venues which includes multiple Pollstar top 100 clubs. His previous experience includes talent buying for Live Nation in Philadelphia, as well as booking the historic Arlene’s Grocery in the lower east side of NYC. He prides himself on having a keen eye for talent and getting in on artists on the ground floor. If he’s not at a show, he’s either curating a playlist with Cool Stuff Music or talking about the Philadelphia Eagles.
“Set boundaries for yourself…It’s true that this industry is a lifestyle and is incredibly demanding, but for longevity, you need to take care of yourself too”
Q: What impressed you the most about the participants of The Port Authority Music Export Academy?
Everything! The participants were all incredibly well prepared and came into our discussion with pointed and nuanced questions. Outside of our discussion, I was incredibly impressed with what they are each developing. I'm eager to see how they further break into the U.S. market as I think they are all incredibly well equipped to do so.
Q: What is your favorite aspect of your job, and why?
As a concert promoter, my favorite part is watching the show play off because it reminds me why I do this. We put a lot of time into making sure a show is set up for success for all parties involved. We put a lot of time and effort into making sure all involved have a great experience and to watch the culmination of that work in real-time is a tangible payoff that nothing really matches for me.
Q: Who have been your mentors as you've grown your own career?
I've been really lucky to learn from a lot of really smart and kind people. Three that come to mind are Grace Gibson, Molly Warren and Jillian Sacher.
Grace gave me my first real music job out of college. She taught me how to manage a venue calendar, and how to be dynamic and flexible (and how to stretch a budget). I really would not have this career if she did not give me a shot.
Working under Molly felt like grad school for the music industry. I learned not just how to ask questions, but how to ask the right questions. Working under her taught me how to manage a team and how to support myself and my co-workers and set us up for success.
When I was moving from booking to marketing coming out of the lockdowns Jillian helped me every step of the way. She taught me how to build and execute a fully fleshed out and detailed marketing plan. Whenever I have any marketing questions, she’s typically the first person I’ll go to if I can’t figure something out. She’s someone who I still learn from constantly and I’m lucky to call a friend and mentor.
Q: Who is someone you have admired throughout your career, and why?
Someone who I've really admired is Shep Gordon. He really exemplifies the human element of the music industry for me. He is someone who leads by taking care of others and creative problem-solving. I really respect his firm, but kind approach to working within the industry. I also think his ability to take calculated risks is second to none. I always carry a copy of "They Call Me Supermensch" in my backpack for inspiration.
Q: What crucial piece of advice would you give to anyone pursuing a career in the music industry?
Set boundaries for yourself. During the early parts of my career I never really took any downtime and was always "on". By approaching things this way, I hit a point where I was completely burned out and just generally unhappy. It's true that this industry is a lifestyle and is incredibly demanding, but for longevity, you need to take care of yourself too.
Q: What resources do you utilize to consistently keep up with industry news or trends?
There is a handful of sites that come to mind. I heavily rely on a site called rostr which acts as an industry directory. They typically note updates on artist representation quicker than anyone. I also cross-reference with a site called Celebrity Access who can help fill in some gaps on that front as well as being an excellent news source. Pollstar is another one that is one of my go-tos for up-to-date news on the live industry.