Hi friends! We wanted to take a sec and introduce you to Holland’s new Music Director, Brigdon Markward. Brigdon’s been involved with Holland for a while – helping with booking, volunteering on the back-end, and playing a bunch of killer shows with his band City Wolves. We’re way stoked to have him on board and can’t wait for you to get to meet him! Here’s a little bit about him…and when you see him around town, be sure to say hi.
Tell us about yourself. Where did you grow up and what kinds of things were you into as a kid/teen?
– I grew up in Nevada City, California, a city with less than 3,000 people, and moved up to Reno about 3 years ago. As a kid/teen I’ve always been involved in local music, starting with orchestra in elementary school. The move to an actual city with a bigger music scene was huge for me!
Has music always played an important part of your life?
– Music has always played a large role in my life. Ever since I was young, all I ever really wanted to do was play music and be involved with music. I started my first band in middle school, built my first guitar in 8th grade, and began playing live shows pretty religiously in high school.
What makes you want to work for a DIY all-ages space?
– When I was in high school I started volunteering for an all ages art group called NEO that had a similar all-ages mindset, and when I got to Reno I discovered Holland through some friends of mine. After I started playing and attending Holland shows regularly, I gained a huge appreciation for the role Holland played in the young art community here, and I wanted to to be more involved.
What are you looking forward to doing in your new position?
– I’m really looking forward to working with fellow musicians, and continuing to build the music program here! The opportunity to work with bands I love on a level beyond just being a fan is really exciting, and almost scary.
What sorts of things excite you and inspire you?
– Hearing musicians that are doing things I haven’t heard before, trying new things, and paving the way for other musicians. I can’t think of anything that gets me like hearing something completely new. When a band/artist does something unique, one of the most exciting things is to wait and see the other music and art that will emerge from this new thing they’ve created. This is one of my favorite parts about being involved in the music scene.
Do you have a favorite show or memory at Holland?
– Oooh, one of the first big shows I went to was Speedy Ortiz and Surf Curse. I had been listening to tons of Speedy at Wolf Pack Radio, and Nick [Rattigan, from Surf Curse] was the one who had convinced me to join the radio station in the first place. There were kids crawling on the ceiling, and everyone was going nuts.
What about a favorite musical memory?
– Getting the chance to play with Broken Water and Night School was pretty huge for me. Those were two of my favorite bands at the time, and I think I ended up spending way too much money on merch. All of the bands were super nice, and it was a pretty cool experience. Playing with/seeing Darto was a close second. Absolutely incredible live show.
What’s the weirdest part about the job so far? Something you didn’t think you’d be doing?
– So many emails! I guess I should have seen it coming, but there are so many! Definitely taking some getting used to.
Is it fair to call you a chocolatier on the side? Can you divulge some interesting tidbit for us on what it’s like to make chocolate goodies for a living?
– Yeah! I get up early almost every morning and make chocolates, which I’ve been doing for a few years now. You wouldn’t expect it to be as breakneck and high-stress as it is, but it gets pretty crazy sometimes.
What sorts of things are you listening to right now?
– I try spending as much time as I can listening to the bands that are coming to Holland soon (Car Seat Headrest, Tangerine, Etc.) Besides that, I’ve been delving back into Blood Orange’s discography lately, and listening to a lot of Makthaverskan and Mothers!
I know you’ve been giving it a lot of thought, so your favorite new Kanye track is?
– Ultralight Beam with Real Friends coming in a close second. Both tracks are phenomenal. That reminds me, I need to cancel my Tidal subscription before they start charging me…
Former Music Director Clark always kept a “wish list” of acts he worked to bring through, do you have some bands/artists in mind for your wish list?
– Oh man, I could just start listing off my favorite bands. I think my #1 would either be getting Perfect Pussy or Protomartyr through at some point, followed by bands like Makthaverskan, Foxing or All Dogs that have tried coming through, but ultimately weren’t able to.
We know you’ve also been becoming a burrito expert, any notes on any of our neighboring burrito businesses?
– Speedy till death.
Anything else you think we should know about you?
– Should is a pretty strong word.
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