Today we’d like to introduce you to Katrina Aleman.
Hi Katrina, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I grew up in Austin, TX so from an early age I was exposed to music, festivals, arts, and culture. I always had friends in bands and I remember always having an admiration for the people who worked in our local music scene and venues. I was a ratty kid sneaking into bars just to catch the latest bands and at some point… it just caught on and they let me stay. I started my first booking company at age 17! I was trying to finish high school by day and running around downtown Austin by night. Supporting the local scene has always been the forefront of every project I’ve had. I had friends in TXMC (Texas Metal Collective) that took me under their wing and really gave me my start in the promotional world. From there, I did a monthly show called ThrashPitATX. The idea was to stack the bill with as many different subgenres in the metal genre as we could, and then encourage all the musicians to hang out after (the venue had a badass hotdog kitchen in the back) to network and share ideas.
At one point, I was living on/working for an outdoor venue that was also a ranch that span about a hundred acres. I think I was probably 19 at this time and that was definitely one of the crazier points of my life. We had traveling musicians come through, we would throw festivals or just have huge open jams. I remember drinking jug wine and dancing with a traveling folk band one night around a fire and when I think back about those days… or hell, the time we got sponsored and I was able to watch Cheech and Chong backstage and got a meet and greet… you can’t really put a price on stuff like that.
I can’t put a finger of how many local shows I’ve thrown or been part of but I’d say it’s close to hundreds by this point. By the time I hit 22 I realized that I had to get a real job and I actually moved into the medical field. That’s what brought me to SLC. I made it about four years before I had to get back to my roots. Arts and entertainment are all that I’ve known… and it’s the only thing that makes sense to me. I found the Utah Arts Alliance and started the marketing department with a coworker of mine and three and a half years later… here I stay. I love this organization with all of my heart and they have given me amazing opportunity as well such as booking and stage managing for our major festivals and allowing me the use of their venues when I get a wild hair and need something in a pinch.
Y’allt has been a brainchild of mine as soon as I moved here, but I really wanted to get to know the local scene, the bands, and the venues before I started my own ventures. No one likes that out-of-state asshole that thinks they can just infiltrate your scene. Planning took about a year and now I’m off the ground running full speed ahead. My first big event that is now an annual festival is called Hometown Theory. The idea is all local bands, local food, local businesses and really honing in on what it means to love your hometown. I collaborated with my friend Jeff Dillon and the first one was such a success that I’m already planning to go bigger and better next year.
At this point, I’ve picked up so many new clients and I’m booking shows so frequently that it’s almost overwhelming… but in the most wonderful way. I didn’t anticipate everything to kick off the way that it has and now I’m running full speed ahead to keep the momentum going.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Absolutely not, but I’m grateful for all of the challenges I ran into, or that may come up because they’ve definitely made me stronger in the long run. My mom passed away suddenly when I was 18, and my father had passed as well… so I had all this great momentum and then everything was crashing all around me and I didn’t think I’d be capable of being successful both in my career or in life in general. Despite that, I think there’s the usual self-doubt, imposter syndrome, and mental roadblocks that I think a lot of creatives run into. You know, I see a lot of incredibly talented people that have the worst self-doubt but I think once you get over the initial hump, there really isn’t anything you can’t do.
Moving to a new city was also a challenge. I was terrified that I wouldn’t be successful here because no one knew who the hell I was… and that is honestly the funniest thing I think… because I have the most wonderful friends and creative network here.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I own a promotion/booking company in SLC, UT. I throw events and festivals in and around the valley. I also manage bands, manage tours for artists, and offer marketing classes so bands can properly promote themselves, learn the tricks of the trade, etc.
I’m most proud of the success I’ve had in Salt Lake City. This has been a wild five years and I’m grateful for the acceptance by the local scene I’ve received. It’s been incredible.
I think what sets me apart from others is my sheer determination. If there’s a will there’s a way and my passion for what I do. At the end of the day, I want to set musicians up for success and it’s all I’ve ever wanted going on ten-plus years now.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
I would say definitely my propensity for chaos.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: hipsterrtrash
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YalltEnt
Image Credits
Bonneville Jones
Samantha Calmes
Young Slip Up
Badd Wolf
