Making it Happen: Behind the Scenes at Wheelzstock

Making it Happen: Behind the Scenes at Wheelzstock

By Lauren Davis

A note from the author:

For six years, until last fall, I was the Assistant Program Director and Afternoon personality at Classic Rocker Wheelz 104.5 & 101. I guess it's fair to say that I have a pretty unique perspective on what it takes to put an event like the forthcoming Wheelzstock show on stage.

Stan Parman and I worked from the same office, and I was his assistant. Just like WKRP, it had some damned funny moments...and some stressful, last minute, deftly averted fiascos.

Now that I have hung up my FM headphones and begun writing, doing strictly internet radio, it's interesting for me to play the outsider looking in.

From this perspective, I can see the hustling, without experiencing the related stress. I have a better appreciation for how well the staff worked as a team. Exploring the planning of Wheelzstock, I have a great opportunity to take you behind the scenes, to give you a glimpse of how "they" plan these types of shows. "They" after all, are people, and this article is a glimpse into what they are about.

Journalistic exploration aside, I have an admission to make: It's just plain fun, and it can take a little restraint, to write an article about your former boss. How often does one get such an opportunity? Think about it!

Heh heh.
Life is good.

*

It's early on a Monday morning, and Wheelz Program Director Stan Parman is sitting at his desk with the radio blaring Bob & Tom. His coffee to his left, his spit can to his right, he is anxiously chomping on tobacco and looking up the number of a vendor who can supply the goods to fulfill yet another stipulation in yet another famous band's rider.

It's a scenario I know well, as I once worked at the desk next to him. Though I used to think it was irritating, I smile when occasionally, he bursts into song, finishing the melody of whatever fragmentary audio may have been rolling a soundtrack through his head. Sales people are popping in and out with questions, and he answers them cheerfully, without looking up. They take a moment to give me a hug and hello, and, in a flurry, they are gone. Without distraction, Stan is thumbing through his Rolodex for that ever-elusive business card.

A fairly big guy originally from Oklahoma and settled in Michigan for many years, his booming voice and charismatic personality are a little more heightened today. Like many of the days leading to Wheelzstock, this particular Program Director has got a lot on his plate. I get another chuckle, and a thought at how some things never change: While a million other details scatter his desk on sticky-notes, today's focus is still on the rider.

Ah yes. I remember it well.

In the world of musical productions, you see, the contract rider is a list of specifications on stage layout, performance equipment, and other relative details. These, of course, are important things. More ominously, though, the rider will include a very specific list of artist requirements for backstage. Over the years, riders have become overly specific, and can include oddball requests, like specific brands of prune juice (Kansas), a hooded hairdryer (James Brown) and even a designated selection of porn (Guns & Roses).

Depending on the artist, the terms can extend from two pages, to over fifty.

With last year's ZZ Top performance, for example, Parman, Promotions Director Adam Shilling, and I wrestled some thirty pages scrambling for everything from oxygen tanks with masks for each of the infamous three, to a dry cleaner and physician on-call. Try explaining to a dry cleaner why you need him to be "on call".

Everyone has heard the legend about Van Halen's contractual requirements for a specific number of green M&Ms to be provided backstage (In truth, it was to have the brown ones removed, but I digress). Incredibly, when my band opened for Pat Benetar a few years ago, guitarist Neil Geraldo stipulated that a huge bowl of Bazooka Bubble Gum must be placed on a bar stool near his amp. As we set up, we actually ran into a guy who's job, it seemed, was to stand there and tell us "Don't take the gum!" whenever we ventured within five feet of it.

Yep. It was that important.

Setting up this year's Wheelzstock, slated for Saginaw's Ojibway Island August 13th, a big focus of Stan Parman's energy is the fulfillment of rider requirements specific to not just one but three different bands each with their own bowls of bubble gum. And that's just the beginning.

For Parman, putting together a show with April Wine, Edgar Winter, and Eddie Money means more than juggling a few backstage demands; it means insomnia on a grandiose scale. "It's a lot of sleepless nights, endless days, and long term planning." He says. "It's a lot more than people think it is."

The work starts in January, with a simple call to the promoter to see who is touring this year, and who you might snag. That's the easy part. The rest ends in August, with everything from making sure there are enough fire extinguishers, to having enough chairs on the island. It's a long, drawn out process.

With the formidable skills of Promotions Director Adam Shilling at his disposal, Parman is able to accommodate a full list of band demands and coordinate some actual logistics, too. He works down the list daily, striking off tasks like rounding up volunteers for cleanup efforts after the concert, and coordinating VIP seating. As I sit at my old desk (funny how we all just fall back into our old seating arrangements), Adam, pops in for a quick hello, and discusses a memo with Stan. He tells me that sister station Z-93's promotions director, Lynn Roberts, has been handling the details on tents and signage, and lending a hand where possible.

I can tell you from experience that sister stations like this work together on a lot of things. In the new world of FM radio, with smaller staffing and more limited resources than in years past, "multi-tasking" has been honed to a fine craft. The old axiom was: "Don't let em' know you can do it all...or...you will".

I used to compare us radio folk to the one man-band: crashing cymbals over our heads, kicking a bass drum and playing harmonica all at once. It's right about the time that you get THAT part of it down, and the boss comes up to say, "Okay, now sing." Radio is like rubbing your stomach and patting your head at the same time, except with a lot more people paying attention when you screw it up.

Adam and Stan have air shifts; shows that must be prepared and manned daily. Aside from Wheelzstock, other promotions and events have to be attended to. Public Appearances have to be made. And the ratings have come out, which means a lot of number crunching. Unlike the public perception of the jock who burns incense and spins up a few CD's, the radio personality of today is a savvy marketer with a lot of administrative responsibilities.

Stan seems to momentarily give up on finding the contact info he's been looking for since I first sat down.

He snags a schedule of judges for the next battle of the bands to determine which local group will open WHEELZSTOCK. Much like the old days, I am instantly volunteered although this time, it's actually voluntary. My name is added to the long list of to-do's next to Stan's computer, and he resumes digging for the business card in question. He is asking me about the kids, and how my ankle is recovering from a nasty break last year.

Because I know them so well, the characters involved in this project are genuine and truly fun to watch. Lest you think that Parman and Shilling are scrambling with complaint, it bears mentioning that part of the hustle and bustle behind the scenes is a genuine excitement at WHEELZ' bringing another big show to Saginaw's Ojibway Island. Especially this year.

One of the cool things we feel will make the show unique is number of acts. Says Parman, "I mean, you have April Wine, very big with the musician-types. They have such a huge Mid-Michigan connection, being so closely associated with Flint."

"Edgar Winter is a giant among bikers everywhere, and the ladies just love Eddie Money's music. Bringing in so many acts that reach so many people means an enjoyable show for everyone." He adds that at just fifteen bucks a ticket, the price is affordable enough to encourage folks to get out and enjoy themselves a little, even in these tough economic times. "There is so much to do that day", he notes. The classic car show, the vendors, the beer tent—all great stuff. Wheelzstock is a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Stan points out that the Wheelz crew works so hard at putting shows like this together because they like to encourage people to come to Saginaw to see what it has to offer. Specifically, he says, they genuinely want to see cool rock shows like Wheelzstock continue to bring people to the island. "It's so beautiful" he says "such a great place to have a show. The island itself is just a great place to spend a day."

I remember that too. Setting up chairs, I mean. As I'm flashing back, Stan takes a moment to catch another quick phone call, during which he seems to find the business card that has eluded him throughout our visit. He places it next to his keyboard, and turns his back on me for a moment to write something down. As he moves, it falls to the floor, and I put it back for him, unnoticed. Again I'm getting a chortle at how some things seem to stay the same.

He is laughing and cracking jokes with yet another sales guy who has a question, and as he hangs up, I hug him goodbye. I wish him luck on the show and tell him to call if he needs me and I tell him that I don't miss this part of the job a bit.

"Better you than me, Buddy" I say. The phone rings again.

Get out of here, he says, laughingly.

Adam and I step out back for a quick smoke and a visit, and I hear Stan pick up the phone with his signature, booming "HELLO!!!" as we exit.

It's clear that this year's show will be a good one, and Citadel Communications has some great people to thank who are working to make it happen. In particular, two very talented, experienced radio geeks who love what they do. Adam Shilling and Stan Parman make a damned good team, and it's fun to watch them work—especially as an outsider.

You can get info on WHEELZSTOCK 2006 at www.wheelz.fm