As many of you have heard by now, local wunderkid Kris Youmans launched Tactics Productions, a new independent production company. We’re totally pumped by this, and not just because Kris Youmans is kind of a badass. For years, Youmans has brought awesome acts to some of Dallas’s biggest venues, most recently booking acts at Gilley’s Dallas (and our favorite venue, The Loft).
We sent Kris some questions to get his thoughts on pressing issues, and his perspective on what’s next for live music in Dallas:
BIJLM: What music genres will Tactics be focusing on?
Youmans: I focus on Good Music, which for me falls mostly in the Indie Rock, Americana, Hip Hop worlds.
BIJLM: What venues will you be booking for? Any plans to expand?
Youmans: The venues I’m working with as of right now are South Side Music Hall, The Loft, Prophet Bar and Haileys. I am working on getting shows in some of the other rooms, but the whole goal is to make sure that each show I do is in the right room.
BIJLM: How do you see the Dallas music scene evolving over the next few years?
Youmans: I think there is a lot of room for the Dallas music scene to grow. There is no real ceiling for it. There are over 6 Million people in the Metroplex, and they all want to be entertained, that is my job, to bring them live entertainment. Now it’s just to get the word out to all of them.
BIJLM: What part of launching Tactics Productions is most exciting?
Youmans: Getting to the point where I’m not pulling my hair out, ha.
BIJLM: Who’s doing good work in town? Is there anyone here or in other areas who you’d like to model Tactics after?
Youmans: Bowery Presents has an amazing organization up in NY. Transmission is doing some really cool stuff down in Austin. I would like to be somewhere close to those two entities as far as what I do here in Dallas.
BIJLM: Any final words you want to get across to Dallas music fans?
Youmans: The more you support live music the more better and better shows will come to Dallas. I always hear from people about how a band has skipped Dallas to play Austin. If the ticket numbers are able to get better in the area then none of those bands would skip Dallas.
The full press release follows. What are you looking forward to seeing from the team at Tactics?
Kris Youmans Launches Dallas’ Newest Independent Production Company, Tactics Productions
The name Youmans is practically synonymous with live music in Dallas, TX. For more than 15 years Kris Youmans has booked, toured, managed and promoted music in and around Dallas; beginning with booking house parties and underground shows and eventually building the brands of several notable local venues through his uniquely insightful booking philosophy.
When Rubber Gloves opened in Denton in 1997, Kris booked and managed the venue; building a reputation amongst national booking agents of success and trustworthiness which has developed over the years into friendships and concrete working relationships. Granada Theater hired Kris in 2006 to attract a younger audience to the venue. His vision transformed the booking calendar and brought much deserved attention Granada Theater, which is arguably Dallas’ best live music venue. In 2010 Gilley’s Dallas offered Kris the position of Director of Entertainment; with the mission of rebranding the facility as a multi-venue entertainment destination and booking all genres of music. Over the course of a single year, Youmans and his team completely changed the image of the facility from traditional Texas honky-tonk to diverse entertainment complex. The complex’s 1,500 capacity room was renamed to South Side Music Hall last fall and has since hosted about a dozen national touring acts; including rare appearances by acts like Guided By Voices and Beirut.
If you enjoy live music and you live in Dallas, there is a very strong possibility you’ve been to one of Youmans’ shows. Agents prefer to work with Kris Youmans because they know that he (and his team) will put the extra effort into promoting shows that is required to make them successful. Which is why this Spring Kris began working on the beginnings of his own independent production company named Tactics Productions. Kris’ vision is to attract more touring acts to North Dallas by creating more successful shows and placing them in the most appropriate local venues. Over the years Kris Youmans has established friendships with the owners of many of Dallas’ live music venues and small clubs; as well as the handful of booking agents that bring shows to North Texas. Tactics Productions will bring together a lifetime worth of friends and partners to bear on the mission of growing the music scene in Dallas, TX.
Music fans in Dallas have attended and loved Youmans’ shows for years, at Rubber Gloves, Granada or The Loft and South Side Music Hall whether they know of the man behind the music or not. Tactics Productions is merely the new brand on a concept Kris Youmans has been working on for most of his life; promoting North Dallas’ developing music scene and encouraging people to experience live music. Over the next year Dallas will see an infusion of more touring concerts at more local venues with Tactics Productions hard at work behind the scenes.
Youmans’ latest shows are already on sale at The Loft, South Side Music Hall and The Prophet Bar, including AWOL Nation and Cold War Kids. Stay up-to-date with concerts and other information about Tactics Productions at the company’s website and blog, on Facebook or Twitter).
Photo Credit: Desirae Embree
