PORT TOWNSEND — For concert promoter Bill Kiely, renowned acoustic guitarist Leo Kottke isn’t just a client; he’s a close friend.
Kiely, who operates a one-person company called UpWest Arts, promotes about a dozen concerts annually using his Port Townsend home as a base.
He said his main client is Kottke, of whom he has promoted 137 shows since 1999.
Kiely, 63, is promoting Kottke’s concert at the McCurdy Pavilion in Fort Worden State Park at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
“Leo is a fascinating guy. He can talk about anything,” Kiely said.
“He has these great insights about money and politics and government that are completely unique.”
A few years ago, when Kottke asked why Kiely was taking notes during one of their conversations, Kiely said he wanted to remember some of the things that were said.
“Leo said that was fine but made me swear that I would never write anything about him,” Kiely said.
“I have some great stories that I could tell about him, but I promised him that I wouldn’t.”
One of Kottke’s “quirks” that Kiely will share is the singer’s strong anti-commercial streak.
“Leo doesn’t allow CDs or other merchandise to be sold at his shows.” Kiely said.
“He doesn’t think that the ring of the cash register should be heard during the concert.”
Working as a promoter, at least in Kiely’s laid-back template, means finding the market that fits the artist, booking the right-size venue, handling advertising and promotion, and dealing with the media.
Kiely’s niche is solo singer-songwriters, with names like Taj Mahal, David Lindley, Dar Williams and Geoff Muldaur, and he has dabbled in comedy performers, such as David Sedaris and Elayne Boosler.
Kiely became interested in Kottke after a 1998 Centrum show that Kiely did not promote, at which time the sound man said Kottke was extremely easy-going.
Kiely then pursued Kottke for about a year, finally setting up a show in Everett.
“Leo is easy,” Kiely said. “There is no crankiness, and he is easy to work with.
“He’s a one-man band. He requires one hotel room and one glass of water.”
Kiely said that when he came to Port Townsend 21 years ago, he saw the need for live music and began putting on shows here, though there were some restrictions.
“There are a lot of players here, and everyone wants to perform, although most of them don’t expect to make a living at it,” he said.
“I found that a lot of people really want to hear live music.”
He noticed that the town favored a loose combination of folk, blues and jazz that evolved into a genre now known as “Americana.”
In this respect, Kiely said, Port Townsend was ahead of the times.
Kiely said the limits in promoting local shows come from the available venues — the largest is the 1,000-seat McCurdy Pavilion — and the prices that locals are willing to pay for tickets.
“People in Port Townsend aren’t prepared to pay the 21st-century prices for tickets in order to attract a lot of these artists,” Kiely said.
He’d like to bring some larger shows to Port Townsend but lacks the adventurous spirit — or carelessness — that he had in his youth.
“When I was younger, I’d be more eager to take chances,” he said.
In his spare time, Kiely, who is married to Washington State University Extension employee Sally Chapin, plays percussion in the blues band Lost in the Shuffle, which will appear at the Upstage Restaurant and Bistro, 923 Washington St., at 7:30 p.m. May 27.
Tickets to Kottke’s concert, presented by Centrum and UpWest Arts, range from $17 to $37.
To purchase tickets, visit www.centrum.org or phone 800-746-1982.
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
