20 People to Watch - Patrick Hill

Bowery South talent buyer expands his reach from East ATL to the Southeastern U.S.

In a Virginia-Highland coffee shop, Patrick Hill picks apart a bagel and mulls over how his presence affects Atlanta’s music scene.

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“My strategy at the Earl was to make it the best venue it could be, so that bands wanted to play there when they came through town,” Hill says. “It had little to do with me, it created its own momentum.”

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That response downplays his influence. From February 2001 to October 2014, Hill worked as the in-house talent buyer for the Earl. He played a leading role in developing the club into a staple for East Atlanta Village, now one of Atlanta’s go-to nightlife destinations. Along the way he booked a long list of then-fledgling acts, including St. Vincent, Grimes, and Joanna Newsom as well as Animal Collective, Battles, Vampire Weekend, and countless others. He helped make East Atlanta a shining beacon for touring indie rock musicians and locals alike for nearly 15 years.

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In October 2014 Hill became a talent buyer with the New York-based Bowery Presents in the company’s Bowery Presents South regional office under fellow promoter Tim Sweetwood. In less than a year Sweetwood left, leaving Hill as Bowery South’s sole regional promoter. Hill’s responsibilities already included booking shows in cities such as Birmingham and New Orleans. But seemingly overnight his role changed to booking music for an entire region. Still, he plays humble. “They didn’t give me the keys to the ship, but I’m definitely helping steer it now,” Hill says.

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He books shows in Atlanta everywhere from his old stomping ground the Earl to Aisle 5, Variety Playhouse, Terminal West, the Buckhead Theatre, and more. But filling up the calendars for clubs such as Saturn in Birmingham, along with Gasa Gasa and the Civic Theatre in New Orleans, takes up much of his time as well. “The plan is to keep developing these rooms and see what kind of opportunities come up along the way,” he says.

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Atlanta is an unusual case for Bowery Presents, as the company doesn’t operate a dedicated venue here. In Northeastern cities such as Boston and Philadelphia, Bowery’s bread and butter has long been building up rooms that are viewed as the highest quality venues in their respective markets. Will Bowery South build up an Atlanta venue? Hill doesn’t have an answer. Bowery club Saturn, which opened in May 2015, has quickly become one of the most in-demand new clubs in the region for artists to play. For now, Hill will continue developing Saturn, along with the two venues in New Orleans, while seeing what kind of opportunities could spring up closer to home. In the meantime, the same strategy he used to make the Earl the best venue it could be has gone from serving East Atlanta to serving the Southeastern U.S. Hill’s deep knowledge of and love for the local scene, along with his experience running a successful venue, bodes well for the city. The influence he so quickly downplays now has a much broader reach.