Music

For the Love of Music

It is 11:00am and the top Production Director of Live Nation in Chicago has already put in close to a full day at the office. For Chris Weathers, the 4:00am start is not what makes this day unusual, but rather that he has a chance to sit down at his desk and get some “focus time” in before the work day begins. It is at this quiet hour that Chris can start fresh and calculate his next move. He embraces the delicious spontaneity of music production, knowing that at any second a “fire can pop up that can change the whole course of your day really fast.”

From a young age, Live Nation’s top Production Director Chris Weathers sought out music every chance he could, knowing the fast-paced production world was where he could pursue his passion. Today he tells stories of spending $6 on his first concert ticket to see Rare Earth and sitting in the last seat of the house at the old Aerie Crown Theater, as if it was only yesterday.

“I was more mesmerized by what was happening before the show, between the sets, than I was by the performance. And I remember just sitting there staring, just saying, ‘I wonder what they’re doing down there. That seems cool.’”

 It was this curiosity, combined with a deep dedication to music and an energetic entrepreneurship that got Chris started producing his first shows in high school on the south side of Chicago. Although the events he planned were held in field houses and gymnasiums, and revolved mostly around sporting events, there was always live music. Finding a place for these bands to play was the start of taking his music production dream and turning it into a reality.

After high school, Chris spent fourteen years working monotonous nine to five jobs, all the while thinking of ways to make it into the electrifying music world. Despite having a seemingly successful future ahead of him at Federal Express, there was a lack of “freshness” for Chris. When the chance to work for JAM Productions arose, Chris Weathers entered the entertaining world of music production and never looked back. During his twelve years at JAM, Chris also grabbed a hold of any freelance work he could get his hands on.

“Somewhere between ‘92 and ‘94, the freelance phone started ringing like crazy… I was really eager and energetic to do more, and so I had this philosophy that I would never say no. You know, if someone asked me, could I do? I would answer, ‘yes’ and then figure out how to do it later.”

With this attitude, Chris Weathers has thrived in the industry, spending the past twenty-two years promoting live music. He has worked through a multitude of managerial overhauls at SFX, Clear Channel, and is now a part of the “top brass” at what has developed into the most dominant music promoter in the world, Live Nation.

Chris said, “I didn’t know where it would end up, but I made a commitment that if the opportunity presented itself that I would take the bull by the horns and make the best of it.”

Taking a risk, leaving behind a secure and comfortable situation, is a gamble that those in production need to be willing to take. Chris says, “They need to first put themselves in a place where they can see music production” to truly gain experience. As an apprentice, Chris took every free moment to “just watch somebody, and when the opportunity presented itself, I would get in that person’s head. ‘Hey why did you do that? Why did you say that?’”

The method to his madness - talking to people; trusting that to go outside his comfort zone would lead to the job he loves today. No two days at Live Nation are alike for Chris Weathers. He continues to enjoy the refreshing changes that bring a certain liveliness to his job every day. Likewise, Chris takes pride in ensuring his staff of about seventy people is able to do the same.

Despite the seemingly dream-like experience that Chris worked so hard to achieve, he will admit the hours of music production are extremely taxing, physically, mentally, and emotionally. He has counseled many staff members on the difficulties of maintaining healthy relationships and lifestyles while simultaneously embracing the excitement of an “ever-changing industry”. Finding this balance is a challenge that Chris Weathers has also had to conquer. He has been happily married for thirty years; a rarity for most in his position.

For a man who has produced countless live shows over the years, the simplicity of standards and show tunes are what can be found preset on his satellite radio. 40’s on 4 are his choice of listening pleasure. As one of the top production directors in the Midwest, Chris Weathers has found a ‘common denominator’ among his staff at Live Nation. “If you’re in this industry, either you play, you manage or you become a part of the production operations world, but it all starts with a love of music.”