MEET ME IN TUCSON for IFEA

APAP 2016

Will you be in Tucson for IFEA this year? If you would like to set a 1:1 you can both, see my schedule and book it here

Theย International Festivals and Events Associationย (IFEA) is a not-for-profit association for producers, suppliers and managers of festivals and events, which range from smallย countyย andย municipalย events to large-scaleย paradesย that can have attendances in the hundreds of thousands. It has members in about 38 countries on 5 continents.

The IFEA was founded in 1956, and adopted its current name in the 1980s. This conference is the 61st annual! It will be my first. ย It will also be a home-coming of sorts, My career actually began in Tucson and with a festival! I am fortunate to have a link to fun interview taken in 2010.

Editor’s Note: SLIT contacted Roggie asking her to explain how she started RajiWorld booking agency.ย 

I started as a buyer at the University of Arizona in the late 80โ€™s throughย SUABย where I led booking forย Eat To The Beatย (Red Hot Chile Peppers,ย Janeโ€™s Addiction,ย Billy Idol) andย Spring Flingย (Jellyfish,ย Redd Kross,ย Posies,ย Paladinsย booking at UA), some promoting atย Counter Clubย andย Club Congressย (I brought the firstย El Vezย ย show to Tucson, as well as theย Ringling Sisters).ย  I was alsoย KAMPย student Radio music director, and made a few trial national bookings forย Green On Redย andย Giant Sand. I then headed the Spring Fling music committee in 1991.

At the time I was a Chemistry major, and going between the chemistry lab and my music office with a lab coat and a Motorola brick cell phone.ย  My friends thought I was nuts and referred to the whole thing asย RajiWorldย (even though my name is spelledย Roggie)ย  So it stuck.

My first client wasย Rosie Flores.ย  I booked her to play at the U of A, a conference in PHX, and a club show in Tucson.ย  I worked the door at the club show and part-way through the night the bar owner collected the money so I wouldnโ€™t have to hold it.ย  I trusted him.ย  He passed out in the office and never paid us. I withdrew all my savings and gave her what I could.ย  She later found out about it and asked if I would book her.ย  I soon addedย Duane Jarvisย andย Buddy Miller, who were direct referrals and that was how it started.ย  I am incredibly grateful.

In 1993 I moved to L.A. and began promoting music in earnest.ย  I had an opportunity in 1994 to relocate to Austin and work withย Joe Elyย in the studio, on the road with MCA and his musical calledย Chippy, which played at Lincoln Center and had a long run in Philly this year, which allowed me to go on the road and meet all the venues and local press which has been invaluable in the 16+ years since.ย  RajiWorld has been run between L.A. and Austin ever since.

In 1998, Bill Elm (of Friends of Dean Martin) and I married, and he put out many great records which enabled us to work in the field we loved, as we became parents in 1999.ย  I feel very blessed to have long working relationships with some of the bands I was first a fan of, like Danny & Chuck, Howe, The Fleshtones, Rosie Flores.ย  I often mention that I was in the right place at the right time with what came out of Tucson.

I started in fashion as a teen, modeling, designing, retail and wholesale.ย  I have a degree in Fashion Merchandising, and I love that world.ย  I went back to school to study Chemistry as a frustrated animal rights activist / makeup artist.ย  Chemistry led to a degree, although I do not use it (except in the kitchen).ย  I had a desire to mix up my 21 unit school day with a fun student activity (which is how I got to booking for UA and student radio.

I have recently come full circle by creatingย World Beauty, which reps fashion designers, hair and make-up artists and photographers and videographers for events like music festivals and awards shows.ย  My first client wasย SXSW 2010 Music Awards.