612 CREW

About me:

My name is Lane Hoffer I have over 7 years of experience promoting shows. I've promoted local, national, and international artists. I've also booked everything from all day festivals to small basement shows. I've also booked a very diverse variety of bands everything from death metal to pop punk and every sub genre under the sun. I started becoming involved with S.O.S Productions in (Aug 01-May 03) helping out with shows passing out flyers after that I started booking shows by myself I moved to Minneapolis, MN in June 07 without the intention of ever booking bands again. Back in Bismarck, ND I had done an incredible amount of work most of which I found thankless, but that comes with the territory. Promoting local music doesn't have much benefits most of the time you lose money and are rarely given the credit you deserve. It's more of just a love for the scene creating something new giving people something to be excited about. I got very frustrated with what I felt was the lack of excitement also with every venue closing their doors on independent music booking shows was difficult next to impossible. So I did what most people do in my situation move away to the big city. In July 07 I got offered to do promotional work for The Triple Rock Social Club and started the 612 Crew as a umbrella to promote shows for them. I loved doing it I got the chance to see tons of shows and meet a lot of people in the scene. After about six months I started getting bored with just promoting shows I wanted to be more involved so I started doing shows at The Belfry Center (Jan 08- May 08) at that same time I was doing promotion for Swordlord Productions (March 08-May 08) and the Triple Rock (July 07-May 08). I did that for about 3 months until The Belfry Center got shut down by the City of Minneapolis. I started volunteering for Anti-Civ Records and The Future Pasture (March 08- May 08) unfortunately The Future Pasture suffered the same demise as The Belfry Center and was shut down by the City. At this time I was really frustrated with what was happening a lot of shows I booked were either canceled or moved to different venues. I decided to start focusing solely on building my own company the 612 Crew. I created the 612 Crew with the sole purpose of promoting independent music. I do not discriminate by genre I promote diversity with the shows I set up. I try to dedicate as much time as possible to ensure that every show I organize is promoted well. I do business ethically and fair. I've been in bands on tour and gotten the screwed. I understand the importance giving touring bands preference when it comes to paying out bands. I am also the last to be paid out after a show I make sure that the bands are taken care of first because the people came to see you not me even if that means I take a loss in the end. Most people don't realize that I do a majority of work for free. I am not complaining about that because I am dedicated to independent music and I understand the do it yourself ethic. I am not in this to make money I have a day job that I work forty hours a week at. The reason I do this is to give back to the community that has given so much to me.
Lane Hoffer (612 Crew)