Marty Diamond has worked in all facets of the music business. After starting as the concert chairman at the University of Delaware, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in communications, soon he was booking at Manhattan club the Ritz. He followed that by working at Bill Graham Management, as an international marketer for PolyGram and a Âproduct manager at Arista. After a stop at ITG Agency he started his own boutique booking agency, Little Big Man, in 1994, and was instrumental in starting Lilith Fair and building Coldplay’s touring base. In 2006, he agreed to be Âacquired by Paradigm, and now heads the New York office of one of the industry’s most powerful agencies.
6:45 AM Wake up my two girls, get lunch boxes ready, finish up any homework and they’re out the door by 8 a.m., headed to school.
9:00 AM In the office, reviewing with [agent] Ashley [Mowry], my right arm, where we are with certain clients.
10:00 AM I am already knee deep into the day, dealing with tours for Coldplay, Franz Ferdinand, Janelle Monae, Sigur Ros and more. For Sigur Ros, I have to make sure the production they’re carrying on the road, which is four trucks, fits into the buildings. It’s about finding the right balance between what the band wants to accomplish and what the building can handle, and being mindful of the true value of the market.
12:00 AM We do a daily agent lunch where all the New York staff gets together. Today we discussed how all the festivals keep pushing the boat further out in terms of on-sales. So by Jan. 1, we will have to negotiate a slot and make a commitment for an event on Oct. 31–but you don’t know where you will be in the arc with an up-and-coming act. In between when we committed the Neighbourhood to Coachella, the band has now had the No. 1 alternative single.
2:00 PM We had an in-office performance by Johnnyswim, who was signed out of our Nashville office to our label, Big Picnic, and will have a June EP.
4:00 PM Out the door to meet with Radical Media about Janelle Monáe for American Express’ Unstaged.
8:00 PM Off to see Sara Bareilles at the Highline Ballroom on 16th Street.
8:30 AM Catch a cab to see Ed Sheeran playing an event for Delta in Soho.
10:00 AM Home, catching up on every email I missed during the day.