In Conversation
First in an occasional series of casual conversations with movers and shakers in the cultural community
First in an occasional series of casual conversations with movers and shakers in the cultural community
For anyone who has ever enjoyed a show at Centre in the Square — Waterloo Region’s 2,000 seat concert jewel — or had a bone to pick about programming, the buck stops with one person.
Intriguingly rumpled, endlessly optimistic, with a perpetual case of bedhead, meet Greg Henderson.
Having ascended to the position of programming director when the Centre’s previous creative head jumped ship a couple of years ago, the sneaker-clad 47-year-old has turned the tide on deficits, made peace with the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony — with whom the Centre butted heads over concert dates — and overseen sold-out shows by ZZ Top, Boyz II Men and Bonnie Raitt, among others.
With a towering whiteboard splattered with big ticket names he hopes to snag — scrawled in erasable marker — his office is a tribute to the Art of the Possible.
Don’t take this the wrong way, but what do you do all day?
It looks like I’m doing nothing, but I’m thinking, listening to music. I could be lying on the couch and people walk by my office and wonder “is something wrong?” But I’m thinking and dreaming of what we can do.
You and the Centre’s general manager, Rob Sonoda, have been referred to as the Batman and Robin of Kitchener Concert Programming. Aside from sleeping on your couch, what is your superpower?
Negotiation. I have this skill and experience to get to the point with booking agents.
I know the dialect. I have my four sentences that will get me this act: “Good place! Great acoustics! Wonderful building! Give me the show!” And if that doesn’t work? I just repeat it. What did you want to be when you grew up? A police man. A hockey player. What happened?
I wasn’t good enough. That’s why I became what I am today. I have no talent, but I’m a good judge of talent. When I talked to you two years ago, the Region’s arts jewel had a long “to do” list of structural repairs. Is the roof still leaking?
Thank god, it’s not. This panel right here (points over desk) was leaking when it rained, right on my head.
What’s it like schmoozing with celebrities?
I try to stay away from them, to be independent. But meeting Gordon Lightfoot was a big deal — such a generous, humble guy, almost like a statesman.
Most outrageous celebrity request?
Coconut water.
What’s your criteria for booking acts?
It has to be good and have some value to it. People have to say, “I love it! I’m gonna go to that show!”
What’s your budget?
One of the more interesting things about my job is that I don’t have a budget. We’re more interested in quality than growing by a certain percentage each year.
Oh come on. You must have a budget?
I know it’s not the answer anyone wants to hear, but having the flexibility to book a show that makes sense rather than trying to achieve a budgetary requirement echoes Rob’s mantra that I have “no rules of engagement.”
The Centre’s financial statements say you spent $5.6 million last year on performances. Is that your budget?
That sounds good. I do have carte blanche, but know my limits. We haven’t had anyone on our board/staff say that I can’t do something YET! However, there have been raised eyebrows for sure.
You booked 84 shows last year. Anything you knew going in would be a tough sell?
Contemporary dance is definitely an acquired taste, but we’ve had great success with shows like “Shaping Sound” that seem more accessible. We’ve presented more traditional ballroom dance, like “Dancing with the Stars” (touring show), with similar achievement. Very different, but both born from TV programs.
If you could book anyone, who would it be?
Bruce Springsteen, Lorde, Kanye West.
What are the odds of finding them on next season’s lineup?
Zero. I have strings to pull but nothing that can draw those acts.
So who can you get?
Acts that are coming up and coming down.
Fifty two years after their TV series debuted, you finally booked The Monkees (June 19). Why did it take half a century?
Better late than never. We’re at the right place at the right time. They were so big before, when Davy (Jones) was alive. We never had the opportunity.
What about The Beatles?
Ringo might be a possibility. Paul McCartney would be really difficult. He’s playing arenas.
I don’t see Taylor Swift on your whiteboard — why not?
Simple economics. She’s a $2 million a night act. That would be probably $5,000 a seat.
Shakira?
Sure, 10 years from now.
Justin Bieber? He was born in Stratford. Maybe you can cut a deal.
When you’re selling out two nights in a giant arena. It would be more of an annoyance.
What happens when the baby boomers die? Isn’t that like 90 per cent of your audience?
Forty per cent, with 20 per cent older than that. But we’re getting younger and younger all the time.
And the next generation is gonna get old and have a whole bunch of acts they love, like Boyz II Men. We just had “Dancing with the Stars.”
What happens 10 years from now?
Probably reality TV offshoots of “The Voice” and “American Idol.”
What about Gen Z? They’re sneaking up behind Millennials, and they’re a HUGE group.
We definitely want Gen Z to be a part of what we do in the future. Our focus has been on the 20-plus demographic but we have a ton of kids programming too, like “Peppa Pig,” “PJ Masks,” “Shopkins.”
Do you book bar mitzvahs and porch parties?
We will definitely book bar mitzvahs and porch parties. However, the Kitchener Public Library (for which Henderson recently started programming concerts) is a great fit with what we would like to accomplish and explore the lives beyond the stage.
It has to make material sense for us to consider it.
Seriously, is the roof still leaking?
The roof did leak until very recently so we will no longer be performing baptisms or drip therapy.