An interview with Adam Helms
“When I moved here in 2011 – Hamilton was a very different place than it is now, I think all but one building on High Street was boarded up. For a 26-year-old single guy, there wasn’t a whole lot going on. It seemed like every city around us was doing a concert series, so why not do one here? Steve Maxwell [and I] started doing concerts on an old 90’s rickety show wagon. It started out as a hobby, something fun to do and went from there” – Adam Helms, founder of RiversEdge, as well as promoter, producer, talent buyer, box office associate, social media manager, etc. Anything you can think of besides working with wires – Adam does it.
RiversEdge Park & Amphitheater is located at 116 Dayton St, Hamilton, OH 45011, huddled between Marcum Park and the Great Miami River. And describe themselves as “a group of volunteers who, with the support of our sponsors, the City of Hamilton and the Hamilton Parks Conservancy, exist to provide you with an opportunity to dance, meet your neighbors, and hear some of the best live music currently touring the United States…for free!” Starting out in 2012, the first season at the amphitheater was run exclusively by volunteers with $0 available as a budget, yet within a few shows raised $15,000. Every year since, improvements have been made to ensure the best experience for musicians and attendees. Updates like new lights, sound system, cables, wires, microphones, a video wall, VIP ticket options and increased sponsorships have all led to massive crowds and sold-out weekend events. Behind the scenes, work has continued to expand the type of bands that are being booked – now having nationally touring bands who want to play in Hamilton while still showcasing local musicians. RiversEdge is bringing in some significant names including David Shaw (a fellow Hamiltonian!) and Grammy award-winning guitarist, Billy Strings. What started out as 6 shows a year is now up to 20.
Adam labors year-round to bring quality live music to Hamilton. “A lot of my work comes in well before show day. Putting together the website, advertising materials, negotiating band contracts, finding the right show dates… Our advisory committee will look for new bands to add to the lineup a few times a year. Meetings usually include a large spreadsheet with Youtube links, and we’ll have a viewing party… We tried to reach out to bands when we first started and were told to ‘get lost’ and ‘call us back when the toilets flush’ because RiversEdge was so new. Now, large talent agencies such as Willam Morris Endeavor, Wasserman and CAA are actively seeking us out to set a date. It’s like drinking from a fire hose to pick which bands come to town.”
Show day for Adam begins at 8am with a coffee in hand and the weather app open on his phone. In the case of inclement weather, many variables will change for a concert to happen. With the chance of rain, the sound and stage set-up would move under the McDulin Parking Garage on Market Street, just a few blocks away from the amphitheater. But for a normal day, the crew will meet around 8:30am to start setting up the stage, sound, lighting, etc. Occasionally Adam will have to pick up band members from the airport, so he’ll get his large Crossover SUV (or his self-described “glorified minivan”) ready to be packed with musicians and chauffeur them to Hamilton. He calls it his very own Rock ‘n’ Roll meet and greet. Throughout the day Adam is in constant communication with the band. Between shopping for their specific grocery requests and managing their guest lists, sometimes equipment breaks, and you have to find a replacement quickly. “Hannah Wicklund the other day, one of her guitar pedals broke so I called up Brandon Saurber, who plays in a band, lives in the neighborhood and also works for the City of Hamilton – we borrowed one of his pedals. Third Street Music has helped us out in a pinch a bunch of times. They have a music studio, and many musicians will buy some stuff like guitar strings or even a guitar. It’s cool to have a shop like that downtown.”
Once the stage is set up, the crew will take a lunch break. Sound check begins at 1pm, which includes multiple rehearsals for each band playing that night. Doors will open to the public at 6pm and music starts at 7pm. Clean up and tear down is usually done by midnight or 1am which makes a very long day for Adam and his team. “Sometimes I’ll have to deal with refund requests, social media messages, things like that… Show days are a big commitment for not only me and the staff but all the volunteers who run it. Each show takes 15-20 volunteers to put on this production… We are super fortunate to have a venue like this, there’s a lot of people who dedicate their time to RiversEdge and not ask for anything back. No one gets a cut of this. Hamilton is a super special place to have all these things lined up – where you have people willing to put in the time, businesses who donate money to make this happen and people like David Shaw who want to come back to their hometown to put on a music festival.”
For all upcoming show dates, VIP ticket sales or to learn more about RiversEdge, head to riversedgelive.com.