Beam Live is the flagship venue for Beam Entertainment, a live music booking and promotion agency. Formerly Belle Isle Brewery, the new “dinner club” has had a facelift, including updated sound and lighting. Beam Live offers online ticketing, premier table seating, early shows, non-smoking and free parking. A great variety of popular local and national acts grace the stage each week, and delicious Belle Isle food is brought to your table. The space is also available at competitive rates for private events.
Can you tell us how and why you started your business?
Beam Live is the flagship venue for Beam Entertainment, a live music booking and promotion agency founded in 2017. Formerly Belle Isle Brewery, the new dinner club has been updated and state-of-the-art production installed. We feature online tiered ticketing with emphasis on premier table seating, early shows (typically 8 p.m.), non-smoking and free parking. Popular local and national acts grace the stage each week, and delicious Belle Isle food is brought up to your table from downstairs, where the restaurant is still located. We offer a great variety of genres and a mix of cover/tribute-original music. The space is also available to rent for private events with competitive base rates and/or full turnkey service.
What services do you provide within the music industry?
We hire artists under a variety of different arrangements, typically a “door deal” (80% after production and other expenses). Some minimum requirements are in place for the act, such as providing quality video for creating ads.
We provide an additional stage for the rotation of local artists, in a market where such opportunities have become more valuable due to the loss of several small venues. We also host an open jam on Tuesdays with full band capability, providing additional support for budding musicians and the community in general. The club has a very relaxed and supportive/accepting vibe.
How has your company grown to meet the needs of Oklahoma’s music industry over the last 3-5 years?
Beam Live is only 15 months old but already boasts the appearance of over 100 artists, including Eric Gales, Ally Venable, Masta Killa (from Wu Tang Clan), Josey Scott of Saliva, Zac Maloy (The Nixons), Paul Thorn and many more. We not only support the local music community but also add to the entertainment value and appeal of the OKC metro in general by bringing in the touring acts.
What are the benefits of basing your company’s operations in Oklahoma?
We wouldn’t do it anywhere else! It is home, and a very cherished base of operations. Oklahoma is a great place to live, has grown tremendously and both major cities have experienced amazing renaissances over the past 10-20 years. Beam Entertainment also books and promotes shows in Tulsa and other Oklahoma towns.
What would you consider your business’s greatest accomplishment to date?
Staying open past the first year. It is incredibly challenging to strike the right deal with every act, get the attendee numbers that you need to make it work, and also run a bar and partner with another business (Belle Isle Restaurant). The price of EVERYTHING has skyrocketed, overhead is enormous and staffing is complicated.
We’ve also had several film scenes shot in our space – “Bloodstained Ivory” and “My Professor’s Deadly Secret.”
Are there any recent successes your company would like to highlight related to work within the Oklahoma music industry?
We are particularly proud of our “early adopter” development of the tribute market. Some of the greatest tribute bands in the country are based right here in OKC – Insider (Tom Petty), Uncle Zep, Next Halen, Journey of a Lifetime, Another Pink in the Floyd, Trent Smith: Young Elvis, Return of the Mac and the Portal Immortal Tribute Series (Steely Dan, the Cars, U2 and more) – all rotate through the Beam Live venue regularly.
What are you working on now/next?
Everything is in place to provide high variety world-class live entertainment for OKC residents and visitors. The focus moving forward is getting the word out and reaching the audiences we hope will discover our hidden gem!
What is your goal/vision for the future of your company?
Honestly the five year plan is just to stay open, be profitable and have enough success to continue providing the space for music lovers to convene, leave their cares at the door and experience the timeless joy of live entertainment in a clean, safe and warm environment.
What advice do you have for others who are considering starting a music business in Oklahoma?
It depends on what type of business. While our beautiful cities have enjoyed an enhanced appreciation for civic involvement, the arts etc., it’s still difficult to get people off the couch on Saturday night. There are also lots of choices and options if they do. You have to have something really special to grab attention and separate yourself, and you have to work very, very hard at it. It can’t be a hobby.
What opportunities do you believe await Oklahoma’s music industry in the future?
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