Sequoia Slentz or the growth of a event planning professional? His career path, Slentz said, has unfolded through connections he’s made at each stop along the way. “I really owe thanks to Chip and Chuck at the Sandpiper for giving me the opportunity to get this all started,” he said. “If it weren’t for them giving me a shot at booking shows, I probably wouldn’t be here.” Cleanbox got its start by booking gigs like Harry Palmdale and Saint Ann’s for the Piper’s Monday night shows. The owner of Gypsy Lounge, who frequented the Piper and was blown away to see that Cleanbox pulled in a crowd on Mondays, asked Slentz to do Wednesday night bookings at Gypsy.
Sequoia Slentz profile in 944 Magazine : Although the world CleanBox inhabits is a far cry from the glossy photo spreads of beautiful people getting their rocks off that fill the mag’s pages, the recognition is still appreciated. Even though we despise the types of people who are into the magazine: the Armani and cologne wearing set, the bitchy, fake-titted chicks who won’t give us the time of day, we are ready and willing to accept all publicity. Plus, Sequoia and I got some free tequila at the photo shoot. Nothing beats a semi-solid excuse to drink hard liquor at noon.
About Sequoia Slentz: Owned and operated CleanBox Entertainment since 2001. Over the past 4 years we have produced major live events nationwide. My company created a television show which was licensed to Howard TV in 2009. We are interested in all ideas. Specialties: Designing, Manufacturing, Merchandise, Producing Live Shows, Creative Marketing on a budget, Event Planning.
Sequoia Slentz live shows producing advices: The old show business phrase, “the show must go on” applies here. Regardless of what happens, there is an audience out there waiting to be educated, informed or entertained, so you have to deliver. The that the fact that a live event is “live” makes it both easier and more difficult at the same time. There are no second takes. When something goes out live that shouldn’t have, there are no take backs. So, when you’re live you have to roll with it. That means when presenters are late or go off script, or when there’s equipment failure, or a crew member calls in sick, or any unplanned situation you have to roll with it. When you’re video recording, you can always “fix it in post.” The key is to keep a cool head, don’t let them see you sweat and be a leader.
Sequoia Slentz on Covid-19 times and the entertainment industry : “In what ways have you seen COVID-19 affect the music industry? The pandemic has been pretty devastating for live entertainment and in general, and especially the music industry. It’s been especially challenging for up and coming artists that want to get out there and play live. Now, clearly, all they can do right now is a live stream, but if they don’t already have a large following, that can present its own challenges. The pandemic has hurt all artists, even larger acts had to cancel tours. Ultimately what we’re talking about is that there has been loads of money lost for the artist, for the promoters, also for the sound engineers, light engineers, stage crew, food vendors, security, stage techs, drivers, venues, and merchandise sales in live music. Furthermore, the pandemic has created a lot of self-doubt and uncertainty for artists. Some artists are now thinking about shifting to a different career or creating side hustles. Multiple income streams are the way to go even during normal times.
Killers of Comedy & Sequoia Slentz : We travel around the country with the Killers, meeting super fans everywhere we go. When you hang out with Beetlejuice before a Killers show, you feel like you’re hanging with freak show royalty. Everyone recognizes him and everyone loves him. This past weekend, the Killers accepted an offer to perform some material, an impromptu birthday roast, for a well-to-do fan at a private party in a hotel in Long Beach, California. We had a show two blocks away later that night, so it didn’t seem like a big deal.