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Middle East has New Booking Agent: Kevin Hoskins

(The Phoenix) There are more booking agent changes in the live music scene over in Central Square.

Earlier this week we reported on T.T. The Bear’s Place bringing in a local talent buyer to round out its daily calendar, and today neighboring club the Middle Eastwent a step further, replacing Shred with a familiar face: its former booking agentKEVIN HOSKINS, who ran booking at the Cambridge club from 2004 to 2010 and has had a role in the venue since 2002.

“We’re just looking to expand the calendar and tap into some of the resources we now have with Kevin’s relationships with bands,” Middle East general manager Clay Fernald tells the Phoenix. “Shred is still welcome to do shows here. There are a lot of awesome booking agents in town and this is our team.”

Fernald also notes there will be no other personnel charges at the Central Square live music complex. Hoskins will be booking the Mid East’s downstairs room, a destination for touring acts and bigger-name Boston bands with a 575-person capacity, as well as the occasional upstairs show. Hoskins begins his role immediately, Fernald says.

"We're taking a month to give it a paint job and clean it up a little bit, then start booking," Hoskins says when reached by phone this afternoon. "The Middle East has been my home away from home for most of the past decade, and there's such a deep history in the downstairs room and the entire complex, in supporting local music and touring bands that have come through. The mission is pretty simple: book good shows and people will come see them."

After six years at the Middle East, Hoskins left the club in 2010 to relocate to Austin, Texas, and handle booking at Emo’s. He was recently a part of the Allston-based CQ Presents team, but did not follow Carl Lavin and Josh Smith when the pair joined Bowery Boston late last year.

Lately, Hoskins has been booking independent shows around Boston under the name Rogue Presents, including events at Radio and Precinct in Somerville, and Cambridge's Middlesex Lounge and the Middle East. He had been working with the Sater brothers, who own the Middle East, in crafting booking policies for another of the the Saters' venues, the Armory in Somerville, when discussions turned to him re-joining the Middle East team.


"I've always said if this is my favorite place to see a show, others would as well," Hoskins says.

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