Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Peter LeBlanc. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Peter, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
I have been playing the saxophone since I was 10 years old and always knew music would be a part of my life. I grew up and went to High School in Massachusetts. I pursued music in college studying Saxophone Performance at The Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz at The Hartt School of Music(University of Hartford) along with pursuing a simultaneous degree in Broadcasting with an emphasis in Public Radio, earning Bachelor Degrees in both majors in 2005. My path after graduation varied with private instruction on sax, performance gigs, a public radio program and a University operations job until I transitioned to performing on Cruise Ships in 2012 and subsequently moved my things to Virginia where my parents had relocated. I met my person while working on the ships and we got married and settled down in Richmond in 2016. Entertainment and music can be tough fields to break into in a new city so I worked some labor and kitchen jobs to support the two of us while she got her green card and work permit, as she was from Ukraine. After a few years of a lot of hard work I transitioned away from the labor jobs and focused back on music. I realized that the experiences I had gained from performing my whole life combined with my varied life experiences had made me very good at organizing and connecting people, so I started working more behind the scenes. In 2018 I dove into production, booking and promotions, helping to launch a successful small live performance lounge called The Dark Room(Since re-branded to Harry’s Library). I then started my own production company, BariPete Productions, amazingly survived the Pandemic, and have been on a steady organic trajectory doing booking, sound and logistics for various bars and venues in Richmond. In 2022, Baripete Productions and PRSMCAT Promotions, another local promoter in Richmond, started Daydream Festival. Year 1 was our biggest success to date as far as attendance and weather with over a thousand people coming out. Year 2 we doubled down and did two days, got through some rough weather with a solid crowd coming out in spite of the rain. In 2024 PRSMCAT had to tap out because of other projects in the owners full time job taking precedence so BariPete Productions pushed on alone and had an amazing show headlined by Butcher Brown and Illiterate Light. The evening was topped off by Anderson Paak stopping in to enjoy Butcher’s performance. We are stoked for year 4 and are praying for some sunshine and mild temperatures along with thousands of smiling faces 🙂
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I am 43 years old, originally from Massachusetts but Richmond VA is my home now and I absolutely love it here. My company, BariPete Productions offers live event sound and logistics as well as booking and artist representation. I have really found my purpose and in the process provide my peers on stage and back stage with work opportunities, as well as help provide direction for aspiring musicians while training aspiring sound engineers and stage techs. I am very proud of our humble beginnings and can’t wait to see what the next five years hold. I also am the Production Manager for a very successful event/wedding band called Dance Candy. I started a non-profit about a year ago called A Stage to Stand On, we received our 501 c3 status and are currently looking for funding to find a property and build a theatre. I am the Programming Director/Talent Buyer/Production Manager for Brambly Park in Richmond and we are having a 2 day Tribute Band festival in June to celebrate our 5th anniversary called Bramble On in June. 2025 is going to be incredible, keep yours eyes peeled for Daydream Festival 2025, Bramble On and anything else you see our name on.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
1. No matter what job you are doing in your journey, do it to the best of your ability, take it seriously(no matter how mundane) and be the best at it. I have ran the gamut of jobs worked in my lifetime and am always amazed when a lesson learned from a completely unrelated job will help me on a stressful corporate gig or high pressure wedding.
2. Deliver on what you say you are going to do, and try to make it stress free for the client. This will make the job you are working much more pleasant but more importantly make those clients want to call you first the next time your services are in need.
3. Listen and learn from everyone, clients, employees and competition. You need to know what your competition is doing and how they are doing it, what makes them different from you and what makes your clients and guests come back.
Honorable Mention: -Make yourself irreplaceable for anyone you do business with
-always remember the 5 Ps of Life: Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
Always looking for new musicians, and promoters to work with. If you are reading this and want to do a performance in the Richmond VA area please email baripeteproductions@gmail.com Send links to music and socials please!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://daydreamfest.com
- Instagram: @baripeteproductions
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/baripeteproductions
- Other: https://linktr.ee/baripete_productions
Image Credits
@joey_wharton_photo
@dylan.akers924
@giavos
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
