Buzznet Talks to Bamboozle Festival Founder John D’Esposito

Bamboozle approaches! The three day music megafest kicks off on 4/29 in New Jersey–but do you ever wonder who makes all this magic happen? Buzznet got to pick the brain of festival founder John D’Esposito! Soak up his infinite wisdom…

Photo credit: Mark Sullivan

Buzznet: Festival Founders like you and Kevin Lyman are practically celebrities within the music scene – what kind of skills would you say a person needs not just to envision this kind of event, but to actually make it happen?

John D’Esposito: They need to be crazy. I wouldn’t wish the stress and pressure on anyone. Endurance, street smarts, people skills, creativity, A.D.D. are good starting points.

B: What advice would you give a kid with limited resources who is interested in following the same kind of career path?

JD: Reach out to someone you admire. It’s the best way to get your foot in the door. I had little resources but I came to understand how important networking is. Internships and just hanging around to lend a hand goes a long way.

B: What’s the most difficult thing you’ve had to deal with in Bamboozle history so far and how did you go about dealing with it?

JD: Keeping up with trends, trying to find the balance of what’s hot and what’s not. Taking risks on acts, choosing Headliners year after year.

B: To date, which Bamboozle bands have you been most excited about having on the line up?

JD: Linkin Park, Boyz II Men, Lil Wayne, Weird Al, Method Man and Thirty Seconds to Mars.

B: Is your personal music taste as diverse as the line up? What have you been listening to lately?

JD: I’m a pop music sucker, but of course I’m diverse. I listen to every artist we add to the bill.

B: Do you personally pick the bands, or do you have a team of people you trust to make those decisions?

JD: Myself, Christian McKnight and the fans who participate in the ‘I Booked Bamboozle Contest’ book the lineup.

See the 2011 Bamboozle Line Up Here

Are you going to Bamboozle?