Today's Mixtape Festival is a celebration of hardcore, punk, indie & other forms of music. A portion of this year's festival ticket sales will go towards The Safe Center, Nassau County's only comprehensive victims' services agency, offering confidential and cost-free services to victims of child abuse, domestic and dating violence, rape and sexual assault, and human trafficking.

Tell us a little about yourself and your experience.

My name is Jake Zimmerman and I am the owner / talent buyer for Today's Mixtape Festival. I have been promoting shows and festivals on Long Island for nearly 7 years.  

What drove you to choose your career path?

My passion for music and live music in particular. I started booking shows because I wanted to give back to the Long Island music scene. Growing up as a kid, I never fit in anywhere except for the shows that I went to and the groups of friends I made because of these shows. 

How did you go about getting your job? What kind of education and experience did you need?

I booked shows in basements, backyards, VFW halls, churches and anywhere else that would allow me to. Eventually, some of the bands that I was booking at the beginning (The Wonder Years, Title Fight, Transit, Balance & Composure, Touche Amore, etc.) started to take off and that helped turn me into somewhat of a "real" promoter. You do not need any formal college education to do what I do. I strongly believe that a common misconception in the music industry is that you need to go to college to get a job. Like many others, I found my path to where I am now by not worrying about a quick buck and also learning from my mistakes. Also, it did help that I had a few mentors to guide my way.

What do you actually spend the majority of your time doing?

I talk to agents and managers to find out who is available for the fest and spend time negotiating/confirming the final lineup. Once it's time to announce the fest, I set up a marketing plans, lock in sponsors, reach out to vendors and spend time on social media promoting the fest. I do whatever I can to spread the word about the festival to as many people as possible.    

What misconceptions do people often have about your job?

There is no easy way to "make it"  and you will spend a lot of time not making money and being very stressed out before you see any sort of accolades.  

What are your average work hours?

All day, every day. If I'm not on my computer sending e-mails, I am taking calls and sending more e-mails on my cell phone. 

What personal tips and shortcuts have made your job easier?

I don't think there are any shortcuts to take when you are putting on a festival, but being as organized as possible is the easiest way to stay on top of what you are doing and execute your plans in the most efficient way possible. I have A LOT of spreadsheets that contain nearly every piece of information about the festival divided up so that info is simple to share and quick to comprehend. 

What do you do differently from your coworkers or peers in the same profession?

The festival lineups that I book tend to run more diverse than most smaller American festivals. I am lucky to work on Long Island because the music fans here are very open-minded and don’t mind that metal / emo bands co-exist on the same bill. In other cities in America, I don’t think this formula would work as cohesively. 

Do you have any advice for people who need to enlist your services?

Please do not message me on Facebook. It's 2015, no one checks that anymore. 

What's the worst part of the job and how do you deal with it?

Trying to find a balance between work and everything else is the toughest part and most people will tell you the same. As a promoter, I need to put out fires nearly every day and if there’s an issue that is urgent, I need to deal with it- regardless if I am spending time with my family or out at a show. Over the years I have learned to manage my time better, but I am still working on it (mostly for my girlfriend’s sake).

What's the most enjoyable part of the job?

I have had the pleasure of watching bands go from playing basements to sell out historic 1500+ capacity venues in the short time that I have been a promoter. There’s nothing better than watching your friends succeed at what they love to do. Also, over the years I have been able to produce and promote shows with a team of people that I consider family.

What kind of money can one expect to make at your job?

If you want to book an EDM festival, you can make a boatload of money. But if you are passionate about preserving a long-lasting culture of punk/hardcore/emo music, like I am, there is not a lot of money to be made. I am very fortunate to be able to support myself, but I will never be rich in wealth and I am okay with that. 

How do you move up in your field?

Take whatever job you can get and give it 110%. If you don’t like what you do and can’t give it your all, it’s not worth spending time in this field. I have only begun to find my niche in this industry after being involved for nearly 7 years. As long as you have patience and are willing to fuck up a few times and eat a tad of shit to pay your dues, you will progress.

What advice would you give to those aspiring to join your profession? 

Don’t do it.