New Granada Records promotions/label honcho Keith Ulrey made his mark in Tampa Bay this past decade by not only playing in Zillionaire and promoting great music. He consistently looks out for music fans too.

Ulrey’s New Granada promotions company pioneered a new standard of audience-friendly shows establishing a three-band-a-night maximum to ensure no one waits for long. He charges affordable admission and has consistently kept his promise. He’s even sweetened the mix by hosting national/international touring acts. Along the way, his wife Susie, of the band Rec Center, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

Here, Ulrey looks back on the 21st century’s first decade in the Tampa Bay music scene and lets us in on his hopes for next decade.

High points: “MS Benefit Xmas Night 2005: Scrog, Tomorrow, Pohgoh and My Own America (reunion). Four hundred people attended, raised over $4,000. And Lucero at New World Brewery (March 2009) — first show in New World history to sell out ahead of time. Great show.”

About that Xmas show: “An old friend of mine who was always participating in charity bike races and whatnot contacted me out of nowhere saying he felt moved to ride for Susie after hearing about her diagnosis with MS. He had never met Susie, but heard through some contacts about our situation. The ride was scheduled for March 2006. Always hosting the Annual Xmas Night show, we decided to come up with the idea of a fundraiser for the March ride. We wanted it to be friends of ours and bands that had personal connections. ... Each of the bands had impacts on the Tampa (and national indie music scene to some extent) scene and used to play together all the time in the ’90s. So, if felt right. It was the first time New World Brewery had to turn people away (for capacity reasons) for an all-locals show. I would estimate that we had to turn away 75-100 additional people. It was very exciting, as a performer, a promoter and of course, for the cause of raising awareness for MS.”

Low points: “Any under-attended show. In the age of social networking, people tend to use their 'networking’ instead of practicing what they preach — like consistently posting on MySpace, Facebook, etc., how they 'can’t wait for a such and such show’ and then no one comes. Or events on MySpace/Facebook receiving 100-plus accepts and then the turnout ends up being 35 people.”

Wishlist for the next decade: “I’d love to see bands act as professional as they claim to be, sticking to a set time (i.e. 45 minutes, 30 minutes, etc.) and not playing until someone stops them; plus loading out/moving their equipment when they’re done instead of talking to their mom or girlfriend when they’re done with their set. (I’d also like to see) bands willing to do more promo work: postering, networking, etc. I’ve seen an increase of bands expecting the promoter to do everything and they just show up, and then can’t believe it when no one comes. I’ve witnessed too many bands lately that can’t even bring 10 people. I had a band play recently that didn’t even have a guest list. Their girlfriends and wives didn’t even want to come out. They literally brought no one.”

-- Julie Garisto, tbt*