Local Business Spotlight: Iron Town Productions

Anyone who has been downtown knows of the Steel City Coffee House. More than a coffee shop, Steel City is one of the better places in the Philadelphia area to see live music, bringing in bands from around the country. Well, the owners have decided to parlay that experience into a new company. Says Jane Tucker of their new venture:

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Iron Town Productions (www.irontownproductions.com) is a full-service booking and event production company. We provide first-class artist booking, sound production, event management and promotional services. Iron Town Productions staff has booked and produced over six-hundred events, including musical concerts (our specialty), benefits, grand openings, seminars, book signings, comedy acts, plays, birthday parties, bridal showers, graduation parties, theme parties, receptions, and weddings. See our website for all services and contact us through our contact page.
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Iron Town Productions is located at 203 Bridge Street, Phoenixville, PA 19460 (Steel City). They can be contacted at info@irontownproductions.com or by phone at 484-686-7792. For more information, please visit their website at www.irontownproductions.com.

Best of luck to Jane and the rest of the Iron Town Productions employees!

19 comments:

Anonymous said...: I'd love to see some bigger bands come to Phoenixville to play. I mean, if bands like Circa Survive and Copeland play at the First Unitarian Church in Philadelphia, why not Phoenixville? Obviously the town won't the real big name bands, but some lower level indie bands would be awesome for the town.; 9/5/08 12:21 PM
Anonymous said...: Glad to see it. The more the better. The town looks great and the businesses seem to be doing OK for themselves. Good to see them growing.; 9/5/08 12:52 PM
Anonymous said...: Maybe this company could book the lame-ass First Friday events.; 9/5/08 9:29 PM
Anonymous said...: Yes, please! Let this company bok the First Friday music. The music was AWFUL this year!

Liked walking the town and the music selected kept me walking!; 9/6/08 8:12 AM
Anonymous said...: here go the negative nancies again. Don't say the music sucked, say what bands you'd like to hear instead.; 9/6/08 8:25 AM
Anonymous said...: Personally, I'm not interested in any particular bands or artists but whomever is responsible for the booking of the music seems to let anyone who owns a guitar and an amp play on First Fridays. We'd just like to see it classed up like the rest of the town.; 9/6/08 8:57 AM
Anonymous said...: We agree it's time to turn Phoenixville's public entertainment over to people who know what they're doing! We brought professional musician friends from out of town (a couple we've seen the Dead with dozens of times) to dine at one of the better restaurants after strolling Bridge Street. At times it was embarrassing and rinky dinky. As a side note they thought the children's fountain gateway sculpture looked like the entrance to a strange cult. Cool!; 9/6/08 9:24 AM
Anonymous said...: Thats really funny that all of you "do nothings" are complaining about the music and wanting "better" music. Well, the riddle me this: Who pays for the music? Hmmmmmmmm? Answer anyone? Hmmmmmm? Oh you don't know who pays for the music? Well I'm sorry you opinion is like the stuff I stepped in on the sidewalk yesterday.

Although if you like we can tack a little bit of tax increase onto your bill to pay for that entertainment. Then we'll have to listen to all you whiners complain that "boohooo, I can't pay my heating bill this year - boohoo"

Now you know why you are pegged "Negative Nancy's". You complain about EVERYTHING!
Waaaaaaaaawaaaaaaaaawwaaaaaaaaaaaa!; 9/6/08 10:14 AM
Anonymous said...: I think what we're saying is that we DO want someone to DO SOMETHING. We want a professional company like the subject of this post to make the scene more professional... is that whining?

Are you the one in charge now? If so I'm sorry but as a professional musician the whole scene seemed a bit cheese to us, no offense.; 9/6/08 12:21 PM
Anonymous said...: I thought the Led Zepplin cover band was excellent, and by the crowds I saw at the concerts I think most people enjoyed the show.

I love the poster who bragged about friends they saw the Dead with. Well, if you saw the Dead 20 years ago you must be an expert on what people today enjoy!; 9/6/08 2:17 PM
Anonymous said...: This blog post is about how the owners of Steel City now have a professional booking service.

Most of us in this thread were asking that professionals, like the people at Steel City, be given the contract to get bands for First Friday. It's about hiring local professionals to find more professionals to enhance everyone's enjoyment. How is this being negative?

We all pay for First Fridays with our taxes; either through the Borough CDC contract or the state "Main Street First Friday" grant program. Since we're paying for it, we have the right to comment on what we're paying for.; 9/6/08 8:19 PM
JW said...: I usually avoid posting comments to my own blog but felt this was worth a line or two. For the person who is hoping to bring in more accomplished musicians, are you referring to the main stage acts or the bands that were playing elsewhere throughout the town? If you are talking about the main stage acts, feel free to make suggestions to Barry Cassidy. His contact information is available at mainstreetphoenixville.org. I have talked to him in the past about the selection of bands and his goal is to bring it different bands each year (with the exception of Splintered Sunlight who has closed out the music series each year thus far). I am sure he'd be happy to listen to your suggestions.

If you are referring to the bands playing elsewhere throughout town, one thing to keep in mind. These bands are only making a couple hundred bucks (if that). If you can find accomplished, professional musicians who are willing to play for that, on a Friday no less, by all means have them get in touch with Barry. Again, per our past conversations, its my understanding that Barry will listen to pretty much anyone who wants to play and, provided he feels they are a fit and the schedules work out, he will sign them to play.; 9/7/08 9:38 AM
Anonymous said...: Why were some comments deleted, but not Anonymous's 9/6/08 10:14 AM comment? That's odd.; 9/7/08 11:58 AM
Anonymous said...: Phoenixville needs a Theatre of Living Arts sort of place.; 9/7/08 3:26 PM
Anonymous said...: This seems like a perfect example of a locally owned and operated contract company being able to offer an improved service that is their core competency.

Why all of the resistance?; 9/8/08 9:00 AM
Anonymous said...: This is directed at those of you complaining about the bands this summer's bands. You can't realistically expect these 'free' concerts to include bands that would require thousands or tens of thousands of dollars to play.; 9/8/08 10:11 AM
Anonymous said...: Oh they expect it Anon 10:11 - and they want you to pay their oil bill (its ridiculous). Look folks, all that I am saying is that a lot of people work really, really hard to put on the events every Friday. They just don't materialize in thin air. I want the events to get better and better and I welcome Iron Town Productions into the mix and also hope they can make it better. BUT, lets not bash the events as they are today. Are they inconsistent? Maybe. Can they get better? Absolutely. Do we need more jazz and classical? Absolutely. But it doesn't mean we diminish the efforts as they stand. I enjoy the events we have in town and I am aware of how lucky we are to live in a town that is even having this discussion. We are all so lucky to live in such a vibrant and progressing town. Lets not beat each other up over our opinions. If you don't like the music then there are better ways to say it then "it stinks" or "the events are a joke" because when you say that you are really bashing the efforts of a lot of well intended people.; 9/8/08 11:57 AM
Anonymous said...: Good Luck to Jane and Iron Town Productions!; 9/8/08 8:21 PM
Jane M. Tucker said...: I don't usually leave comments on blogs, but the comments bring up some good issues. Steel City Coffee House did approach Barry Cassidy about booking the First Friday Music Series in January 2008 as Iron Town Productions. We believed, and still believe that the quality of acts can be improved and the placement of the acts along the street can be vastly improved (there is such a thing as too many musicians in a two block area). The current placement of musicians creates for a poor listening environment. The idea for placing music along the street is to get people to stroll along and really take in the features of our downtown. What I saw this year was people ducking into restaurants (mostly) to get away from the noise. A nice cello player placed outide Franco Ristorante, or a folk duo outside Iron Hill along with a family oriented act on the main stage would be sufficient. Alot of money and resources are being wasted on too much music and most folks are NOT coming for the artists that are scheduled, they are coming for the experience of Phoenixville on First Friday, which includes great restaurants and quality retailers. We need creative events, not blaring music. That is why we asked him to use the professionals, we brought music to Bridge Street and helped kick off this "Arts & Entertainment District" and we can continue it with highly refined cultural acts, not loud cover bands.; 9/12/08 1:54 AM

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