Alex Dupree

If there’s one live music venue in Plymouth that’s known and loved for miles around, it’s the Pavilions. Since it opened in 1991, it’s seen the likes of The Beach Boys, The Prodigy, Them Crooked Vultures, My Chemical Romance, Paul Weller, Girls Aloud, Andy Williams, Motörhead, Slayer, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and the Sugababes grace its hallowed stage.

And that’s just the music. There’s also been a steady stream of class comedy from the likes of Michael McIntyre, French & Saunders, Rik Mayall and Ade Edmondson, The Mighty Boosh, Kevin Bloody Wilson, Rhod Gilbert, Roy Chubby Brown and The League of Gentlemen over the years too. Not to mention all the other shows, including orchestras, gala performances and showcases of local talent.

Sure, the Plymouth Pavilions saw its much-loved swimming pool close in 2012 and it lost its ice rink in December 2022 much to the chagrin of some Plymouth residents but it means that it now focuses solely on bringing quality music and entertainment in for the masses.

The Prodigy @ Plymouth Pavilions 16th December 2017 - www.leapimages.co.uk

Ed Sheeran @ Plymouth Pavilions 22nd October 2012

The Libertines @ Plymouth Pavilions 25th September 2017 - www.leapimages.co.uk

One man who’s a key part of the team that’s responsible for fielding potential enquiries from initial discussions right through to the event itself is Alex Dupree. He — along with that team which plans and organises the events — helps shape and grow an ever-evolving ‘quality and diverse programme’ at the Pavilions now and over the coming years.

https://youtu.be/0fP7yMT0Wis

Film Credit: Stuart Lanceley.

Dupree is a vital cog in both the running and success of all the shows that hit the Pavilions stage. As the Client Services Manager, he oversees the events, technical and arena teams. And he’s passionate about the venue and live music in Plymouth as a whole. Here he chats with Made in Plymouth for our regular “Meet The People” feature so we can get to know a little more about Alex Dupree, the Pavilions and what the future holds for Plymouth’s live music scene…

Image Credit: Plymouth Pavilions

Hi Alex! Tell us a bit about yourself…

Well, I’m originally from Suffolk but I later went to university in Plymouth. Actually, I was one of the first students to graduate at dBs Plymouth (formerly Deep Blue Sound, which runs courses in music production and sound engineering — see: here) in 2004 and 2005. I then went to London and my first job was as an Artists and Repertoire (A&R) Assistant at independent record label Rough Trade. I went out to bars and checked out new bands — but I was only paid in expenses and it soon became too tough to support myself financially. I was trying to carve out a career in music but it was incredibly challenging.

We understand. Can’t be easy to live in the capital when finances are low…

Indeed, so then got into music publishing and worked for CMPi, which published lots of trade magazines. I worked for “Music Week”, so I started to learn all about the business side of music in general. Sure, this took me away from the dream of working in a recording studio but it was paramount for my future career move into media. Later, I also worked for the Evening Standard, Heathrow Airport and Kings Cross St Pancras in London on the commercial side, giving me a varied background in business and media.

So what brought you back to Plymouth?

Before moving back to Plymouth, my fiancée and I were based in Brighton. However, we wanted to move house at the end of the pandemic just last year. We couldn’t afford Brighton and since my partner is originally from Plymouth and I have lovely memories of my time at dBs, it was a no-brainer. We bought a house here and then an opportunity came up at the Plymouth Pavilions that would be doing something that was a passion of mine: client servicing for artists. This was a way to get away from the more commercial side of business and to get back into doing something that I love instead.

Wow. You certainly landed on your feet here…

It was one of the first jobs that I saw, actually. I ran my own business for a little bit in art but COVID-19 killed that and the Pavilions role really spoke to me so I was pleased to get the job. It means that I’m now part of the senior management team and I look after the client services department at the Plymouth Pavilions. I look after the events team, the technical team and the arena team. So my main responsibilities are making sure that the tech team is happy and the equipment is functioning, and that the arena is prepped and ready for the shows. I also work alongside the CEO and the events team on the programme and I speak to promoters and work on our calendar to make sure it’s the best that it can be.

How does signing up an act to play the Pavilions work?

Part of my role is as a liaison with promoter representatives. We mainly get incoming enquiries and then we ascertain if we want that act at the Pavilions — and if it’s a yes, we move ahead and start working with them on a show. We are always looking out for opportunities like bands and artists that would be a good fit here. I enjoy playing my part in this.

Before starting work at the Pavilions, had you caught a show there?

When I was a student in Plymouth, I saw Motörhead at the Pavilions in 2005 so I became familiar with the venue all those years ago.

We were there too — cracking gig! In fact, there’s been a ton of cracking gigs at the venue over the past 33 years. What’s the history of the Pavilions in a nutshell?

The Pavilions was built in 1991 on the site of the former Millbay railway station. The granite pillars outside the main entrance were actually once the gate posts to the station. It was constructed to serve as the largest purpose-built concert and conference venue in the South West to host a complete range of events, including concerts, exhibitions and banquets. Along with the ice rink and swimming pool, it had something for everybody.

Ah yes, the swimming pool and ice rink…

As we all know, there’s no ice rink or swimming pool any more at the Pavilions, so we now focus purely on music, entertainment and corporate events — and that’s what we want to be known for now and in the future. It’s actually quite hard for a venue of our size because we’re not too big and we’re not too small. In terms of getting the right acts to hit the stage, we look at those who are on the way up and perhaps those on the way down too. It’s definitely a specific kind of act that suits the Pavilions. For instance, comedy does really well for us. We have some of the biggest comedians in the country coming here, like Michael McIntyre, who comes here during his largest UK run at the end of September. Our mission is to attract the right acts.

And you need to attract the right crowds too?

Yes. When we agree to work with a promoter on an act, we need to be confident that it will attract enough customers. THÊ DEPØ, for instance, which is on the corner of Union Street next to our venue, do great with the size they are — they pick up popular acts. But we are focusing on improving our standing shows right now. In fact, the number of standing shows for this year and next year is double that of previous years. This is brilliant news — this is what we want to be known for: standing shows, big bands and full crowds.

Why has it been problematic to put on a constant flow of standing shows with big bands over the past few years?

We are seeing a shift in the scene right now. Pre-COVID we saw an influx of comedians coming here as they are cheap to produce — often one person and a mic. But now there are a lot more people out and about and coming to live shows, such as our recent Sam Fender show. We are seeing a return of promoters having the confidence to book more bands and we are now reaping the benefits. We had one standing show last year — Busted — which was a huge gig and this year we have booked in four big standing shows. There are three booked in for next year, so hopefully that figure will continue to rise. There’s a trend where people are returning to standing shows and long may that continue.

And who are some of the big acts that have been booked at the Pavilions over the next year or so?

There are some ridiculously exciting shows coming up but you’ll have to wait and see as we will announce them at the right time. But, for the acts that are already advertised, we’re super excited about Fontaines D.C. playing here in November. This is arguably one of the biggest bands right now after their electric Glastonbury set. This show is already sold out and it’s just really good for Plymouth to get a band that’s as cool and relevant as Fontaines D.C. — it can be a struggle to get bands of that status down here but it’s incredibly exciting to have them here. We’re also really excited about Rag‘n’Bone Man’s gig just a few days before. Ben Howard at the start of November too.

How enjoyable is it working for the Pavilions?

I’m a naturally ambitious person and I really enjoy working in a passionate, close team — and the team is indeed that at the Plymouth Pavilions. I’m really passionate about music too — we just want to see the best acts come to Plymouth and to see the best programme at the Pavilions for the fans. In the future, rather than waiting for promoters to contact us, we want to do more of our own promoted content, again adding variety to our existing programme. Really, when you strip it all down, it’s about making people happy. And we intend to make as many people as possible happy with our shows in the future.

Why is the Pavilions such an important part of Plymouth?

The Plymouth Pavilions is a legacy venue. It’s been here for so long and it’s interwoven into the fabric of people’s memories. When I was a student here, I had no money — but I always found enough cash to go and see a good band at the Pavilions. People love Plymouth and many don’t leave, so they grow up with the Pavilions and it’s those memories that are created. We are really proud of our heritage here. Sure, losing the swimming pool and the ice rink hurt but now we are concentrating on the arena and the shows that we can put on for people in Plymouth and across the South West.

How can the Pavilions help the local music scene to grow and improve?

The venue has a huge role in nurturing Plymouth’s music and arts scene. We do fall victim to our size — we would love to put on smaller shows that highlight the local arts’ scene but the cost involved in doing that is very prohibitive. However, we do have incentives like Pavilions Introduces, which showcases the South West’s finest talents on our big stage with a huge live music experience. For instance, Mad Dog Mcrea played here for St Patrick’s Day. These are the sorts of shows we are looking at so we can work with local promoters and understand the scene and try to give these artists a great opportunity. I’m a former student in Plymouth. I would love to have a day where we could get music production students in to work alongside our tech team. We don’t offer this at the moment but we are always thinking about these things and I would love local projects like this to come to fruition in the future.

You’re a member of the Plymouth Music Forum, run by Plymouth Culture. What made you join this forum?

Plymouth has a really rich history of bringing in some of the biggest bands and acts and we really want to work with Plymouth Culture to achieve their goals. At one of my first meetings with Jeremy Hibbard, a Music Ambassador for Plymouth Culture’s Plymouth Music Forum, we spoke about re-establishing Plymouth as a place that brings in the bigger acts and is known for its music scene. I am a part of the forum for a number of reasons — one of which is understanding what other venues in the city go through. It’s early days at the moment but I really enjoy connecting with other venues and hearing their plans. In the past, maybe we haven’t been as close with the whole music scene in Plymouth but I would really like this to improve and being part of the forum is a great way to do just that.

What’s life like for live music venues in Plymouth post-pandemic?

For venues, I would like to say that we are moving into a time when everything is becoming more stable. After the pandemic, all venues suffered a hangover in terms of getting people back — especially young people — to spend money. It’s been hard. You can see that with our programme that was based around the older generations with expendable income after the pandemic. Plymouth is a student haven but sadly some of its nightlife has gone. But we all now need to see how we can better engage with younger people and students so that we can get them interacting with live music once again. Certainly we are looking at this challenge in our programme and hopefully we and many other Plymouth venues can get the younger generations out again for live music.

And finally — what does the future hold for Alex Dupree?

I’m just happy to be here! I moved away from music in London and then I chased the money and went down a commercial route but it’s really refreshing for me now to be somewhere where music and entertainment is at the forefront of what I do. I love being back in Plymouth too. It’s a great city. I’ve lived in many cities over the years but we’ve really got something special here and long may that continue.

What’s coming up at the Plymouth Pavilions?

There are plenty of shows coming up over the coming months including Ryan Adams on Sunday 15 September 2024, Michael McIntyre on Tuesday 26 September 2024, Jane McDonald on Saturday 19 October 2024 and Fontaines D.C. on Tuesday 26 November 2024. For the full programme, see: here.

Story by Matt Fleming