DMR Booking Agency has a long history of programming Thursday night after work
parties dating back to RJ O’Tooles in Airport Plaza, later it was popular spots in
Liverpool and on Erie Blvd in Syracuse. In the summer of 2005 with the growing
popularity of DMR's band Under The Gun it became apparent that we needed to find
a new location to feature DMR acts in 2006 season.
The Idea: A bigger event with a refreshing new location for the weekly series that
would bring attention to downtown Syracuse. The Syracuse Inner Harbor was the
perfect setting.
The Syracuse Parks Department was instrumental in bringing this event to downtown
Syracuse. We scheduled a meeting with them and asked them to take the lead in
establishing a relationship between DMR's Stacey Waterman and all parties involved
the Inner Harbor district. It was then that Stacey enlisted Michael Banks, together we
formed the WaterBanks Event Company and began the planning process for our
new series.
Banks line-up sponsors and media partnerships, Stacey began coordinating logistics
and solidified the best musical line-up of the summer season. We hit the media
heavy and kept the promise we made in our February meeting to bring thousands to
the Harbor every Thursday. The Inner Harbor Block party made it’s successful debut
on May 18th and went on to dominate the market in attendance and became the
media sweetheart of the summer. The Inner Harbor became the toast of the town.
