Behind the Music with Michelle Donovan and Charlie Levy

Greater Phoenix A to Z

Join GPEC’s resident music enthusiast Tim Bourcet as he shares a conversation with two of the Arizona music scene’s most influential figures: Michelle Donovan, owner of The Nile Theater in Mesa, and Charlie Levy, owner of The Crescent Ballroom and Valley Bar in Phoenix.
Listen in as Michelle and Charlie take us behind the scenes of Arizona’s rich musical heritage through the lens of their own beginnings in the music promotion business. From the storied history of the century-old Nile Theater to the Crescent Ballroom’s role in the revitalization of Downtown Phoenix, both Michelle and Charlie have booked all-time greats before they were household names and have each played a pivotal role in shaping Greater Phoenix’s vibrant cultural landscape.
About Michelle Donovan — Co-owner of Upstage Labor, owner of The Nile Theater and the Nile Coffee Shop for over a decade whose work has made her one of the Arizona music scene’s leading figures.
About Charlie Levy — Originally from New Orleans, Levy is the founder of Stateside Presents, owner of Crescent Ballroom and Valley Bar with a longstanding history in Arizona’s music promotion business.
Support Greater Phoenix’s local venues:
The Nile Theater: https://www.theniletheater.com/
Nile Records: https://www.nilerecordsaz.com/
Crescent Ballroom: https://www.crescentphx.com/
Valley Bar: https://www.valleybarphx.com/
The Van Buren: https://www.thevanburenphx.com/

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Kapitler

1. Behind the Music with Michelle Donovan and Charlie Levy (00:00:00)

2. Introducing Michelle Donovan (00:00:43)

3. The 100-year history of The Nile Theater (00:02:45)

4. Diverse events at The Nile Theater (00:06:58)

5. The Nile Coffee Shop (00:08:25)

6. Best shows you've booked and attended (00:09:38)

7. The Nile Theater's future (00:13:13)

8. Introducing Charlie Levy (00:15:56)

9. How did you get involved in the local music scene? (00:17:13)

10. The music promotion business and Nita's Hideaway (00:19:00)

11. Crescent Ballroom and the revitalizing of Downtown Phoenix (00:21:37)

12. Opening Valley Bar and The Van Buren (00:24:50)

13. The art of booking tomorrow's headliners (00:29:44)

14. Favorite artists you've ever booked (00:30:45)

15. Closing thoughts and how to support the music scene (00:32:30)