MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — For students in the Scott Borchetta College of Media and Entertainment concert series booking course, learning the ropes of live event planning means more than reading about it in a textbook — it means securing real artists for real shows.

The hands-on course, RIM 4810: Concert Series Booking, puts students in the talent buyer’s seat as they scout artists, make inquiries, and negotiate deals for MTSU’s Party in the Grove concert series.

Under the guidance of Adam Caress, a professor in Middle Tennessee State University’s  Department of Recording Industry, students worked together to book the talent for five of the six Party in the Grove events this fall.

This year’s lineup for Party in the Grove includes a variety of genres:

• Aug. 30: Country artist Lauren Watkins
• Sept. 20: Pop-rock band davvn (pronounced dawn)
• Oct. 8: Grateful Dead cover band The Stolen Faces
• Oct. 29: MTSU alum and singer-songwriter Medium Build
• Nov. 22: Funk and R&B band The Psycodelics

“The work the students do in this class isn’t theoretical; they are dealing with professional artists and booking agents to make these concerts happen,” Caress said.

“By the time the class ends, the students have scouted artists, pitched them to the rest of the class, decided together who to pursue, and then negotiated live performance deals with each of the artists. It’s an engaging, hands-on way to learn about the talent buying process.”

For many, the opportunity to take the course was too good to pass up. Amaya Epperson, a music business major from Lexington, South Carolina, said she rearranged her schedule to enroll.

“It’s well known among music business majors that Adam Caress is one of the teachers we benefit from the most,” Epperson said. “When he told us he was teaching this class, I made it work. I loved the collaboration — everyone brought something unique, and we felt like industry professionals.” 

Epperson said the class gave her a new appreciation for budgeting, professional communication, and the teamwork it takes to pull off a successful show.

Caleb Villatoro, an audio production major from Catharpin, Virginia, signed up just weeks before the semester began after Caress emailed about the course.

“It was totally worth dropping another class to enroll in 4810,” Villatoro said. “The process was way more than just, ‘Hey, want to perform here?’ Some artists had agents and contracts; others handled their own bookings. It was real-world strategy, and seeing the lineup come to life this fall is going to be the best payoff.”

Both students said the experience provided more than industry knowledge — it helped them sharpen the small-but-crucial professional habits that make a difference in any career, from prompt communication to attention to detail.

The concert series booking class will return in the future with a limited enrollment cap to preserve its hands-on nature. “This is step one to putting on a live show,” Epperson said. “It’s my favorite class I’ve taken at MTSU — and the most beneficial.”

About Party in the Grove

Party in the Grove is MTSU’s pregame tailgate celebration in Walnut Grove for Blue Raider football home games, featuring live music, food trucks, sponsor tents, and family-friendly activities before each game. The event kicks off three hours before kickoff and includes performances, the football team’s traditional Raider Walk, and a “Follow Me to Floyd” parade leading fans to Floyd Stadium.

A partnership between the Division of Student Affairs, the Scott Borchetta College of Media and Entertainment and Blue Raider Athletics, Party in the Grove enhances the campus tailgating tradition and spotlights local and student-connected musical talent.

—   Stacey Tadlock (Stacey.Tadlock@mtsu.edu)