Jeremiah Gratza has assembled an all-star cast of Arizona artists for a show celebrating the 25th anniversary of President Gator, a name that applies to the management company he launched in 2001, the concerts he promotes and a vinyl-only record label based in Phoenix.
Miniature Tigers top a bill that also features Breakup Shoes, Pollen, Fine China and Gospel Claws on Saturday, Dec. 19, at The Van Buren in downtown Phoenix.
“I kind of wanted to do a celebration of the local music scene,” says Gratza, who also co-owns the Thunderbird Lounge in the Melrose District of Phoenix. “Being involved in the local scene has always been very important to me. I used to volunteer at Modified Arts when I was 19. And 25's a nice number, right? It’s the 25th anniversary
of ‘Bleed American,’ you know.”
President Gator has released vinyl for every artist on the bill
President Gator’s first release in 2012 was a Bogan Via 45 with a Miniature Tigers remix of the same song on the B-side. That same year, the label released a split single by Gospel Claws and Roar as well as a full-length Gospel Claws release.
Joel Marquard of Gospel Claws was in Dear and the Headlights, whose local shows Gratza promoted.
“Then I started promoting the Gospel Claws shows after Dear and the Headlights broke up and ended up putting out all of their music.”
President Gator also did vinyl releases for two of Marquard’s other bands, Samuel L. Cool J and the Through & Through Gospel Review.
“Pretty much anything Joel's ever made, I've put out on my label,” Gratza says.
Every band on the bill has put out a record on Gratza’s label, including Fine China, whose Rob Withem says, “Jeremiah from President Gator has always been a great friend to our band and we are looking forward to playing the show in December with these other great bands and friends.”
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Original members of Pollen reuniting for first show in 25 years
Pollen’s original members, now scattered across the country, are reuniting for their first public performance together in 25 years, although they did play a concert for friends at drummer Bob Hoag’s Mesa studio more than a decade ago.
“I was a huge fan of Pollen,” Gratza says.
“The first show I went to in college was the Ataris and Pollen with Tsunami Bomb. I got a copy of Pollen’s ‘Chip Jr.’ at that show and listened to it all the time. So, for me, it's really cool to be doing their first show in 25 years, which I think is a pretty big deal. And it's all the band members.”
Hoag says he’s grateful to Gratza for making this show possible.
“Over the years, the Pollen guys have moved all around the country,” he says.
“So it feels like the odds of us all being in the same city (and having access to instruments) have gotten slimmer and slimmer. I have to think this is probably one of the last times that Pollen will ever play together, so anyone who never saw us back in the day and wishes they had should definitely not miss this show. I’m looking forward to the rehearsals and getting to see all of the guys as much as I am to playing the show.”
'We are so lucky to have him on our side'
Members of Pollen, Miniature Tigers, Gospel Claws and Breakup Shoes are all flying in to do the show.
“For which I am eternally grateful,” Gratza says. “It's really cool to see everyone coming together for this one show, one night only, and flying in special from across the country to celebrate the Phoenix music scene.”
They’re also celebrating Gratza and his impact on that scene, although he does his best to talk around that point at every opportunity, casually nudging the spotlight back to one band or another – including some that don’t have anything to do with this event.
“I've been a part of these bands’ lives in one way or another, whether it's putting out records or putting on shows for them or putting them on bigger shows that I've promoted,” he says, when coaxed. “We've all kind of been tied together one way or another over the last 25 years.”
As Hoag says, “Jeremiah was kind enough to release the first-ever vinyl reissues of our third and fourth albums, ‘Peach Tree’ and ‘Chip.’ I’ve also produced, recorded or mixed a healthy majority of the releases on Jeremiah’s venerable President Gator label, so I have a real connection to Jeremiah and this label.”
Hoag admires Gratza’s dedication to the scene and the music he loves.
“From his work as a concert promoter to the bands he’s released on President Gator, Jeremiah has always worked really hard for the Phoenix musical community, and we are so lucky to have him on our side,” Hoag says.
“He’s always been great about getting local bands on national shows, and he’s always pretty selfless when it comes to just releasing records for bands he likes, whether he thinks he’ll make money on it or not. If he likes the music and he thinks other people should hear it, he’ll put it out.”
A new President Gator record will be available at the show
Vinyl releases on President Gator are limited runs.
“The minimum start at 250,” Gratza says. “Some go up to 500, but nothing more than that. And we do fun things — cool, fun colors. Stuff people who collect vinyl like.”
Those who go to the show can score a copy of 45 released specially to coincide with this event – a split single by two of the acts on the bill.
“We're still working out the details right not,” Gratza says.
“But everyone who comes to the show will get a free record. I went to a Jimmy World show at Nita's Hideaway probably 25 years ago. They were filming the music video for ‘Bleed American.’ There was an outside stage at Nita's and it was a monsoon. Winds were blowing. It was crazy. But as everyone was leaving, they gave everyone a free single of ‘Bleed American,’ which I thought was super cool. So I wanted to do something like that for my show, too.”
Other President Gator releases will be available for purchase at the show.
Why President Gator?
“I was managing a couple bands, didn't really have a name,” Gratza says.
“And there was kind of a bigger, more popular local band called the Hot Guy Band that I wanted to start managing. I took a meeting with them and Joe Ging of the Hot Guy Band had written this comic book called President Gator. He was like, ‘All right, you can manage us, but you’ve got to call your company President Gator.’ I was like, ‘One name's as good as another.’ So I started being called President Gator in order to manage the Hot Guy Band.”
Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 7, at ticketmaster.com.
Citi Card and Live Nation are hosting presale at 10 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 6.
Ed has covered pop music for The Republic since 2007, reviewing festivals and concerts, interviewing legends, covering the local scene and more. He did the same in Pittsburgh for more than a decade. Follow him on X and Instagram @edmasley and on Facebook as Ed Masley. Email him at ed.masley@arizonarepublic.com.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Beloved Phoenix bands reunite for label's 25th anniversary celebration
