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Sweet marketing music

Tanner Montague came to town from Seattle having never owned his own music venue before. He’s a musician himself, so he has a pretty good sense of good music, but he also wandered into a crowded music scene filled with concert venues large and small.But the owner of Green Room thinks he found a void in the market. It’s lacking, he says, in places serving between 200 and 500 people, a sweet spot he thinks could be a draw for both some national acts not quite big enough yet for arena gigs and local acts looking for a launching pad.“I felt that size would do well in the city to offer more options,” he says. “My goal was to A, bring another option for national acts but then, B, have a great spot for local bands to start.”Right or wrong, something seems to be working, he says. He’s got a full calendar of concerts booked out several months. How did he, as a newcomer to the market in an industry filled with competition, get the attention of the local concertgoer?

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by Beth Ewen
May 2006

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Mergers

Lommen law firm addsintellectual property practice, becomes Lommen Abdo

Attorneys at Lommen Abdo in Minneapolis now sometimes hear “Funkytown” and “Car Wash” playing in the halls, now that their firm’s new lawyers represent those songs.

Formerly known as Lommen Nelson, the law firm became Lommen Abdo January 1 after adding the five attorneys who formerly made up Abdo, Abdo, Broady & Satorius. Abdo specialized in entertainment law, especially intellectual property, a practice area that Lommen didn’t have before.

“We had been looking for a niche market in the business practice,” says Margie Bodas, attorney and vice president-practice management. Lommen has always had a business practice, she says, but was better known for litigation.

“We now have records on the wall instead of our typical art work,” she says, because Abdo’s attorneys represent many in the music and film business.

Her biggest job: “Making sure that we have a new firm culture,” Bodas says, something that can be difficult to create at a law firm where attorneys focus on generating billable hours. They’re planning social occasions, such as a visit to the Hudson office and dinner with a client there.

Abdo’s offices were kitty-corner from Lommen’s, and discussions to join forces started informally last April. Bodas says a lot of time was spent on the new name. Also, having lawyers review every detail of a merger agreement is time-consuming.

“Sometimes the people who know what can go into a contract, can make it more difficult,” Bodas says. “There was a lot of discussion of the possible combinations.”Margie Bodas, Lommen Abdo: 612.336.9329; margie@lommen.comwww.lommen.com