Ryan Vander Sanden - General Manager and Entertainment Director at EPIC Event Center in Green Bay

Ryan Vander Sanden — General Manager and Entertainment Director at EPIC Event Center in Green Bay — joins Fox Cities Core on WCZR Code Zero Radio for a wide-open conversation about the business of live music, the stories behind the shows, and why Northeast Wisconsin's concert scene is better than ever.Ryan pulls back the curtain on everything from his first (hilariously disastrous) national booking — an LA Guns show where he bought every item on the rider, including the band's socks — to landing Megadeth and Obituary for the only two Wisconsin dates on their farewell tour. If you've ever wondered why your favorite band skipped Green Bay, why ticket prices are what they are, or what really happens backstage after the show, this episode is for you.HIGHLIGHTS:- How Ryan got his start in the music business — with zero experience and even less idea what "backline" meant- The behind-the-scenes reality of booking national acts: routing, rider riders, production costs, and why not every band can play every market- Landing Megadeth + Obituary for two exclusive Wisconsin stadium shows (August 1)- The story behind the Marilyn Manson show — protesters in the parking lot, a smoke machine that tripped the fire alarm, and fans who didn't flinch- GWAR on Easter. Marilyn Manson on Mother's Day. The cleanup crew. The Faygo. All of it.- EPIC's Friends of Epic Display — how stage-worn memorabilia from Jesse Dupree (Jackyl) to Corey Taylor ends up in the venue (and why it stays there)- Sleep Token as an opening act, and other "lightning in a bottle" moments before a band blows up- The origins of Behind the Curtain, EPIC's podcast with co-host Don Jamieson (That Metal Show), featuring guests like Wolfgang Van Halen, Chad Gray, Edwin McCain, and Ricky Rachman- Why Buddy Guy (October 9) might be your last chance to see a living blues legend — and why you shouldn't sit this one out- Lynyrd Skynyrd with Mark Farner and The Beach Boys — September 3, fully seated outdoor show- Napoleon Dynamite interactive screening — what to expect from the cast Q&A- Why EPIC has free parking, some of the lowest ticket fees in the region, and a liquor selection that rivals venues twice its size- Gene Simmons. Ozzy Osbourne. Wayne Newton's guitar inscription. The Avatar singer who wiped out mid-show. Rock and roll is still very much alive.Fox Cities Core is a live interview program on WCZR Code Zero Radio, an independent streaming rock station based in Appleton, Wisconsin. New episodes feature in-depth conversations with artists, industry insiders, and the people who make the regional music scene run.EPIC Event Center: https://www.epicgreenbay.comBehind the Curtain Podcast: Search "Behind the Curtain EPIC" wherever you listen#EPICEventCenter #GreenBayMusic #LiveMusic #FoxCitiesCore #WCZRCodeZeroRadio #BehindTheCurtain #RyanVanderSanden #Megadeth #BuddyGuy #LynyrdSkynyrd #MarilynManson #WisconsinMusic #ConcertVenue #MusicIndustry #FoxCities #Appleton #GreenBay #RockMusic #LiveMusicWisconsin #ConcertBooking