FOOD & Drink
Keith Mahler first dipped his toes into the world of live events in high school, promoting local concerts and dance shows in Connecticut. But what started as a teenage passion quickly grew into something bigger.
By 1972, Keith had opened the iconic Palace Theater in Waterbury, which is where he first met entertainment veteran and future collaborator Peter Kauff. Keith spent the next six years promoting concerts at the Palace and other small theaters and college campuses throughout New England, with artists including Alice Cooper, The Eagles, and Bruce Springsteen.
While a gear shift saw him begin an investment career that spanned the next 27 years, his love of live music brought him back to the industry in 2004, when he teamed up with Peter to co-found Premier Concerts. Together, they quickly turned the company into Connecticut's largest independent concert promoter.
Peter sadly passed away in 2013, but he remains deeply missed and his legacy lives on in the company’s work. In 2015, Premier Concerts acquired local indie concert promoter Manic Presents, allowing them to promote a wider range of artists throughout the region. Today, they run some of Connecticut’s most popular venues, including Space Ballroom, District Music Hall, College Street Music Hall, and Westville Music Bowl.
“We love being able to promote shows from 100 to 10,000 capacity in the coolest venues,” says Keith, whose ethos is to treat every artist he works with “like a rock star”. “I am so proud of each venue that we have created.”
