Intro

Elijah Shaw: 00:00 – 00:12 

Welcome to Gator Talk. My name is Elijah Shaw and I’m a staff reporter for GGX. Today we have our guest, Michelle Yang, the manager for the Depot, San Francisco State’s premier entertainment venue.

Interview

Shaw: 00:17 – 00:19

Michelle, how are you doing today?

Michelle Yang: 00:19 – 00:20 

I’m good. Elijah, how are you?

Shaw: 00:21 – 00:25

Great. You know, it’s a Wednesday. You know what they say about Wednesdays.

Yang: 00:26 – 00:27 

Yeah, yeah, we’re halfway through the week. 

Shaw: 00:27 – 00:35

Exactly. So I wanted to get started. So you’re the manager at the Depot. When did you start working at the Depot?

Yang: 00:35 – 00:45 

I started working at the Depot [in] February 2023, so I’m about to hit my two years next semester.

Shaw: 00:46 – 00:49

Hmm. And were you like a freshman when you started?

Yang: 00:50 – 01:40

Yeah, I was a freshman. I had initially applied for the Depot internship program and I got a call back from the manager and he said that he would be interested in interviewing me. So when I went in that day, he did the interview and he said that they’ve been looking for an assistant manager for a while and he said that he felt that I would be a good candidate for that position. So I applied for that position. He looked over it and then within like 2 weeks, I was onboarded for the assistant manager position. And then I was assistant manager for about, I want to say like two months in April. I stepped up as manager because he had quit the position.

Shaw: 01:41 – 01:44

Oh, wow. So within your first year at SF State, you’re managing the Depot.

Yang: 01:45 

Yeah, pretty much. 

Shaw: 01:46 – 01:51

How was that like — were you able to balance everything off the bat or was that a struggle?

Yang: 01:52 – 02:40

It was kind of a learning experience for me. I had to learn about a lot of different aspects. Just within venue management, Associated Students as well as the way that this venue runs at this school. I’d never worked anything like this before or had even a position like this before. So it was definitely a big step and I think it was great that I was able to oversee my manager for a little bit and assist him with a lot of things. And then from there when I took on his role, I did get some help. I did have an intern at the time as well and I think he overall just did a great job at training me and leading me to that position.

Shaw: 02:41 – 03:06

You know, at the end of the day the manager is making the calls, who performs, who gets to even like, be on the ballot for students to vote for who they want to see. So can you talk to us about, you know, what you’re into and when you’re looking at performers and artists to come visit, like how much does your personal taste play into that?

Yang: 03:07 – 03:51

Yeah. So the cool thing about this position is I am running the venue and for a while I was told like “You are the manager of the venue and you can do whatever you want.” I’ve never had that much like power ever so it was kind of hard to make decisions. But I guess now the way that I do it is, I really take into consideration what do the students want? What will have a good turnout in terms of what students are interested in? And like what will drive students to our venue? So that’s one aspect of it.

03:52 – 04:50 

Another aspect of it is just the space. In general, the Depot is a free all-ages space, so I do want to curate an environment that provides different genres — I want to say different mediums of live music and even non-live music performances in general as well. And as far as where my taste plays into it, I think that a lot of the contributions that I’ve made are really just bands that are either I’ve seen or bands that I know of. Not even just bands, but artists and bands who I feel like their music connects to me in a way.

Shaw: 04:51 – 04:52

What was the last concert you went to?

Yang: 04:53 – 04:56

I went to my first rave the other week. I saw Zedd.

Shaw: 04:57 – 04:59

Ohh, that was at Bill Graham? 

Yang: 05:00

It was.

Shaw: 05:01

How was that?

Yang: 05:02 – 05:37

That was amazing. I have gone to a lot of shows and a lot of concerts since I’ve been going to concerts and whatnot — I do have to say like that really was a unique experience. I didn’t think that I — that I would have enjoyed it as much as I did. I was never really into EDM. I don’t really listen to EDM unless I’m working out or something. So just seeing that live, I wasn’t really expecting — I didn’t know what to expect.

Shaw: 05:38 – 05:52

Yeah, Zedd’s crowd is pretty wild. Like he’s been around for, you know, over a decade now. I can imagine that rave for your first time being a little maybe overwhelming or something.

Yang: 05:53 – 06:16

And then my upcoming concerts. Concerts are kind of like spontaneous. Sometimes I’ll hear about something that’s happening later this month, or maybe even next week, and I’ll be like, “I haven’t seen them. I want to go see them!” So next week I’m going to see The Hope at Brick and Mortar, and then the concert after that, I’m going to see Duster. I’m really excited for that.

Shaw: 06:17 – 06:18

Oh, OK. Where’s Duster playing at?

Yang: 06:19 – 06:20

I’m pretty sure it’s the Warfield. 

Shaw: 06:21 – 06:29

Do you find yourself going to like the smaller, like either cheap or like free concerts around the city?

Yang: 06:30 – 06:56

Yeah. I’ve kind of gotten to a point where I don’t mind paying for a concert. I would say my budget for concerts it’s like if it’s less than $100, I’ll go. But I really have been taking advantage of free concerts and cheap — I don’t even want to say cheap. It’s never cheap to me because it’s the experience — it’s with me forever…

Shaw: 06:57

Affordable. 

Yang: 06:58 – 07:39

Yeah, I do say that I go to a fair good amount of those. I used to go to a lot of local shows. I do have to say I don’t anymore. I haven’t been to a local show in a really long time. I think it’s just because I’ve been busy lately but just within the past couple of years — free shows, DIY shows, shows at venues like Neck of the Woods. Or even just shows outside, like at Toxic Beach, 3rd and Army. I remember my freshman year, I would go see a lot of shows there.

Shaw: 07:40 – 07:59 

Cool. you go to a lot of shows, probably just for fun, right? But you are also the manager at the Depot at the same time. What’s like your, I guess like, career goals with being the manager at the depot, what was your major again?

Yang: 08:00

Business marketing.

Shaw: 08:01 – 08:07

Business marketing. So is that something you’re looking forward to once you graduate, working in the music industry?

Yang: 08:08 – 08:50

I feel like, as college students, we are always thinking about what we’re going to do after college. I’ve been thinking about that for a while as well, and for a while I thought that because I have this position at the Depot, I’m going to end up doing bookings or working at a venue or somewhere along the lines of that. And that was my goal for a while to really like end up at a venue or end up doing bookings or just working with artists and I feel like lately it’s kind of been changing a little bit because of my experience at the Depot that I have now, I do want to branch out and try other things, try different things.

08:51 – 09:36

But after college, I do want to pursue a career in music for a little bit. It’s really cool because a lot of jobs within music are either seasonal or very flexible, and so I think that’s something that I could work with if I decide to have a full-time job doing something else as well as like my main thing. I don’t know if I want to pursue working in the music industry as my main thing, it really just depends on where I end up and where I go from here. But after college, I do think that I want to pursue something along the lines of the music industry for a little bit while I can too.

Shaw: 09:37 – 09:39

This is only your second year here right?

Yang: 09:40

It’s my third.

Shaw: 09:41 – 09:44

Well, I was gonna say you have a bit more time. 

Yang: 09:45 

It’s getting serious! 

Shaw: 09:46 – 09:49

Yeah, it’s getting to the end. Do you make music at all?

Yang: 09:50 – 10:11

I don’t. A lot of people assume that I could sing or I could play instruments, or that I’m in a band. But I’m not a very musical person. I did learn piano growing up and over quarantine, I did teach myself a little bit of guitar. 

Shaw: 10:12 – 10:18

We all kind of dabbled with guitar. If you saw a guitar during the pandemic, you probably tried it out.

Yang: 10:19 – 11:00

Right, right. There was nothing else to do. And my brother is really into playing music and he also makes music. So it’s really cool being surrounded by a lot of my friends, and just a lot of people in general, people I work with, they also play instruments or know how to play music or make music on their own. It’s not really something that I’ve been into. I think it’s just because the way that I express myself, it’s not in the form of making my own music but I think it’s really just the way that I observe music and just take that all in.

Shaw: 11:01 – 11:15

So besides music, do you have any other hobbies like that you enjoy outside of school or I guess music just cause that’s like your job, right? Like you get paid to be the manager of the Depot?

Yang: 11:16 

Right.

Shaw: 11:17 – 11:26

So you know if it can’t be your thing all the time, it’s your job. It’s your hobby. But like, what else do you enjoy doing besides going out to shows and listening to music?

Yang: 11:27 – 12:13 

That’s kind of a hard question because it has been my identity for — I would say like my entire adult life, really. Just like when people ask, “What are you into?” It’s really just music —  like music shows. But lately with having this job, it’s kind of been a little difficult to find this as a hobby and not as work. And it’s not a bad thing at all for me. At first, like the idea of it is kind of like wow, like I don’t go to a lot of shows anymore — at first it was kind of like that. But now the way that I see it is I’m lucky enough to work in this field where I have everything that I want to have already.

12:14 – 12:55

So lately I feel like I’ve really been branching out and finding other things that I’ve been interested in. I really enjoy traveling and I’m a big nature person as well. Yeah, I love the city but I also love the nature and just being outside as well. I guess another thing that I’m interested in is just hanging out with my friends. I like art. I know that’s kind of tied into music but just going to art museums, appreciating art. That’s always something that I’ve really been into.

Shaw: 12:56 – 13:05

Outside of working at the Depot, you know you’re also a full-time student. What’s been going on for you this year? How’s this year been for you?

Yang: 13:06 – 13:45

Yeah, so alongside my studies here at SF State, I’ve been doing a couple events out in the city with Noise Pop. It’s a live entertainment or live concert company. I think they were founded in SF more than 20-30 years ago. They recently did a show at Golden Gate Park with Thundercat and I was lucky enough to be able to work that event. They also had an event prior to that. I think it was like a week or two prior at the Phoenix Hotel with Zack Fox.

Shaw: 13:46 – 13:52

Oh, really? I think I might have seen that. I wasn’t there but I saw it come up. I was out of town that weekend. 

Yang: 13:53 – 14:39

My goal as a junior is to really just find more connections as well as opportunities for me to be involved outside of the Depot and into the city. I find that in SF, everyone who kind of works in the industry already is connected. Like the people who work Stern Grove are the same people who work at Another Planet [Entertainment] or at Noise Pop or because SF is relatively a small music community and I think because of that, once you’re in, you’re kind of in and that’s really all that matters.

14:40 – 15:07

And I am really lucky in the sense that I get to be here and work here and have the connections that I have already. As well as after college, if I decide to stay in SF, I know that with the people I know here. I could start my career if anything, or even what’s the word like get my career going here?

Shaw: 15:08 – 15:09

Just get your foot in the door somewhere.

Yang: 15:10 – 15:15

Yeah. Whereas like if I moved anywhere else, it would kind of be like starting over, which would be really difficult.

Shaw: 15:16 – 15:25

Well, thank you so much, Michelle. I don’t want to keep you anymore. Yeah, one more time. Michelle Yang, manager at the Depot. 

Outro

Shaw: 15:26 – 15:37 

I’ve been Elijah Shaw reporting for Golden Gate Xpress. Thanks for listening and we’ll see you next time.