Speaking to the founders of Kapacity
IT HAS BEEN over 12 years since three friends got together to create a promotions company that would change Ottawa’s local music scene forever. In 1999, Graham Bradley, Mike Mikkelson, and Jeremy Pigeon created Kapacity Entertainment—a local concert promotions company, designed to promote international hip-hop artists.
To date, the young entrepreneurs have brought over 700 acts to Ottawa, including De La Soul, Mobb Deep, The Pharcyde, Talib Kweli, and Method Man, most of which would not have stopped for a tour date in Ottawa otherwise.
“It started pretty grassroots,” says Mikkelson. “We opened with Jeru the Damaja and had a sold-out show at Babylon. Kapacity has grown steadily ever since.”
Although Kapacity began by booking hip-hop acts, they have grown into promoting different genres of music and art, including electronic, rock, indie, dance, house, and DJ shows.
“We’ve expanded quite a bit,” says Mikkelson, “with over 30 to 40 shows a year.”
Kapacity does not receive city funding or grants. They continue to promote and showcase musical acts and artists in the region through their own investments. Kapacity receives media support for some of their shows, depending on the artist’s profile, but they rely largely on word of mouth, blogs, Facebook, and Twitter to get the word out.
Kapacity is also a local organization proud of homegrown talent. At almost every show there is a performance by a local artist.
“We’re always trying to push the local scene because without them we’re nothing,” says Mikkelson.
In 2009, Kapacity took their business to the next level and invested in a live venue, Ritual Nightclub.
“It was a gradual progression for a promoter,’ explains Mikkelson. “After 10-plus years of jumping around, we needed our own spot.”
They also invested in a local menswear boutique, Reap and Sew, with business partner Ian “Dj Illo” Lloyd, where they sell a local brand they design along with exclusive, international, high-end brands.
In addition to having changed the hip-hop scene in Ottawa, the founders also started a booking agency, building tours across Canada for international artists.
“Things have changed a lot,” says Mikkelson. “We went from having no shows to 100 shows a year.”
Although the founders had no previous business or promotional experience, they’ve managed to make Kapacity a full-time career for themselves.
“For me personally and for [the others] as well, we were young, we loved music a lot, and we used to travel to all of these other cities to go see shows, raves, and concerts,” explains Mikkelson.
Kapacity has had a huge impact on the arts community, bringing international artists to Ottawa’s music scene.
“We just felt the city was just really lacking at the time. I felt if we didn’t do it, who would? And here we are still kicking,” he adds.
—Danielle Vicha
