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Goldenvoice founder Gary Tovar is Coachella’s eternal fan: ‘When the music moves, you move with it’

BBG News

At the Sonora tent within the Coachella Music and Arts Festival grounds in Indio, Gary Tovar is stepping nearer to the stage. As always, he’s capturing moments with his mobile device, taking photos and videos for later sharing online.

This opening weekend of the festival features Together Pangea from Los Angeles’ indie rock scene, but some discerning music enthusiasts know Tovar just as well as any performer on stage. He’s the founder of Goldenvoice Productions, a company that started Coachella in 1999, and was a significant figure in L.A.’s original punk rock concert movement during the 1980s.

In his customary white T-shirt, dark khaki shorts, and a blue bandana around his neck, Tovar hardly manages to walk a few strides in the cooled room before he’s recognized by yet another fan. Despite no longer being the owner of the company he established in 1981, Tovar continues to be its most ardent supporter, regularly attending several concerts and nightclub events each week, sometimes even going to two or three a day.

At Coachella, music is his main activity, kicking off each day with breakfast from the catering service, and then moving non-stop between various stages all day long. He usually travels around in his personal golf cart, yet manages to clock in 25,000 steps daily. The intense heat, which soared above 100 degrees during the opening weekend, doesn’t deter him from keeping up with his pace.

Tovar notes that many people tend to stick to their musical past: “They’re trapped in a specific time period.” Many complain about this – they arrived in 2009, still yearning for MGMT, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and wishing time would stand still. However, he emphasizes, one must adapt: “You need to be everlasting, not literally immortal. In the context of music, you should evolve with it. You can’t dwell on the past.

He remains deeply fond of the punk era that sparked Goldenvoice’s beginnings in the early ’80s. Unlike many local punk rock promoters who eventually faded away, Goldenvoice stood out as a significant advocate for punk, metal, goth, industrial, and other groundbreaking music genres from this period. Moreover, Tovar even brought over acts from foreign lands to perform their debut shows in the L.A. area.

Tovar considered himself a supporter of artistic performances, arranging for bands such as Black Flag, the Dead Kennedys, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and Jane’s Addiction to perform at venues like the Olympic Auditorium, Santa Monica Civic, John Anson Ford Amphitheatre, and Fender’s Ballroom.

Tovar managed to thrive in situations where numerous others didn’t make it, all thanks to having the means to pursue his musical interests, regardless of whether the performances weren’t always financially viable. This was possible due to Tovar’s illicit activities as a marijuana smuggler, trafficking goods from Colombia and later Thailand. He amassed considerable wealth until a seven-year prison sentence forced him into temporary retirement, leaving his business to Paul Tollett and the late Rick Van Santen.

Or, in a shorter version:

Tovar prospered despite others’ failures due to his ability to invest in music, even when shows weren’t profitable. He achieved this through marijuana smuggling operations between Colombia and Thailand, accumulating wealth before being imprisoned for seven years and passing the company onto Paul Tollett and Rick Van Santen.

Although Coachella began during his stint in prison due to marijuana trafficking, the globally recognized festival represents an enduring tribute to his initial performances of the 1980s.

According to Circle Jerks’ frontman Keith Morris, speaking moments after their performance at Coachella, “This wouldn’t exist without Gary.” He adds, “His involvement wasn’t primarily for business reasons; he was more of a fan. He’s absolutely passionate about music.

In the 1960s, Tovar was already a rock enthusiast, even witnessing Jimi Hendrix perform on Maui during his teenage years. His introduction to punk rock came at the Sex Pistols’ final show at San Francisco’s Winterland Ballroom in January 1978. Although he found it fascinating, Tovar didn’t initially envision a role for himself within that scene until his sister, an early punk fan, pointed out that bands from the genre were struggling to secure performance opportunities due to their controversial nature.

Kick-starting with a TSOL concert in Santa Barbara on December 4, 1981, Tovar immersed himself, ultimately zeroing in on Los Angeles.

The business was given its name based on a cherished variety of Thai cannabis. As Tovar reminisces with a grin, he shares that when one smoked it, it seemed as though the angels were singing to you in a voice made of gold.

To create his company’s logo, he sought assistance from Chuck Dukowski, a member of Black Flag and co-founder of SST Records. Dukowski fashioned the Goldenvoice name using “Chinese”-inspired lettering that was originally used in the cover art for the Minutemen’s “Paranoid Time” EP. Remarkably, this very font is now a staple in the Coachella logo design.

By 1983, Goldenvoice experienced a rapid rise, but this momentum was disrupted by two riots – one at a TSOL and Social Distortion concert at the original SIR Studios on Sunset Boulevard, another at an Exploited show in Huntington Park. Tovar had planned another event in Wilmington featuring the fiercely rebellious Dead Kennedys, which he referred to as “Storming the Docks.” If he could secure police approval, that is. During a meeting with the San Pedro Police, Tovar was asked about the Dead Kennedys’ type of music. In response, he looked at a portrait of President Reagan on the wall and cleverly stated, “The Dead Kennedys are a tribute band to John and Robert Kennedy. Where do we sign?

The program concluded quite chaotically, as Tovar explains today, “They became really upset.” To diffuse the situation, he needed some cunning tactics, he adds.

Following his third straight disturbance, Tovar shifted his focus towards the Olympic Auditorium, a formidable concrete stronghold in downtown Los Angeles where he had previously hosted Black Flag. This expansive venue, capable of housing up to 5,000 people on its ground floor alone, was ample for accommodating any number of punk enthusiasts and others who wished to attend, without leaving anyone waiting or causing trouble outside.

As a devoted cinemagoer, just like I anticipated that the initial surge of punk rock excitement would dwindle within a couple of years, and indeed it did. “Punk rock is a fleeting comet,” I often found myself saying. “I always knew it wouldn’t endure.” By the end of ’85, it was clearly showing signs of strain. There was an excess of violence that just didn’t appeal to anyone. The scene seemed less inviting for girls who wanted to be part of it.

As the punk scene started to dwindle after two years at the Olympics, I shifted my performances to the more intimate Fender’s in Long Beach. As demand grew, I expanded to various venues across Southern California whenever necessary, continuing to share my music with enthusiastic audiences.

In his role as a prominent advocate for punk and unusual music genres, Tovar frequently collaborated with promoters based in different cities. Such partnerships seldom resulted in significant financial gains. For instance, during a concert with the Ramones in Sacramento, he barely managed to cover his expenses. “I found a $20 bill in the parking lot,” he recalls, “which was my entire profit for that event.

I must confess, a significant portion of my wealth can be traced to ventures beyond where I currently stand. Yet, let me share with you an intriguing duality that marked my journey. One part of me immersed myself in the raw energy and authenticity of punk rock, advocating for the underdog music scene. As I put it, “One hand was deeply involved in the pulsating world of punk rock.”

The other hand, however, was engaged in a different yet equally captivating endeavor. I found myself navigating the intricacies of high-quality marijuana smuggling. With unwavering dedication, we always prioritized quality over quantity in our operations. So, to summarize, “We went for the premium, not the commonplace.

Instead of saying “If anything, the pot business was accelerating,” you could say “The pot business was thriving, if not more so.”

In simpler terms, his job was to transport marijuana from Colombia and Thailand to the U.S. However, when the drug trade in Colombia moved away from marijuana towards cocaine, Tovar started focusing on Thailand.

As for me, I’ve always been skeptical about cocaine since marijuana transactions are typically conducted in a peaceful manner, while cocaine deals often involve violence. However, let me clarify that I’m not a violent individual by nature. The smuggling activities I was involved in were always carried out using clever strategies rather than force. To this day, I’ve never resorted to firing a gun. I aim to continue on my chosen path.

When one of his companions got detained, Tovar understood that it was just a matter of waiting before federal narcotics officers would come for him. It eventually took years, allowing Tovar to train his protégés Tollett and Van Santen during this time. On March 8, 1991, law enforcement agents arrived at his residence and apprehended him. He remained in custody until following his trial and the conclusion of his punishment.

Interestingly, as late as 1991, music began moving towards his style. As he put it, “Eight months after I was incarcerated, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Chili Peppers rose to fame.” He recalled, “I was in prison, saying, ‘Wow, I almost made it.’ It took a while for enough people to embrace the change.

As a movie reviewer reflecting on my past, I can’t help but share a tale that’s close to my heart. Despite serving years behind bars for a once-controversial venture now thriving across Nevada, I bear no grudges. The whispers of a new festival in the desert, orchestrated by Goldenvoice, reached me during my time incarcerated. Upon my release, I vowed never to miss a single edition of Coachella – a promise I’ve kept without fail.

Currently, Tovar serves as a consultant for Goldenvoice, a company that was later acquired by AEG in 2001. Last year, he played an active role in the No Values festival, a celebration of punk rock’s generations, featuring acts like Misfits, Social Distortion, Iggy Pop, and many others. Given his extensive concert-going experience, he possesses a well-informed opinion on such matters.

Before the Circle Jerks took the stage at Coachella’s opening weekend, Tovar was warmly greeted by many old friends and admirers. Among them was booking agent Andy Somers, who often had bands like the Circle Jerks, GBH, Megadeth, the Exploited, and Testament performing Goldenvoice shows in the ’80s.

Somers continues to cherish the memories of Goldenvoice from that initial turbulent time. “It was all do-it-yourself and incredibly disorganized,” Somers notes, “but with a genuine heart behind it. That’s what made it successful.

When chatting with Tovar, the founder of Goldenvoice subtly hinted that finding a suitable venue might prove challenging in an era where punk music was widely viewed as a potential menace to societal norms.

Tovar tells Somers, ‘We needed to find spots to attach these bands.’ The audience of The Circle Jerks was lively, not unusually so. However, punk rock in those days was characterized by its energy.

Somers nods in accord, remarking, “It was quite surprising. It made the mainstream feel uneasy for a moment. When you observe a mosh pit, you can’t help but wonder, ‘Could this really be enjoyable?’

Behind the scenes, we find Rene Contreras, the individual responsible for arranging performances on the Sonora stage (once christened by Tovar). He joined Goldenvoice as a budding promoter, nurtured in the music scene of Southern California. His relationship with Tovar began around 15 years ago, when he was still in his twenties. At that time, they were primarily acquaintances, fellow music enthusiasts who frequently attended concerts together.

Contreras mentions that before I owned a car, he would often drive me to concerts. It took me some time to understand the depth of his musical background and influence. He’s always out on the town, and he calls me at least three times a week to chat about upcoming shows or to introduce me to new bands.

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2025-04-19 18:31

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