Barnett Puts Ardenland in the Corner

The offices of one of Jackson’s best-known concert promoters are movin’ on up. Arden Barnett‘s Ardenland begins a new chapter today in Suite 207 at 2906 North State State, known to most as Fondren Corner.

Barnett says the growth of his company necessitated the move. “The boundaries of the (Belhaven) home office were stretched thin,” he says.  “At any given time, we have between one and four people working for us and it had gotten a little out of control.” Barnett says his team was spread between his home nursery, an upstairs space and his son’s bedroom. “It’s been a while in coming, but we were just waiting for the appropriate space.”

Ardenland is booking more shows than ever. The nearly three year-old concert promotion and management firm also has to their credit the booking of numerous festivals this fall. “It was a tough time moving, just being out of office and being shut down for three days (over the weekend),” he says.

Barnett’s team consists of himself and three other regulars as of now. Production manager Chuck Bryan has worked with Barnett for nearly twenty-five years. He’ll get a much needed bonus in this deal as well: Ardenland will take over the storefront in the Duling School, soon to be vacated by Morningbell. The space will be Bryan’s production office and a band hospitality room and will even serve as a walk-up ticket office.

Britini Breazeale, who has been with Ardenland  for just over a year and is in the music program at USM, is Barnett’s ‘right hand person.’ “She’s booking a lot of shows on her own,” he explains. “I give her the reigns on these festivals and she just runs with them.”

Chris Cajoles is another fixture on the team. The Jackson native, who manages Starkville based hip hop artist, Pell, is often out of town on Barnett’s behalf as a promoter representative for Ardenland.

The Fondren Corner move is a transient one for now with plans for future expansion of the offices. “This four room space may be six months and it may be a year,” Barnett says. Simply put, “It’s temporary in the hopes of other things to come.”