Q&A: Rolling Stone Publisher Talks Parties

Matt Mastrangelo is a gregarious guy, and certainly when his magazine’s upcoming parties are the topic. Here, the Rolling Stone publisher dishes to Super City about the RS-sponsored (deep breath now) Volkswagen Rock & Roll Super Bowl Fan Tailgate Party.

The bash is on from 1 to 5 p.m. on February 5, Super Bowl Sunday, and features music acts Jane’s Addiction, the Roots, and DJ Pete Wentz. Tickets are $499 each. For those and more info, click here. See our post about the Rolling Stone-Bacardi party the night before here.

Super City: So, Jane’s Addiction. We have to ask–[frontman] Perry Ferrell and [guitarist] Dave Navarro will make it, yes? Those guys are partiers. No stunt doubles?

Matt Mastrangelo: [laughs] Yes, it’s Perry and Dave. By looking at what we have to do for them, I can assure you that they will be there in full rock and roll regalia. It will be a pretty crazy show. … It’s the first show that they’re doing in Indy since 2008, also the first real show that they’re doing on their U.S. tour. … This is an important show for them and for us. … It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience for that rock and roll crowd. The Midwest mentality makes for a great rock and roll town.

SC: The co-headlining act isn’t shabby either.

MM: We’ve got the Roots, with Questlove. They always bring their A game. They are a rock-and-roll, hip-hop party. There’s this term “rock hop”: the tubas, the drums, guitars and bass.

SC: Their album How I Got Over is excellent. So what separates your tailgate bash from other offerings?

MM: We haven’t seen any big, great tailgate parties that the public gets access to. People end up walking the streets or going to a pub. For a $499 ticket price, this is 1 to 5 p.m., all inclusive. Full bar, and John Besh is a celebrity chef working to craft three different menus and experiences from a tailgate perspective–the classic Indy experience and from the two teams’ cities. We’ll have a biergarten, too, some tailgate experiences that you’d expect.

SC: Your release said, “The program will run across multiple media channels and will include a large social and digital presence.” What does that mean?

MM: This is the launch of a program we’re taking on with Volkswagen all year long to celebrate the fan. For so long it’s been about celebrities on the red carpet and getting access to great experiences. We’re looking to turn the tables a bit and give fans great access.

SC: Rumor has it that Justin Timberlake will be present. Are other celebs set to attend?

MM: [laughs] I can neither confirm nor deny that. It’s something that we continue to work on. Obviously the RS brand and celebrity acts like the Roots and Jane’s, with strong followings, they tend to bring people with them.

We’re working with Gary Padjen [a former Indy Colts linebacker] and a couple other people who own the Crane Bay and have sunk a lot of money into it. This really launches and opens up the Crane Bay. We’re not just doing a buyout of the venue; they’ve put their heart and soul into it, and financial into it. When people have the opportunity to put $500 into a party, we hope that they’ll put it into a party funded by local people. … When we leave, that’s what’s left. We want to leave the money in the community. When Indy people put their credit cards down, we want them to not put it down for a party promoter in L.A. or New York. [Crane Bay is] a block and a half from the field. You literally can see [Lucas Oil Stadium] from Crane Bay.

Photos courtesy of the artists’ and Rolling Stone‘s Facebook pages