Some Local And Some Deep Cuts From Your I-Host Winner

Who are you?

My name is Tom Baumgardner.  I live in Geneseo where I'm married to my awesome wife, Lisa.  I have 2 kids of my own and 5 step daughters.  By day I'm the Vice President of IT for Springfield Armory.  By night I am the President and Senior Artist Manager of 3 Years Inc. A company that does band management and concert promotion.  I manage 3 Years Hollow, Discrepancies, Alborn and The Hong Kong Sleepover.

Why do you love hard rock?

I was raised on music and hard rock.  I had two older brothers that were DJ's and music was constantly playing in our house.  Everything from Asia, Phil Collins and Sammy Hagar to Dokken, Aldo Nova and Pantera.  I grew up a huge Van Halen fan as well as all the other hair metal staples.  Then in going to my first concert and seeing all that was involved as well as the camaraderie of being with fellow fans, I was in love.   It's been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.

Who is your favorite band/artist?

Well, I am legitimately a fan of all the bands I manage.  If I wasn't I wouldn't take them on.  Outside of that, it's Chevelle, Sevendust, Korn and Slipknot for me.  Managing the amazingly talented bands that I do has afforded me the opportunity to meet several musicians/artists that I've always been a fan of.  Having the opportunity to call them my friend is a very humbling and amazing experience.

What is the best concert you’ve ever seen?

I would guess that I have seen a couple hundred concerts honestly.  Including some amazing festivals such as Northern Invasion and Rock on the Range.  Choosing is crazy hard.  But if you're going to make me, I think it's between two for me.  The first being Chevelle at the Riviera Theater in Chicago.  Given it was their hometown, the set list was a bit more obscure and included the song "An Evening with El Diablo", which is one of my favorites.  I remember looking around and thinking it was so surreal.  I was truly in my happy place.  The second would be Sevendust, Tremonti and Lullwater at the House of Blues in Chicago.  Morgan Rose had put us up in the suite that was right over the stage.  I was surrounded by friends and was able to kick back, relax and just enjoy the night.

Tom's Playlist:

3 Years Hollow - Lost
Discrepancies - Not Alone
Alborn - Prime
The Hong Kong Sleepover - Grip
Sevendust - Decay
Chevelle - The Fad
Highly Suspect - 16
Asking Alexandria - Into the Fire
Deftones - Diamond Eyes
Hellyeah - I Don't Care Anymore
Nothing More - Jenny
Foo Fighters - Everlong