When watching a play or a band on stage, those in attendance watch for enjoyment.

In the back of the room sit a select few, the people who put the act in front of the viewers’ eyes and ears. They spend more time watching the crowd than the performance — the applause is what makes their job worth it. But they’re rarely noticed unless something goes wrong.

The hours spent calling managers, working with employees and sometime finicky and difficult acts adds to the stress of the job. Yet, those behind the Ames scene smile while talking about their jobs.

Eric Yarwood

Maintenance Shop Coordinator

Yarwood came to Ames as an adviser for the Student Union. He decided to take on his job after a realization, he says.

“I was actually sitting in a show and knew there were some changes coming up,” he says. “[I didn’t want it to be] someone that didn’t know the room.”

Yarwood holds a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism, but the M-Shop is where he belongs.

“This whole experience is something I’d never dreamt would happen,” he says.

Yarwood’s office is a testament to his love of his job and music. Around the room are stickers, posters and small toys. He looks at home as he leans back in his chair.

He says he is proud of the room itself, as well as the shows.

“It’s a great room, a fun little room,” he says. “We are lucky in fact, since it’s been around 30 years.”

The Ames Scene

Yarwood insists there is enough to do in Ames. The scene is changing for the better, leaving residents of Ames and Des Moines with more opportunities.

“If you’re in the know, you could probably find tons of things to do,” he says.

There are voids, however. Yarwood says a venue that can carry 500-1,000 people is missing.

“If we had that, we’d have anything and everything,” Yarwood says.

Greg Rice

One Stop Band Shop promoter

Greg Rice has always been a fan of music. He used to bring it to places he’s previously lived: Philadelphia and Blacksburg, Va., home of Virginia Tech.

After breaking up with his girlfriend, Rice says he wanted to do something productive, so he started organizing shows again.

“I remember watching Misery Signals, and seeing how into it the crowd was,” he says. “It was that great, great feeling where everything was turning around.”

But one show was only the beginning.

“That’s part of it, and I really, really love music,” he says. “I can’t imagine life without hardcore music. The music means a lot to me.”

The music means so much to Rice, he doesn’t mind losing money. On average, Rice says, he loses up to $100 on every show personally, or a combination of his and his partners’ money. It totals up to around $2,000 since he started.

“I don’t mind losing to a show if I know I’m helping bands and helping the scene,” he says.

The Ames Scene

Heavier mainstream bands have begun to pave the way for the Midwest, but Rice says underground music is different.

“Iowa has music recognition because of Slipknot and Index Case, but I’m not sure if underground music does,” he says.

However, Ames and Iowa have been growing and Rice says he is glad for that.

“Everyone in music knows Iowa is starting to be a music scene,” he says. “It’s definitely really starting to build in the Midwest.”

Sara Barr

Director of Marketing Iowa State Center

Sara Barr began her career as an intern for the Iowa State Center in 1992. She’s still there, now as director of marketing. She says she stuck with it because of the variety.

“Entertainment is so fast-paced,” she says. “Every day is different.”

She spends her days promoting and announcing Season at Stephens events and large-scale concerts. She says her job fits her life.

“It satisfies my need as a hidden entertainer,” she says.

There have been acts that have educated Barr, like Blue Man Group, and there have been concerts that excite her personally.

“You’re going to laugh,” she says. “I kind of always wanted to see Prince.”

She did get to see Prince, but at the time he was under Sony and could not perform his songs all the way through. It ended up more like a variety show, she says.

“It was kind of disappointing.”

The Ames Scene

To Barr, Ames is what it is.

“It’s not a New York City, it’s not a Minneapolis,” she says. “But with all the different arts organizations, the big events brought to Ames, it’s really phenomenal.”

There are some variables Barr says she wishes to change. Budget restrictions hinder the Iowa State Center as it does the rest of the university.

“It is challenging to explain a tight budget to get big concerts,” she says.

Lynn Lloyd

ACTORS director,producer and costumer

Theatre is something Lloyd didn’t always want to do professionally, but she wanted to stay involved.

After acting throughout high school and college, this mother of three wanted to meet new people when she moved to Ames and chose community theater.

In hindsight, she says, she is glad she had a family and continued acting on a voluntary basis.

“I wouldn’t have been able to do it when I was young enough,” she says. “Even though it was a fantasy, I didn’t have the talent or the know-how.”

Eventually, Lloyd moved into an administrative position at ACTORS.

Her love of acting and ACTORS runs deeper. Lloyd says she even loves the little things.

“I like cleaning up,” Lloyd says. “I like it all the way down to that.”

The Ames Scene

Ames has changed since Lloyd moved here; there are fewer students in ACTORS and joint events. Professors and townspeople just don’t know each other.

“I think when I first arrived here, there was more feeling of town and gown,” she says.

Lloyd says there is a common dream between the community and university, which may not be fulfilled for a while.

“I think there is a fantasy of an arts center with many arts organizations under one roof,” she says.