UPDATED: Sept. 19, 2017 at 12:26 a.m.

Bill Werde has worked for Rolling Stone and Billboard and is now at the helm of Syracuse University’s Bandier Program, which instructs students in media, marketing and entrepreneurship for the music industry. Here are some of his top music memories from over the years.

1. Paul McCartney in the Highline Ballroom

Werde is a big Beatles fan, but is admittedly more of a “John guy.” When Werde saw McCartney live, he wasn’t overly excited before the show. But to his surprise, McCartney played an intimate concert for 600-700 people in the Highline Ballroom in New York City, and it blew him away.

“It was just transcendent,” he said.

2. Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens) at Jazz at Lincoln Center

When Yusuf Islam, previously known as Cat Stevens, performed at a venue in Lincoln Center, Werde was in awe of the performance. Werde’s wedding song was Islam’s “If You Want to Sing Out,” and Islam also wrote the soundtrack for Werde’s favorite movie, “Harold and Maude.”

3. Love Parade in Berlin

Each year, Berlin’s Love Parade attracts more than 1 million participants. Werde once stood on DJ Paul van Dyk’s float, surrounded by people dancing to techno music on the same streets where Nazis once marched.

4. Grammys after-after party

Rob Stringer, who is now CEO of Sony Corporation, invited Werde to tag along to an after-after party following the 2014 Grammys. Werde said it wasn’t anything special at first, but later in the night Daft Punk took over the DJ booth.

“It was a phenomenal set, and I remember looking to my left and Lorde was dancing with her then-boyfriend, and to my right, my friend Scott from Universal was dancing like the funky chicken,” Werde said.

5. Dancing with Debbie Harry to a Black Eyed Peas song

At the wedding of longtime friend Allen Kovac, the former manager of Mötley Crüe, Werde danced with Debbie Harry, of Blondie, to a Black Eyed Peas song. Werde called the moment “a life highlight.”

6. Neil Young barbecue

Every year, Neil Young organizes a charity concert for the Bridge School Benefit and hosts a pre-concert barbecue at his home. During an unplanned visit to the barbecue, Werde and Young had a conversation about syrup.

7. Live backstage stream at Billboard Awards

The Billboard Music Awards honors some of the hottest names in music, but the real magic lies in what happens behind the scenes. Werde co-hosted the first live backstage stream, setting traffic records.

“We nailed it, and it was content I felt reached the bar for Billboard,” Werde said.

8. Talking with Prince

After Billboard published a world exclusive of Prince that proceeded to empty newsstands, Werde spoke with the music legend. They spent 45 minutes “dueling” about the meaning of life and the music industry.

9. The underground rave scene at Fever, a club in Baltimore

Werde and a friend once drove an hour-and-a-half to a dirty warehouse in Baltimore that transformed into an underground rave scene every Thursday. They lost themselves on the Fever dance floor, and around 5 a.m., someone suddenly turned on the lights. After a brief pause, everyone continued raving to the beats.

“The lights came on but everyone kept going. It was one of those moments you feel the euphoria and community and a shared moment in music,” Werde said.

10. Danny Tenaglia at the Roxy

In the mid-1990s, DJ Danny Tenaglia was playing a typical night of deep soulful house music at The Roxy in New York City. That night was the first time Werde found himself while on the dance floor.

“This was the first night that I ever went out and heard proper house music, and it really changed my life. I fell in love with it and the whole experience and I made friends that night I kept my whole life,” Werde said.

This post has been updated with appropriate style.

Published on September 18, 2017 at 10:54 pm

Contact Myelle: malansat@syr.edu