Launched on November 12th, Rhizome Music is Denver’s newest artist management, event production and promotion company. Founded by longtime music industry professionals Louis “Lou” DeMarco and Calhoun “Cal” McDougall, the company is already off to a strong start with such beloved electro-funk acts as Manic Focus and Phypher numbering among the brand-new endeavor’s clients. This is a testament to DeMarco and McDougall’s experience within the larger industry and an early indication of the greatness the company seems poised to achieve. The future seems mighty bright for Rhizome Music and they are just getting started.
303 Magazine spoke with Cal and Lou about Rhizome’s origins, working with such illustrious clients given the company’s youth, what the future holds for the company and much more.
303: Can you please describe what Rhizome Music is for those who don’t already know?
Cal and Lou: Rhizome Music is a comprehensive artist management, event production, and promotion company. Our focus is on crafting authentic experiences and opportunities for both our clients and their audiences. We wear a lot of hats—we’re artist managers, production and logistics specialists, and event partners. Whether it’s supporting artists or producing unforgettable events, we aim to make an impact.
303: You both have been deeply involved in the music industry for quite some time now. What was the impetus for starting Rhizome Music?
C&L: It really came down to timing and a shared vision. After years of realizing how well our skillsets, backgrounds, and personalities complemented each other, we found ourselves at a point where we were both looking for change—not just for ourselves, but for the people around us. What started as late-night conversations about what could be eventually turned into real plans. Rhizome became our way to create the kind of industry environment we’ve always wanted to see.
303: You’ve really hit the ground running, having launched on November 11th with a pretty stacked roster. You’re working with artists like Manic Focus, Phyphr, and more. How did these relationships come about so early into Rhizome’s existence?
C&L: The relationships honestly happened pretty organically over time. Phyphr was Cal’s first client, and Cal was his first manager. He even played the festival where Cal and Lou met. Lou, meanwhile, has worked with him on events ever since. Manic Focus? Lou worked with him countless times on the venue side, and later Cal joined his management team. Megan started as a long-time friend who became a client. 5AM was a client, then a close friend, then a client again. Murkury came into the picture after Cal met him while stage-managing, and later they became neighbors in North Carolina. Pineo & Loeb? We met them at a birthday party, became fans of their music, and were lucky enough to become their managers. Frameworks was introduced through a previous company. Cal became one of his top listeners on Spotify (true story!) and started managing him. When Frameworks met Lou, he told Cal three words after walking off stage: “Work with him.” The relationships have all been genuine and built on mutual respect and shared passion. We’re fans of their craft first and foremost!
303: What sets Rhizome apart from other artist management companies?
C&L: Relationships. We don’t just see our clients as artists — they’re individuals first. Our goal is to support their growth on every level, whether it’s personal or professional. We only work with people we genuinely enjoy collaborating with, and we hope they feel the same about us! At the heart of everything we do is our artist-first philosophy. We want to create a space where our artists feel secure, supported, and empowered to thrive both on and off stage.
303: What is the company’s philosophy or mission statement?
C&L: Rhizome Music is all about crafting authentic experiences and opportunities for our clients and their audiences. We believe in hard work, collaboration, and supporting good people in the industry. To put it simply, “Planting seeds to grow the culture.” That sums up everything we’re working toward.
303: Why should music fans be excited about Rhizome?
C&L: We’re creating experiences with fans in mind. Whether it’s working with our artists or producing events, we’re committed to delivering at the highest level. We know what fans expect because we’re fans ourselves! Beyond that, we hope to be a positive force in music and the world, building something meaningful that resonates with the community.
303: Tell me about everything you have on the horizon now that you’ve launched. What’s up next? Anything you’d like to plug or anyone you’d like to shout out?
C&L: We’ve got a lot going on! This is our fourth year (and our first as Rhizome) co-producing Sacred Acre Festival in Alaska. Phyphr is co-headlining Cervantes’ Ballroom and dropping his biggest album yet on January 10. Megan Hamilton has an incredible Christmas event coming up at Vinyl. Manic Focus is playing Mission Ballroom with Ravenscoon in March, 5AM Trio is joining Boogie T at Red Rocks, and Frameworks is creating some of the most stunning, innovative music we’ve heard. He’s also working on a big return to Colorado following his headline set at Meow Wolf in April.
We’ve got so much more in the pipeline for our 303 friends, and we couldn’t be more excited! Huge thanks to Stef.Fx for helping us craft our brand and to all the incredible clients who trust us and make it possible for us to do what we love.