By Shannon Sturgis Local talent buyer at Vino's Brew Pub, Samantha Allen.

LITTLE ROCK — In the past couple of years the rafters in the dark back hall of Vino's have reverberated with the sounds of classic-rock flavored punk rockers The Gaslight Anthem, the 21st-century metal roar of The Sword and the slow-building sludge metal of Pelican.

One of Little Rock's oldest live-music destinations, the hallowed halls of Vino's have long welcomed sounds both mainstream and underground, introducing central Arkansas residents and visitors to an array of musical blasts. And as an all-ages venue, Vino's stage has provided the lectern from which teenagers are first immersed in rock 'n' roll.

As a 12-year-old Cabot resident, Samantha Allen caught her first show at Vino's, a triple bill featuring Little Rock Christian metal band Living Sacrifice, Conway hardcore act crankbait and Sherwood underground metal band Sickshine.

"My sister brought me [to Vino's]," she said. "That's the day that I fell in love with Living Sacrifice. They were the band that brought me into music.

"From then on I was up here every Friday and Saturday night."

Now 27, Allen is still at Vino's every Friday and Saturday night and most nights during the week too as Vino's talent buyer, the promoter responsible for drawing up-and-coming national and regional acts, and established and fledgling local groups to Vino's. It's a job that involves 8 a.m. phone calls from booking agents, and being at Vino's when bands load-in, answering questions and meeting the needs of road-wearing acts.

"I just try to be as personable as possible," Allen said. "I like to meet new people and make friends. I like to take care of the bands."

Allen has surrounded herself with music since a young age. She grew up listening to her father spin his Elton John, Aerosmith and Led Zeppelin albums, and practice his guitar while an uncle played drums in a band. But it was her sister, Amanda Hill, who opened Allen's eyes to the wonderment of live music.

"My sister was really the one to get me into live music," Allen said. "It was a totally different experience going to see a band at Barton Coliseum than listening to them on CD. She was the one."

The fascination with live music caused Allen to become - as her middle- and high-school friends called her - a Vino's groupie, attending shows on the weekends and chatting up musicians about their lives.

"My dad would bring me," Allen said. "He would get in the mosh pit. He was a lot of fun."

(Not failing to thank mom, Allen said, "My mom has been very supportive of everything that I've done. My mom's it.")

By the age of 15, with a few years of Vino's shows under her belt, Allen decided she wanted to be a drummer, practicing the craft and striking up conversations with visiting drummers and drum technicians. Her next music-related career choice was to become a roadie, even performing the task for a John Fogerty show at Riverfest Amphitheatre.

"I learned real fast that is not what I wanted to do," Allen said.

Following a three-and-a-half-year sojourn in Russellville, Allen returned to central Arkansas at the age of 21 to begin a local production company, booking bands at local venues. After booking bands such as Blank Generation, Handshake Murders and heavier acts, Allen was hooked. Her next maneuver was lingering around Vino's, asking the then talent buyer if she could run any errands.

"I used to work a full-time job and then come up here and work for the previous talent buyer," Allen said. "I sat outside for years bugging him, asking questions, running errands for the bands, putting up fliers."

The persistence paid off in the form of a part-time job as assistant talent buyer six years ago. Allen's full-time jobs at the time ran the gamut from working at FedEx to Maybelline to Remington, but her evenings belonged to Vino's.

"I'd go to work at Maybelline and get off at three in the afternoon, go home and take a shower and eat, and come to Little Rock every night there was a show," Allen said. "I slowly got into booking the shows."

About two years ago Allen transitioned into becoming Vino's new talent buyer, the person responsible for securing musical acts for the building known for showcasing some of the best live music in Little Rock.

"I grew up a metal and punk fan, but being a talent buyer has really opened me up," Allen said. "There's so many bands out there I might have never given a chance, but I've really developed a lot of respect for a lot of bands. A lot of people look at me and think I'm a metal fan. But I love all music."

Understanding the importance of Vino's on the local music front, Allen has introduced events such as the Vino's Battle of the Bands (held every Thursday night in June with 20 local bands competing over four weeks) while continuing to book all-ages shows such as the June 20 Pop the Top Fest with School Boy Humor and PM Today.

"The summer is the busiest time," Allen said. "There are so many tours going on and the kids are out of school so they are looking for things to do. We're an all-ages venue so we try to put on shows for them.

"I really would like for all the local promoters to work together more. I'd really like to see the booking community come together to make it work for all of us."

It's a hectic and crazy ride, and Allen's free time is spent riding her bike, creating buttons for bands and hanging out with her boyfriend.

"I think the hardest thing is finding time to ride my bike," Allen said.

The Third Degree with Samantha Allen

What would your superpower be? "Teleporting. It would make my life so much easier to be able to get to places in a second."

Who would play you in the movie about your life? "Drew Barrymore because she was a tomboy growing up, and I was too."

What would you eat for your last meal? "This one is easy: my mom's homemade lasagna and cherry cheesecake. Those are my two favorite things in the world to eat. I always reserve them for special occasions."

What's the most played song on your iPod? "My taste in music is so vast ... but I would say the most played song right now would be "Cherry Street" by Plu who, to me, was one of the best local talents, and it's unfortunate they are no longer a band. There really is no telling what they could of accomplished with their music. That song always makes me smile."

What three bands would you love to book at Vino's? "They have already been booked a long time ago at Vino's, but if I ever got the chance I would love to book Type O Negative and ISIS. One that has never been to Vino's, and I would love to book is the Deftones. Hands down they are in my top three bands. ... But there are so many artists that I would love to book and [I] am constantly trying to accomplish that."