New Invention To Create Music Win Redbull’s National Collegiate Start-Up Contest Showcase at Tech Crunch Disrupt 2017

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Red Bull Launchpad Sponsors Winner of National Collegiate Start-Up Contest at Tech Crunch Disrupt: App-Connected Rings Turn Color from Any Physical Object Into Sound

Nolan Apostle
Contributing Editor
Event City Premier Magazine
Technology Blogworld

The Red Bull Launchpad, a program introduced last spring to give wings to collegiate entrepreneurs and their ideas is now in its second iteration. It has named a winner of contest, a University of Colorado Boulder grad student and Co-founder/CEO of Specdrums, Steven Dourmashkin,

The Red Bull contest provides college students with a platform to cultivate innovative concepts into reality while providing access to people and events that will increase their exposure and help them grow. “It’s a brilliant concept and a fantastic tool to help our young innovators expand and seek their dreams,” says Felix Solomon, an writer and educator assistant at Laney College in Oakland California.

For winning the digital pitch-off portion of Red Bull Launchpad, Dourmashkin was awarded a coveted spot for Specdrums to exhibit in the Startup Battlefield at the upcoming TechCrunch Disrupt, September 18 through 20 in San Francisco. His team will also be provided access to several networking events and given an opportunity to develop future content that spotlights the products.

Spec Drums aims to bring music to a whole other level with this new product. Many of the Event City readers are musicians, songwriters and bands, and although they may not immediately run out to their local music store to buy the product, they will surely have an interest in seeing this new technology perform. Here’s a couple videos displaying the product and how it is used.

Growing up as a drummer and gearing up for his undergraduate college years at Cornell University, Dourmashkin became motivated to develop an extremely portable drumming machine. Realizing the most accessible, reliable solution possible would be to use color to create a virtual drum set out of any physical object, he invented Specdrums, app-connected rings that turn the world’s colors into a personal sound machine, allowing people of all ages and musical backgrounds to create beats and melodies by tapping on anything with color.

“My entire team and I are so thrilled to win Red Bull Launchpad and thankful for the amazing opportunity to showcase Specdrums among some of the tech industry’s top innovators,” says Dourmashkin. “Things have been moving very fast lately with the success of our Kickstarter campaign, and Red Bull is really taking that to the next level by setting us up to attend Disrupt.”

College undergraduate and graduate degree students were invited to submit a 90 second video showcasing their business or product idea for a chance to be a part of the Red Bull Launchpad program that features a trip to San Francisco and an opportunity to join other top entrepreneurs at the TechCrunch Disrupt Battlefield. An expert panel of judges — including Chad Campbell, head of marketing, WeWork; Joey Hinson, AOL Tech director of operations; Amanda Signorelli, CEO, Techweek; Ryan Kelly, senior marketing manager, Hyperloop One; and John Mannes, TechCrunch journalist specializing in machine learning and AI — selected Specdrums as this fall’s winner from a field of over 100 creative entrepreneurial entries including representatives from Harvard, MIT, Stanford, and Lehigh.

“The collegiate level is ripe with innovation and entrepreneurship, and the submissions we received for Red Bull Launchpad were no exception,” adds WeWork’s Campbell. “While there were many strong contenders, we ultimately selected Specdrums as the winner because their innovation has the potential to change the way people create, consume and learn music. We’re excited to see the Specdrums team compete on a national platform at Disrupt, and ultimately leverage resources provided by the Red Bull Launchpad program to scale their start-up.”

Previous winners, Virginia Tech students David Hall and Jordan Klein of Park and Diamond, gained access to the prestigious Disrupt event in New York last spring for their stylized yet collapsible bike helmet.

Co-founder Hall commented, “In addition to the business relationships we forged and the hands-on experience we obtained through the TechCrunch Disrupt opportunity, we gained invaluable lessons and feedback on our marketing plan through our amazing connections with Red Bull. We have enjoyed countless opportunities that have accelerated our growth as entrepreneurs and which resulted from Red Bull Launchpad, from working with their marketing team to share our story to obtaining feedback on our design from their team of athletes. Red Bull gave our business wings and continues to be a catalyst to our success.”

Red Bull Launchpad was developed in spring 2017 as a program to give wings to collegiate entrepreneurs and their ideas. The program provides college students with a platform to cultivate innovative concepts into reality while providing access to people and events that will increase their exposure and help them grow. To learn more visit launchpad.redbull.com.

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EVENT CITY ADDS SYSTEM For JOURNALIST to AUTO SUBMIT CONTENT – JOIN The TEAM

Event City Live Editorial Broadcast System Announced
Ability to Auto-Post and Podcast Live from Anywhere
Social Media will never be the same again!

By Alex Jauregui and Anthony Ansola
Reporter & Editor
Event City Premier Magazine

The Event City Ecosphere just got a bit friendlier and much more productive as the company begins testing their new auto posting and podcast type broadcasting service for journalist – Event City Live Editorial Broadcast System. Both systems will allow the Event City Premier Magazine Journalists to create and post Live Broadcasts and Writing from anywhere in the world. In fact this article was posted remotely without logging onto the Magazine’s back end, only using the new system.

“We’ve simplified the structure of our online presentations, both for our Magazine Network and our growing Blog Networks”, says Nolan Apostle, Co-founder and CEO of Event City. He adds, “Our Writers, Reporters, Stringers, Photographers, all of our Journalism Teams will find this system very easy and productive to use, giving them the opportunity to post Live Broadcast from shows, projects, conventions or anywhere and from any part of the world.” The system will eventually be integrated into the company’s Advertising Network, The MUSIC SKOOP, PINK SECTION Project, the EC EMPORIUM, HOSPITALITY and ESTATE SALE Blogs to start out. As the Premier Magazine Division attracts more Journalist and other Editorial Teams they will virally grow the network and content will be posted much easier than ever. The task of posting content, stories, podcasts, blogs, reviews, all of it, will be more appealing and enjoyable – it will be much less a job and much more fun!

The Editorial Broadcast System will give Writers, Podcast Producers, Reporters, Social Media Managers, and Bloggers the opportunity to share their experiences about the Hospitality, Special Events, Concert, Music, Art, Film, Travel, Entertainment industries and more. This will allow Event Planners, Musicians, Performers, Show Producers, Venues, Theaters, Motion Picture Producers, Hotels, Restaurants and many others the opportunity to expand their audience and reach out to both a B2B audiences as well as the Consumer. You can sign up now to begin using this new service for your business or projects. The benefits are immense!

The company plans to roll out this new feature sometime in the very near future prior to the re-launch of the Event City Network. They are seeking serious Journalist to jump on board to help test and navigate the system. You can contact the EDITORIAL TEAM by sending an email to EC Premier Magazine. Send your resume, and a short message as to why they should bring you on board to test the new system and potentially bring you in as a permanent member of their Editorial Staff.

The Event City Live Editorial Broadcast System will give the Editorial Team the ability to draft, write, create, and post articles, reviews and stories with images and video as well. All of this including Live Audio Broadcasting without even sending to an Editor, Engineer or Producer will be featured characteristics of the site.

EventCity™ and Event City Live™ are Trademarks protected by the Trademark laws of the USA and the Internet Organization, and the Event City Network and may not be used for any purpose what-so-ever without expressed written permission by the company’s IP Directors, the Founders or CEO.

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The Return of Day On the Greens, Original Santana and the Revitalization of Outdoor Arena Concerts

By Nolan Apostle
Contributing Editor
Event City Premier Magazine

There is a recent upswing, a strong interest in recreating the large scale concert experience which was once a dominant force in our music culture during the late 70’s and through the 80’s. We are not talking about just any show or event, but those that were unique and helped to change the world of Music and Entertainment. Not only did they change how society viewed live entertainment, but in many cases they changed our lives as music fans forever. You know what I’m talking about, those concert experiences that most of us had, the ones that were just that, AN EXPERIENCE.

We are living in an age where music can be delivered to us in many different ways, more than ever we can now acquire any type of music at any time with just a click. This almost seems surreal. Do we take music for granted because of this? It is almost as if this might get in the way of that major concert experience. Could this be the catalyst for this “Live Show” revival?

Front of the Fillmore East

Opening Crowd at the Fillmore

Circle Star in San Carlos CA

A diverse lineup at the Circle Star

Frank Sinatra on the Circle Star Billboard

Bay Area Favorite Greg Kihn

This reporter has lived through the 70’s as a kid and now the 21^st Century as an adult, I have been given such an array of truly wonderful experiences in the world of Music and Entertainment. I got to see the birth of Color TV and the death of 8 tracks and 45’s, including the rise and fall and rise again of vinyl records. What about those little plastic cassettes and of course let’s not discount the slick Compact Discs (CD) that are still alive today, well kind of.

Prince at the Circle Star 1979

 

Don’t get me started on concert venues and major shows – you’ve got the Fillmore East in New York, and the concert venue in the round on a rotating stage in San Carlos California, yep, I’m talking about the Circle Star Theater, and like the Fillmore it helped to launch the careers of many major music stars in the entertainment world (see images above of both venues). What a great time to be alive and to allow music to come into our lives, and a perfect time to gather knowledge as well.

Where has all of this taken us? We now listen to music from devices that are as tiny as a nine volt battery with headphones that are barely detectable. Some of us don’t even use equipment anymore to “hold” our music, we have phones and other tiny devices that connect us to a “digital cloud” which stores our music like a virtual Fort Knox. These major storage tools have the availability to release a technical tornado at our whims with an unlimited rainstorm of data in the form of video, audio and in the very near future devices that will “always be on” and ever linked to our own bio-connectors, directly and indirectly. Imagine, thinking you want to listen to John Lennon’s Imagine or Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the USA, and viola, there it is streaming over your headset. We’re not very far away from that. And who knows what else is next for us.

Maybe our Millennial generation is starting to realize that sitting wherever you might be and listening to music can be boring, even a bit lonely at times. What about going out and seeing a show or two, listening to some live talent with some of your favorite music and a friend or three is not that bad after all. Now there’s an idea! So how does this play a role in bringing back those large-scale live music shows? That I can’t answer exactly, but I can report on what is happening in society today, and from my vantage point, it is pretty awesome.

First, there was the announcement by Carlos Santana at the beginning of the year to put his old crew back together, the original Santana Band. The article by the Event City Magazine and the social media connections garnered well over 100,000 “Likes”, and in the first 24 hours almost 10,000 reads! This was major music news, after all, it was SANTANA! Soon after, they announced their first concert date a outdoor show at AT&T Park in San Francisco on September 4th of this year.

Then there’s the historic Day On the Green concerts created by the legendary Bill Graham from the early 70’s through the early 90’s which was the catalyst for major Rock’n’Roll Music festivals and arena shows around the country and the world. These are making a resurgence, and of course, what else to call it but “DAY ON The GREEN 2016“! The show is presented by Got Live Entertainment and BAM Magazine and will take place on Saturday, September 10th, 2016 at the Pioneer Amphitheater in Hayward. It will feature a selection of some of the greatest tribute talent on the planet representing the likes of Journey, Santana, Foreigner and Fleetwood Mac. The promoter has some exciting plans to do more of the DOGs and possibly a tour in time. Event City is giving away tickets at our Day On the Green Contest! It’s simple, tell us your favorite Day On the Green story and you’ll be entered to win FREE Tickets to the show. Never got to attend a Day On the Green, that’s ok. Tell us about any crazy concert story and be eligible to win! Share the link with your friends at the EVENT CITY WORLDWIDE FACEBOOK GROUP.

Then we come to the beautiful California Gold Country. Last year the Butte Fire took everyone by surprise. It began in Amador County but quickly spread and decimated the Mountain Ranch area of Calaveras. Over 750 homes were destroyed and many more out buildings. An area filled with culturally creative groups and many who were raised in the area and build a life in most cases simple and mostly carefree. Many of those who lived out here were musicians, performers, artists and craftspeople making a living off of their creative endeavors. Could the tragedy of the Butte fire spawn an interest in expanding on live entertainment? Why not? Just ask Chuck Swisher of the National Hotel, “Our team wants to revitalize downtown Jackson and bring back the days when it was all about music, community and fun, but why stop there?” He adds, “Jackson has a lot to offer but so does the rest of the Gold Country, our owner wants to help the entire area grow and expand, and what better way to do that than with music.” One such project started all the back in the year of 1969.

There was this show, a little known concert that barely made it to the Rock’n’Roll history books, and it happened in the foot of the foothills in the beautiful golden state of California. The Lake Amador Gold Rush Music Festival happened on October 4^th 1969 in Amador County. Those who attended the concert applauded the effort and outcome of this endeavor by a local promoter and many of them say this was one of the best live festival concerts they ever attended.
Some even boasted as this being one of the greatest in the history of live concert shows. I have personally spoken to several people that attended this show and they loved it more than one can imagine and walked away with some great memories. One of my personal friends was a young kid at the time and he said it was one of the greatest concerts of all time. He has worked and/or attended an estimated more than one thousand shows in his lifetime.

For the record, the Promoter was not Bill Graham but a gentleman by the name of Robert Strand, and he does know there is interest in bringing this back. There’s a quote, “One can only share a message in the ear of he who needs to hear it, but it doesn’t mean he will listen.” Robert is listening, but it is his process and his choice, after all, it isn’t everyday that someone comes along and produces one of the greatest music festivals of all time. Some have called this the West Coast’s Woodstock. You know, I like that, it has a nice ring to it.  We’ll keep you posted.

There are those who say, why not just produce the show, whatever it takes someone can make it happen? After all, people want it to be, so why not? Today, a local Bay Area promoter who has been involved in big shows had an answer for that question – “We can, but you would need a lot of resources, access to talent and the craziness to pull it off,” he added, “so what’s stopping us, let’s just do it.” The enthusiasm is there, and one might initially just want to jump up and down and say yeah what a great idea and in one of the most beautiful areas of California too!

The founder of this show is alive and well and the question we need to ask is simple – will there be another Amador Gold Rush Festival? It’s not for us, or anyone to just go and produce this show 48 years later because we can. That would be completely disrespectful of its originator without his involvement, but most importantly his blessing. Nobody knows what it is like to put on a show such as this unless you have done it before, and if you have, you know all that it takes to make something like this a reality. It’s not just about making this happen, but to have it be successful too that is the key component to any show small or large. To be able to walk away saying, “The audience, the ticket buyers, the kids at this show had a great time, wow we did it right.” Robert Strand accomplished all of this.

Regardless of the passion one might have, or the experience, resources or as Bill Graham might say, “the Chutzpah” to make this happen, you can have it all and the money too, but it wouldn’t be the same Lake Amador Gold Rush Festival without that same bloodline attached to the show that was there 48 years ago. Believe it or not, when you put on a concert like this you shed your blood, sweat and tears for every single Band, Crew and Concertgoer with this endeavor, and only those in the mix know the mania that you go through, you do everything you can to not let anyone forget it!

BAM Day On the Green Sponsor 2016

If it’s meant to be it will happen. In the mean time there are a lot of new and exciting “happenings” in music once again in Northern California, from up and coming Downtown Jackson, to the new Day On the Greens, I believe the entire area is on the verge of a major music and entertainment resurgence, much to the delight of all of us concertgoers, I really can’t wait for this to happen.

Join in and let the fun begin! Visit us at the Event City Worldwide Facebook Group for a chance to win your free tickets to the new Day On the Green. Just tell us your favorite Day On the Green story, and if you never attended a Day On the Green yet, tell us a story about any show you were at, make sure it’s a good one and your input just might be rewarded with tickets to Day On the Green 2016!

Event City is the Community Portal for the Events, Hospitality (Food & Beverage), Entertainment & Music industries. Currently in Launch mode, the project changes weekly, the portal changes daily and the community is dynamic. Musicians, Performers, Songwriters, Event Producers, Meeting Managers, Show & Concert Promoters, Film Producers, Entertainers, Actors, Models, Caterers, Chefs, Restaurants, Nightclubs, Hotels, Food Purveyors, Venues, and all industry suppliers are invited to participate and Sign Up for our FREE Live Launch VIP Invitation. We hope to see you there and be part of your success in all of your creative endeavors.

Nolan Apostle is a co-founder, writer, merchandiser, promoter, event impresario, photographer, screenwriter, food lover, and all around nice guy.

BREAKING NEWS – Santana IV Album with Original Bandmates Neal Schon, Gregg Rolie, Michael Shrieve & Michael Carabello

SANTANA IV reunites legendary band lineup – new studio album out April 15, 2016 (PRNewsFoto/SANTANA)

SANTANA IV to be Released Soon

By Nolan Apostle
Contributing Editor
Event City Premier Magazine

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Event City just received the announcement that Carlos Santana along with some of his Bandmates from his early 70’s lineup, Neal Schon, Gregg Rolie, Michael Shrieve & Michael Carabello will release a new collaboration soon. The rumors are true and while there are many of you who have long since admired the original talent and music of the Santana and Journey bands, to bring them together once again will be a historic treat for all of us, and quite a concert experience indeed.

April 15, 2016 marks the release date of Santana IV, the wildly anticipated studio album, a reunion recording bringing together an album project for the first time in 45 years – since 1971, the multi-platinum classic Santana III. This is an incredible feat, especially in our modern day Music Industry, and the longest span of time that an original act has come together with its core band members to record a follow up album. This is the original quintet that recorded together, that incredible early lineup from the 1970’s of guitar icon Carlos Santana (guitar, vocals), Gregg Rolie (keyboards, lead vocals), Neal Schon (guitar, vocals), Michael Carabello (percussion) and Michael Shrieve (drums).

The newly formed band plans to celebrate their new release by planning some concerts with the current Santana band and the current Journey line up! We certainly do not want to miss this!

Stay tuned to the Event City Creative Magazine, we will keep you posted on all of the Santana IV release and news on the bands exciting shows and who else might show up to grace the stage with these legends.

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Event City is the Community Portal for the Events, Hospitality (Food & Beverage), Entertainment & Music industries. Currently in Launch mode, the project changes weekly, the portal changes daily and the community is dynamic. Musicians, Performers, Songwriters, Event Producers, Meeting Managers, Show & Concert Promoters, Film Producers, Entertainers, Actors, Models, Caterers, Chefs, Restaurants, Nightclubs, Hotels, Food Purveyors, Venues, and all industry suppliers are invited to participate and Sign Up for our FREE Live Launch VIP Invitation. We hope to see there and be part of your success in whoever you want to be.

Nolan Apostle is a co-founder, writer, merchandiser, promoter, event impresario, photographer, screenwriter, food lover, and all around nice guy. 

Global Winter Wonderland Brightens up Sacramento for the Holidays

Global Winter Wonderland

Global Winter Wonderland in Sacramento beginning November 22nd, 2014

By Nolan Apostle
Producer & Contributing Editor
Event City Premier Magazine

The Global Winter Wonderland arrives in Sacramento on November 22nd, 2014 at the Cal Expo grounds. It promises to dazzle any audience with it’s plethora of lights and colors so magnificent that only the heavens above can match it’s beauty.
Global Winter Wonderland is a spectacular holiday festival and multi-cultural celebration featuring:

Awe-inspiring illuminated landscapes from around the world including the Global Village, Holiday Fun, Dinosaur Maze, and the Enchanted Forest.

Two stages of entertainment – including Global Winter Wonderland’s Circus of Light

Delicious international cuisine

Full carnival with family and thrill rides

Photos with Santa and holiday shopping

Multi-cultural Theme Days featuring specific cultures’ traditional customs

For details on the show and to purchase tickets you can call (866) 251-6700

Global Winter Wonderland runs from NOV 22, 2014 – JAN 4, 2015

At the CAL EXPO in SACRAMENTO

Visit http://www.globalwonderland.com/ for all show details.

RADIO IS ALIVE AND ROCKING As KSAN JIVE 95 Is Selected as the BARHOF LEGENDARY STATION FOR 2014

KSAN JIVE 95 Is Selected as the BARHOF LEGENDARY STATION FOR 2014

BENEFIT CONCERT and REUNION LUNCHEON

By Nolan Apostle
Contributing Editor
Event City Premier Magazine

Rock’n’Roll Radio at one time was an institution all by itself. A self propelling industry in the midst of a multi-generational configuration of listeners who enjoyed all forms of the popular music genre. The music was as diverse as the listeners themselves, from the history making 60’s Rock to Acid Rock, Heavy Metal to Folk, Blues, Pop, Glam, New Wave, Punk, Modern, Progressive, Easy Listening and of course the everlasting Classic Rock’n’Roll all played a role in Radio history and at one time or another probably could be heard on the legendary KSAN Jive 95 Radio station. Even new artists were featured on KSAN.

The Bay Area Radio Hall Of Fame  (BARHOF) has selected KSAN Jive 95 as the BARHOF Legendary Station for 2014. KSAN aired some of radio’s most memorable, inspiring and outrageous broadcast ever from 1968 through 1978. The stations pioneering attitude gave way to an unbelievable amount of creativity that has fueled the stations historic and legendary status that many of its loyal listeners will never forget.

Tom Donahue circa 1967 at KMPX-FM.

This crew of radio pioneers who would be responsible for electrifying the airwaves with a whole new sound and attitude was led by Tom Donahue. Donahue, also known as “Big Daddy”, was referred to as the father of progressive radio and was an executive and on-air DJ for San Francisco radio stations KMPX and KSAN during the late Sixties through the Seventies. He truly helped to invent “Free-Form” radio with its long cuts, new artists and no holds barred commentary. At the time Free Form helped to bring to the forefront the largely ignored FM band and played a large role revolutionizing radio broadcasting in America.

KSAN Jive 95 proudly joins, KCBS, KGO, KFRC, KNBR and KSFO as the newest Legendary Station in the BARHOF. As you may notice, all of the other Legendary Stations are on the AM Band, KSAN is the very first FM station to be awarded the Legendary status.

To celebrate KSAN’s induction into this prestigious radio station group there will be two public events held in June. A KSAN Jive 95 Reunion Concert will be held on Wednesday, June 4th, at Yoshi’s in San Francisco to benefit the California Historical Radio Society and its’ Bay Area Radio Hall Of Fame. The featured artists for the “KSAN Reunion Concert” will be Big Brother and the Holding Company, Country Joe McDonald, Cold Blood with Lydia Pense and special guest Rick Stevens, the Imperial Messenger Service with special guests, and others to be announced. KSAN played an important part in making these groups famous by featuring their music.

Simply put, KSAN Jive 95 Radio had the creativity, the inspirational talent, spirit and now some wonderful memories of a great radio station. Looking at the bigger picture, and as a dedication to all of those who played a role in this phenomenal on-air carnival for over decade, this Motley Crew of radio junkies didn’t just allow KSAN to be a great radio station but arguably one of the most extraordinary radio stations ever in the history of radio.

 

Nolan Apostle is a co-founder and Chief Editor of Event City and the Event City Premier Magazine. He has worked in numerous industries wearing a multitude of hats over the course of his career. He has worked as a Videographer, Producer, Photographer, Concert Promoter, Event Developer, Manager, Writer, Journalist, Marketing Director, Artist Management (Painters and Musicians), Ambiance Director, Educator, Tradeshow Manager, Props & Sets Designer, Catering Manager, Food & Beverage Director, and more. During his earlier years he ran a local radio station which he and friend started in Daly City California. It was short lived (about 5 months) when they received a unannounced visit from the FCC and local authorities at their broadcasting location. It’s Only Rock’n’Roll but he loves it!

 

Bay Area Radio Hall Of Fame Tickets, events and concert information:

Besides tickets to the concert there will be a VIP Reception with the musicians held at 6:00 p.m. at Yoshi’s. Tickets are $49 for the concert and $150 for the VIP reception and concert. Buy tickets here. The VIP package includes a VIP reception with the artists, premium seating at Yoshi’s, a KSAN Live Jive CD, a KSAN Reunion Poster, and a KSAN Reunion T-shirt.

Then on Thursday, June 5th, at 11:30 am, the Bay Area Broadcast Legends will feature the induction of KSAN into the BARHOF and a KSAN Reunion Panel Discussion as part of its’ Spring Luncheon at Spenger’s in Berkeley. The panel will include Bonnie Simmons, Scoop Nisker, Terry McGovern and Norman Davis. Ben Fong-Torres will host the discussion. Tickets are $47.25 for a great lunch and once in a lifetime event.Buy tickets here.

In addition, the CD and digital download project called “KSAN’s Live Jive” containing historic music rarities from KSAN’s extensive live music broadcast archives is now a benefit for the California Historical Radio Society and its’ Bay Area Radio Hall Of Fame. The Co-Executive producers of “KSAN’s Live Jive” are Kenny Wardell and Jim Draper.  To order a copy of the KSAN Live Jive CD please visit their website at KSAN’s Live Jive.

 

Yoshi’s SF is located at 1330 Fillmore St., SF, 94115 – between Eddy St. and Geary Blvd.
Their phone number is (415) 655-5600 – Parking downstairs – Entrance on Eddy St.

 

MAKER FAIRE 2014 –YEAR OF THE MAKER

By Nolan Apostle
Producer, Contributing Editor and Photographer
Event City Premier Magazine

  

What is the Maker Faire?  At the Event City Creative several of us have been big Maker fans over the years and this reporter has attended almost every year since its inception in 2006. Although I’ve missed a couple of years due to personal reasons, my conviction and dedication to the Maker Faire – DIY (Do It Yourself) genre, and the immense amount of creative talent, positive attitudes and eclectic inventive ideas on display at this event – well simply put, as the Rolling Stones would say, “Wild horses couldn’t drag me away”. I would have to be laid out on a gurney to miss another Faire again.

To give you a fair definition of this eclectic festival of talent is a most difficult task, but one that we sure had fun defining. After talking with hundreds of Makers and attendees over the years we have come up with what we believe defines the Bay Area Maker Faire:

“A Creative’s Disneyland rolled into a

Futuristic Music Festival of the Arts & Sciences.”

Well that’s one definition of Maker Faire. The festival itself defines it as “Part science fair, part county fair, and part something entirely new”, whatever you might decide it is, Maker Faire is certainly a different type of edutaining, an all-ages gathering of tech enthusiasts, tinkerers, inventors, crafters, educators, engineers, electronic wizards, science clubs, hobbyists, authors, artists, students, and even an interesting collection of commercial exhibitors. All of these “makers” come together at a Maker Faire event to show-off their wares, whatever they may be and to possibly help you learn more by sharing what they have learned.

Maker Faire launched in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2006 as a tiny display of DIY enthusiasts demonstrating their ideas, inventions and creative projects. The interest and excitement of this genre, if you can even label it a “genre”, has done nothing but spiral into an incredible adventure where one can see and most importantly, experience, the entire Maker community first hand in all its glory. Last year at the San Mateo (San Francisco Bay Area) Maker Faire the crowds were spectacular and truly as gigantic as some of the displays at the Faire itself – over 120,000 attendees showed up over the weekend to take in this grand event – and most of those we spoke with said they would be returning without a doubt as long as the Maker Faire existed!

Wow! Can one believe the incredible growth of an event that offers such a wide array of experiences with a general ticket price ranging from $17.50 to $60.00? The popularity of the Maker Faire expanded greatly over a short time and soon took over the entire San Mateo Events Center within a few years. Now almost a decade into the sprawling event its legions of aspiring makers, educators, moms, dads, sons and daughters and many others come to participate in hands-on activities and learn new skills at the event. A record 195,000 people attended the two flagship Maker Faires in the Bay Area and New York in 2013, with 44% of attendees first timers at the Bay Area event, and 61% in New York. If you plan on going to the Faire here is some information to help you get there and around the San Mateo area. The Maker Faire is certainly family friendly – 50% attend the event with their children and many come from all parts of Northern California. Just last year alone there were 98 independently-produced Mini and Featured Maker Faires taking place around the world, including Tokyo, Rome, Santiago, and Oslo.

This years Maker Faire is expected to be the largest Maker Faire to date! Could it reach 150,000? Why is it so popular? Could it be that the event is primarily designed to be forward-looking showcase for Makers who are exploring new forms and new technologies. But the Faire is not just for those involved in technical fields; Maker Faire features innovation and experimentation across the spectrum of science, engineering, art, performance and craft.

The Maker Faire is an exciting and extremely entertaining event filled with an extremely diverse audience, and a fascinating, fun, curious mix of people who enjoy learning and who love sharing what they can do. It’s a venue for makers to show examples of their work and interact with an audience that can be just as eclectic as the makers themselves. All of this could be the result of the popularity explosion of this event, and as it continues to grow it will continue to present a tremendous opportunity for everyone who visits the Maker Faire; opportunities to learn, to grow, to walk away feeling real good about yourself, about your abilities to go out there and to do “something” regardless of what it might be. Some say it is an event that can easily become one’s obsession, as far fetched as that might be, it is an event that really does allow you to feel real good about yourself. Once you attend a Maker Faire one thing is certain, whether you become addicted to the eclectic fun and creative and inspirational atmosphere or not, you will come to appreciate the 950+ Makers displaying their projects and not only walk away learning something new, but truly, you will feel much better about yourself and that alone will urge you to return the following year for a whole different, but certainly just as positive, experience!

Maker Faire is brought to you by Maker Media.  Maker Media publishes MAKE magazine, produces Maker Faire, and offers DIY electronics, tools, kits, and books through its online and pop-up Maker Shed stores.

The Maker Faire Official App is available for iPhone and Android devices. You can download it here.
Event City is the new online Community for the Events & Creative Industries supporting the talent and projects within the Special Events, Hospitality, Music, Entertainment, Film and all Inventors and the full spectrum of the Arts. The Event City Creative Magazine is the online publication supporting Event City and the Event City Network. Event City launches in Q4 2014.

Here is a Maker Faire Sneak Peak for you:

Makerspace on Wheels: Building the Hackmobile

http://makezine.com/2014/05/06/makerspace-on-wheels-building-the-hackmobile/

The “Ultimate Maker Vehicle” is revealed at Maker Faire on Saturday, May 17^th, 2014

 

The Hypnotic Grooves of the Sand Noise Device

This is what you get when you combine a box of sand with a Microsoft Kinect, an overhead projector, and a series of illuminated pucks?

 

 

Test Your Skills at the Game of Drones Aerial Sports Competition

The Game of Drones is announcing the launch of our their official drone sports competition at the San Francisco Bay Area Maker Faire, on May 17 and 18 at the San Mateo Fairgrounds. Check it out, this is pure, unadulaterated, MAKER FUN!!

Game of Drones is excited to announce the launch of our official drone sports competition at Maker Faire Bay Area, taking place on May 17 and 18 at the San Mateo Fairgrounds. The Aerial Action Sports League (AASL) aims to be the premiere drone sports competition, showcasing pilot skills, engineering prowess, and technology innovation through aerial combat, flying obstacle courses, and other fun drone games.

More to come on the Event City Creative Magazine.

ETIQUETTE FOR MUSICIANS ATTENDING NAMM

By Cindy Faust

Writer/Reporter
Event City Premier Magazine
magazine@eventcity.net

 

WHAT TO SAY OR NOT DO WHILE AT NAMM

“I deserve an endorsement!   My band is the best ever!”  The most unoriginal and all too repetitive cry heard continuously for the full four days at the NAMM Convention being held January 23 – 26 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim California.  The company representatives, exhibitors working NAMM have the patience of Saints and the uncanny ability to politely smile and listen to every single ‘Pop Star’ describe why they deserve to receive products free of charge. If you’re lucky enough to be one of the 95,000 attendees at the NAMM Convention this year, it is important you follow some important advice as well as your heart to this glorious tradeshow for the musical and artistic. Besides a playground filled with all the latest and greatest being offered for to the music industry, it is a place to cut deals, all kinds of deals, all music related and some of them are pretty major.

The purpose of NAMM is commodities, marketing and branding.  Manufactures and retailers have the opportunity to communicate directly and build relationships.  Equipment is on display, products that even the most colorful of imaginations would have a hard time conjuring up, all types of services, demonstrations, lectures and classes are all offered during the NAMM Show.  Networking opportunities abound.  Members of NAMM pay their dues; Manufacturers pay for their booth space, transportation, insurance, salaries/commission and per diem to their employees.  The purpose behind this convention is to make money, not give away merchandise.

So why do so many musicians treat this event as an opportune time to beg?  After years of attending this convention, I have observed the most frequent mistakes made by musicians.  I have taken the time out to humbly share with you a tad bit of advice so that you may possibly leave a lasting impression upon someone, respect their time for the reason they are there, learn more about what is out there – the latest and greatest, and perhaps to even secure an endorsement in the future.

1)      Attitude – Remember the old saying “You catch more flies with honey.”?  This is not the time to be ‘cool’, ‘unapproachable’ or ‘arrogant’.  Smile, be friendly and say “Hello” to people.  You never know who that person is that you just snubbed.   They could possibly make you or break you.

2)      Don’t expect everyone to know who you are.  This rule applies to those who are even ‘Stars’.  For example, you may be famous Jazz artist having a conversation with someone who only works with Classical musicians.  That person may not have a clue who you are, your accomplishments, current projects or level of fame.  For up and coming musicians, just accept the fact that very few people know who you are.  You might be famous in your home town but until you sell millions of dollars’ worth of music, merchandise, and headline sell-out shows in large venues, you are an ‘unknown’.

3)      “Give me, give me, give me.”  Don’t say these words to anyone!    I am sure the thought of “Why should I give you anything?” runs like a continuous loop through the minds of many product representatives.  If you truly want to discuss the possibility of endorsements, obtain the proper contact information and dismiss yourself quickly.  Let the representatives do their job which is marketing their products to ‘Buyers’.

4)      “Mind your P’s and Q’s.”   It is an old English saying when bartenders originating in the seventeenth century.  It literally means “Mind your Pints and Quarts”, in other words, don’t get wasted and act like an idiot.

5)      Germs – keep them away from everyone else.  If you are ill, you should stay home anyway.  If you become ill during your travels, use common sense.  Don’t shake hands; cover your mouth with your arm when you cough; use Kleenex when you sneeze.  Use hand sanitizer!!!

6)      Aisle Clogging – move your body out of the pathway.  Don’t stand in the middle of an aisle while people are trying to get by.  Stand off the side, you will find you won’t get trampled. Say ‘Excuse me.”  You may make a new friend when doing so.

7)      Above all, have fun but play ‘nice’.  You never know who might be watching you.

NAMM is the National Association of Music Merchants. You can become a Member of NAMM and the cost to join will depend upon your membership affiliation. The 2014 NAMM Show runs from January 23-26 in Anaheim, California. Join us this year as the world’s most important buyers and decision makers in the music industry converge on sunny Anaheim, at the music product industry’s premier event. The NAMM Show is where brands are built, legends are created and deals are made. At EVENT CITY you will see much more direct information about products, services and what exhibitors and attendees alike have to say about their experience at many conventions representing all of the Events & Creative Industries.

About the Author:  Cindy Faust is the latest addition to the Event City Premier Magazine’s entourage of Writers and Reporters who are Journalists with real experience in the industries they write about. Ms. Faust has over thirty years’ experience in the music industry.  She works with talent of all levels from the unknown to the famous, local to international.  Cindy’s passion is to share her observations, knowledge and experience with the Event City audience. She hopes to induce comedy into her musings as she feels humor grabs attention and leaves impressions. She is the Enchantress and Owner of Alchemy By Faust, LLC a professional Talent Management and Booking Agency. She also is available for public speaking gigs, and is a pretty good vocalist as well.

 

JOURNEY DONATES $350K TO SUPPORT PHILIPPINES

JOURNEY Supports Frontman Arnel To Raise Funds for Philippine Disaster Relief

The rock’n’roll group Journey and other Music Industry entities have donated more than $350K to the Philippines Disaster Relief in an effort to directly provide help for the recovery efforts. Lead singer of the group, Arnel Pineda, is Filipino and is taking charge in the recovery efforts to help his country any way he can. Read the article appearing in Classic Rock Magazine. Kudos to Journey for stepping up and playing a vital role in these efforts to support their Bandmate Arnel and the Philippines!

Here’s a link to Arnel Pineda’s Press Conference in the Philippines to support Relief efforts for the World Food Programme. Click here to see the Press Conference. 

Our prayers are with all of those in the Philippines who are in dire need.

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*** BAY AREA EXCLUSIVE – BATKID saves San Francisco! Make A Wish transforms our City by the Bay into Gotham City. Watch the exclusive video just released of the Song For Miles – “IF I COULD FLY”!

BatKid Saves San Francisco as Event City Launches Music Channel “LetsPlay”

By Nolan Apostle
Producer, Contributing Editor and Photographer
Event City Premier Magazine

Let’s Play™ is a featured channel to debut in Q1 2014 on the Event City Network™ during the company’s Live Launch. It will allow Bands, Musicians and Performers to showcase their talents on Event City™ and other areas within the Event City family of websites. It will give all members of Event City the opportunity to see the great talent available through our Events & Creative Community Portal.

Here’s a sample of what Let’s Play is all about – a video and song written by San Francisco Songwriter, Jimi Shawndi, for MILES, the BATKID who stole the hearts of the world when Make-A-Wish Foundation asked him what he wished for, Miles replied, “I want to be Batman for a day”. So BatKid was born and transposed San Francisco into Gotham City! Take a listen to “IF I COULD FLY” Song for Miles and let us know what you think of this local musician’s work. Maybe it will be your song featured by Event City on Let’s Play!

To have your music and videos showcased in our pre-launch and to be included in this future project please send your request to our Music Channel Beta.

Enjoy and Let’s Play™!