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Showing posts from 2013

Saying It With Music: Happy Holidays!

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"Happy Holidays to everyone! I know that many of you use Spotify at work or at home to listen to music, so I created a Spotify "there's something for everyone" Christmas / holiday playlist for you to play throughout the holidays…. This and some eggnog and you're good to go!" ho ho ho yo! Seasons Greetings! : ) DJ Matt Cornwall We concur. We have all picked our favorite songs - let us know yours! Wishing you a wonderful Holiday! Janet

Event Report: The Unveiling of the Pacific Ballroom in Long Beach

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Dear Friends, Since we were the lucky first to produce an event in the new Pacific Ballroom in Long Beach, we thought we share experience and thoughts with you. After all, many asked us privately already: "How did you like working in the new arena?" The answer in a nutshell: it was a great experience in a great location. Creative Director Greg Holford: "The best part was working with the people at Long Beach. Their passion for the project; their support of us throughout the project. Although it was amazing to launch the arena, I will remember most of all the amazing people of the Long Beach staff." Here some images of our decor, shot by Nadine Froger Photography. Janet Elkins: "I concur with Greg! The team from Long Beach was so passionate about all the technology invested in the arena and "doing it right ".  We shared the goal to create an event the guests will talk about for a long time." Director of Event and

Live from Texas: REO Speedwagon

Ladieeees and Gentleman - Live from Texas, a little later this week: REO Speedwagon! We are really happy to get a chance to work with this iconic American band. Our guests are the Heartland salesforce of a large American corporation and the event location is a large city in Texas, Ted Bowers and Greg Holford agreed, this crowd will love a classic rock band. Some research confirmed our thoughts. Even though REO hits date back to the 70ties and 80ties, Pollstar told us, that REO still rank amongst the Top Grossing 20 Tours for 2013 and sell out consistently. With dates booked well into the middle of next year, they pack their venues and are considered "one of the best live acts around". In short, they deliver an amazing show and are a true crowd pleaser for all ages. REO just uploaded this little known song that will inspire our guests to persevere through ups and downs in their business world: "Roll with The Changes". "REO Speedwagon conjures such gr

Celebrating the Holidays in FIESTA Style!

Dear Friends, We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and Hanukkah Holiday weekend We are yet again revving up for an event: our very own company holiday party tonight. Since Los Angeles is the most international metropolitan area in the world, we followed global influences by choosing the favorite Mexican restaurant of a good German friend as the location for our fiesta. DJ Matt selected the appropriate music! "I'm not sure if Janet and the good folks of EventWorks know that Mexican food happens to be my favorite so I am extra excited to celebrate with them tonight at their annual Holiday party! To help us with the fiesta, I'm importing some fun, flavorful sounds from Mexico's new music makers, Nortec Collective and Fussible and their lively, spirited "Tijuana Sound Machine!" Felices Fiestas!"  : ) DJ Matt Cornwall Wishing you all an equally fun week! Saludos desde Los Angeles! Janet ___________________________________________________

Following April Joy Gulley's COUNTDOWN TO UGANDA

Dear Friends, We are much in awe of our friend April's courage, determination and resolve to truly make a difference in the life of Mahadi and his friends at the Wakiso School of Hope. She started her 501 (c) 3 earlier this year, The Bernie Project. Their vision starts with stabilizing the most essential basics—nutrition, hygiene, health and education for the children at the Wakiso School of Hope in Wakiso, Uganda. It takes little to make a huge difference in Wakiso! What can $32.00 do in Uganda?  It can: Feed one child for 5.5 weeks or Provide Menstrual Kits for 2 girls for a year or Provide Hygiene Kits for 3 kids for a 3 months or Give Malaria Treatment for 4 kids We are doing our teeny-tiny part to help by spreading the word.  There are many ways you can support the children of Wakiso.  Starting with as little as $10 a month you can become a "Bernie's Buddy". Make a One Time Donation. $25 can feed a child three healthy meals a day

Countdown to Long Beach Arena Re-Opening: See You in 60 Hours!

Dear Friends, As you read this, we are loading in and setting up, just hours to go until the doors open and the curtains go up on the brand new Pacific Ballroom. We will be posting to Instagram and Facebook so you can see what the new arena looks like. Check it out:  http://instagram.com/eventworksla and www.facebook.com/eventworksla . Our excitement is shared by the artists who will make the night sizzle! So much so, that they sent us 15-second-soundbites! Our Creative Director, Greg Holford: Archer and Hilton Farris, aka DJ and Drummer: DJ Roonie G: Check out the Arena:  http://www.sightsoundlbc.com/ . #SightSound LBC. Break a leg! Janet

Excited to Be First Production Company to Work in the new Pacific Ballroom at Long Beach Arena!

Dear Friends! We have to admit: we are excited and grateful! We are fortunate to be the first to produce an exciting event at a new state-of-the-art location: the November 20th re-opening of the Long Beach Arena, introducing the Pacific Ballroom. The Long Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau has raised 10 million dollars to turn the legendary arena into a model of modern technology. An innovative curtain and suspension system, consisting of more than 8 miles of steel cable, creates the nation's largest "flying" suspended steel-tension grid. What does this mean? The roof height can be as high as 75 feet and as low as 30 feet. The 46,000 square-foot arena can be shrunk to half its size with the movable curtain system. The grid system holds a $1.6 million LED lighting and sound system. No more need to truck all this in! Talk about cost cutting! We love working in this new arena. The technology allows us to bring in an extremely varied program for the night. As you may i

Monday Music Celebrates Janis Joplin

Dear Friends, This morning at 11:30 am, Hollywood will honor 60ties legend Janis Joplin with a posthumous Star on the Walk of Fame. Clive Davis and Kris Kristofferson will join the late Janis' siblings to celebrate the occasion. Why such an honor for a singer who only recorded 4 studio albums in her short lifetime and who's only Number One hit was released after her death? Simply, because she broke the glass ceiling and became the very first Rock Mama ever. Her style is still relevant today and our current female rock stars still draw from Janis's heritage. We dedicate today's music blog to a woman who really gave everything in every show. "Pink, Adele, Alanis Morrisette, Bonnie Raitt, Joss Stone… the list goes on and on for singers heavily influenced by the legendary Janis Joplin. Back in 1967, Janis and her band "Big Brother and the Holding Company" were chosen to perform in a new festival, based on the concept The Newport Jazz Festival, dedicate

Celebrating a Star on the Walk of Fame for Jane's Addiction

Dear Friends, Hollywood is rocking.  Local rock band Jane's Addiction will be honored this Wednesday, October 30th, with a Star on the Walk of Fame! Very appropriately, the Star will be located in front of the racy Playmates lingerie shop! We are celebrating along, choosing Jane's Addiction to start of the week! "ahhhhhhh….. the good ol' days : )  As a native Angeleno AND having been in my 20's in the glory days of the 90ies, Jane's Addiction hold a very special place in my heart. I have vivid memories of going to check out the new vibrant "interesting art band" in Hollywood clubs now way long gone, such as the basement that was "Raji's" on Hollywood Boulevard or "The Lhasa Club." Over the years, I must have seen "the Janes" dozens of times, but each time, I can tell you, those boys would not end a show unless they felt a magical occurrence transpired. They gave EVERYTHING they had every time, and for that, I

Guest Blog with a Euro Twist: Alexander Schottky

Dear Friends, We just had another chance to work with web-and-graphic-design wiz (and successful actor and voice-over artist) Alexander Schottky who created our current website look. And in case you haven't seen it in a while: it's www.eventworks.com. ⚇ Alex, thank you for taking on our latest project with 24 hours notice and delivering another 12 later! You rock! Since he does, we asked him what he listens to right now. He suggested a great get-up-and-start-the-week song: "What Does the Fox Say?" by Ylvis. The video started as a joke by two Norwegian brothers whose TV show "The Fox" is a huge hit back in the homeland. The comedy duo produced the song "as a totally stupid pop song" to promote the show. 120 MILLION YouTube hits later, the song has gone viral on a global scale. Venerable Rolling Stone magazine took notice last week! Alex: "A friend from Norway sent this to me a few weeks ago and I loved it… I am since then wondering, w

We Ended Last Week With THE FRAY - Live in Concert

Dear Friends! Just back from South Carolina, we are sending a Thank You shout out to Joe King, Isaac Slade, Dave Welsh and Ben Wysocki, aka The Fray. We had a great time at the Peace Center in Greenville, SC listening to them live on stage. "It was a great pleasure being the opening act for "The Fray." They sound as good as they did the minute they stepped foot in the spotlight. My favorite song still has to be "Over my head!" DJ Matt Cornwall Back home and wishing you all a wonderful week! Janet

Brats, Beer and Musi - We Celebrate with Ledawix

Dear Friends, Servus! We are having a real "Gaudi" (good time) this week, producing a very authentic Oktoberfest. Our live musical entertainment  is coming straight from Bavaria! Die Ledawix became famous in Germany for their musical salutes to Germany's favorite beverage: beer! We say "Hallo" to Katharina Heinz, Anderl Hintermaier, Ludwig Heislmeier, Robert Bayerstorfer, Ewald Walkerstorfer, Franzi Felsner, Stefan Haberl and Bernhard Picker. May you all be a little Bavarian this week and have a great time! Janet

Get Happy - with Pink Martini!

Dear Friends! This tune will put a smile on your face! Pink Martini is back, "Get Happy" dropped last Tuesday. They are currently playing on a European tour that includes gigs in Prague, Berlin and Bremen but they are coming to Southern California in January 2014! Get dressed and practice your moves. "From their very first record release back in 1994 to present, Pink Martini has become internationally recognized as musical masters of that bygone era of glamourous luscious big beautifully orchestrated standards and lounge. They are synonymous with the words sophistication, class and style. I've been a huge fan from day one, both because of their highly skilled talent as musicians, as well as their utterly fascinating, wildly diverse and eclectic choices of music! With songs new and old sung in German, Spanish, Japanese, Turkish, Farsi, Chinese and Romanian,  "Get Happy" gives complete new meaning to the expression "there's something in it for

Monday Music: Teenage New Artist You Need to Know: Lorde

Dear Friends, She is all over the airwaves and she recently was the special in-studio guest at KCRW: meet Lorde, just sweet 16 years old and conquering the pop world from her home base Auckland, New Zealand. And yes, she's in 12th grade, finishing Grammar School. Just a side note to Jaden Smith! "New Zealander singer/songwriter Lorde is already being compared to the likes of British soul singer Adele with her iTunes and Spotify top 10 hit "Royals." Lorde's story is pretty cool… at a mere 12 years of age, she was basically "discovered" much like an actress back in the glamorous golden age of Hollywood by a talent scout and signed barely 2 years later by Universal Records. "Royals" is a laid back super sumptuous mildly disco flavored groove with a colorful tale both sung and spoken and woven over, then buttoned up neatly with a showroom worthy hook. This version is a very nice slightly funkier remix by "Magnifik." Already a favor

We Are Happy to be Nominated for a BizBash Event Style Award

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Dear Friends! We are very grateful and excited to see our hard work acknowledged and nominated for the  BizBash Event Style Awards! Best Event Entertainment Act Amway China's Reaching New Heights Gala Producing  Reaching New Heights was a major team effort by everyone at EventWorks and our trusted partners: Todd Roberts / Visions Lighting Douglas Johnson / Entertainment Plus Rick Jobson / Technical Show Management Greg Russell / Tandem Digital Ian Seeberg / Screen Rhythm David Flad / Q1 Designs, Inc. Sound: 3G Productions, Video Projection: DWP Live, 3D Flying System: Flying by Foy, Production Hawaii, Hawaii Stage and Lighting. We are looking forward to seeing our friends from BizBash, fellow nominees and colleagues at the BizBash IdeaFest on October 30th in New York City. Gratefully Yours, Janet

New and Exciting Music from Sir Paul McCartney!

Dear Friends, There is a reason to look forward to fall! Paul McCartney is releasing "New" on October 15th and reviewers are falling all over themselves. As an event industry person you may ask: "Can he still play?" - Yes, he can! He attracted over 100 000 this past May to two sold-out arena concerts in Mexico City and he headlines the I ♥ Radio Festival in Las Vegas on September 21st. Not bad for a grandpa! "I'm always so thrilled when I find out that many of the world's most influential and gifted music makers of every walk of life are still doing what they do best… making great music. Paul McCartney is back and sounding better than ever with his new release due this October simply entitled "New." With nods to both my favorites of his era, that of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" as well as The Wings' light hearted big 70's hits, Sir Paul, with the production backing of new wiz kid on the block Mark Ronson

Celebrating and Honoring Barry White This Week

Dear Friends! We were very pleased to learn that Barry White will be posthumously honored with a Star on the world famous Walk of Fame this week! If in Hollywood, catch the ceremony on September 12th - it would have been his 69th birthday - at 11:30am. The Star will be located at 6914 Hollywood Blvd, across from the Dolby Theatre. That's prime Walk of Fame real estate, and the ceremony will feature Motown's Berry Gordy and widow Glodean White. We all have personal memories of Barry White. Marion met him during her music industry days and still swoons over his bass voice and kind manners. DJ Matt goes way back with the White family. Barry' love songs are classics and we are happy to celebrate him this week. "I have particularly fond memories of Barry White. When I was very very young, I went to the same school as his sons. We became good friends until I moved to a different city but we actually stayed in touch for quite some time. I will never ever forget the ti

Tuesday Music: Artists Who Just Worked With Us, The Counting Crows.

Dear Friends, Our team just returned from a production in Seattle, big smiles on their faces. We had the great luck of working in an amazing location, Frank Gehry's Experience Music Project (EMP) Museum. We cannot imagine a better place to entertain with a live concert! The acoustics are perfect! So was the band! The Counting Crows rocked the hall and all of our 1200 guests had a blast. There is nothing quite like the excitement of a live concert in a great setting but we chose The Counting Crows to start off this short week anyway! Wishing you a happy 4-day week. Janet

Monday Music: Check Out THE NEW ARTIST YOU NEED TO KNOW!

Dear Friends, DJ Matt spent the last week with us in the Pacific NorthWest, getting all the guests on the dance floor, spinning an eclectic mix of top hits, old favorites and brand new artists. We love this new artist we think you need to know! "British singer Laura Mvula is kind of in a class all her own ... at 26! She is making big, critically acclaimed splashes. Her debut album "Sing to the Moon" is a gilded tour of music's finest moments, ranging from Nelson Riddle-like, lush orchestral melodies of the 40's and 50's  to gospel, soul  and doo-wop . She weaves in and out music styles with a style all her own and the entire record is not quite like anything you've heard. I predict much more of this brand of disparate musical fusion similar to that happening at the moment in the culinary and fashion worlds!! See you on the dance floor ! " : ) DJ Matt Cornwall Wishing you an exciting week and a Happy Long Labor Day Weekend! Janet

Monday Music: Celebrate Being "ALIVE"

Dear Friends, Matt unearthed another visual and acoustic treasure. We are starting this week with a duo from Sydney and a stunning video that makes Monday morning a little easier. "The best dance songs are the simple ones in my book… the ones that simply celebrate just being alive. Australian electronic dance music imports "Empire Of The Sun" are back from a 5 year music hiatus to remind us of the simplest pleasures in life…. the joy of being alive! Plus the crazy futuristic hats and make-up that E.O.T.S are renowned for don't hurt either! Happy Monday and here's to simply saying thank you to being alive today! See you on the dance floor! " DJ Matt Cornwall We hope this gets you going today! Have a wonderful week! Janet

Monday Music: It Takes a Prince To Find King

Dear Friends, He blew us away in Los Angeles two years ago with "20 One Night Stands", a series of concerts in the Los Angeles area, all announced very short notice and with tickets sold at very affordable prices. Prince, always an enigma, generously invited many artist friends to participate or open up his set, including Whitney Houston, Esperalda Spaulding and longtime collaborator Sheila E. While in town, Prince came across KING, three young ladies singing Soul. And as they say, the rest is history! "You know something special is brewing musically when the likes of none other than "Prince" not only takes notice of you, but agrees to support and mentor. Meet the ladies of Los Angeles based group "King." Apparently this trio of singers were "discovered" by Prince while browsing the web one night and listening  to their EP "The Story."  He was so impressed in fact, that in addition to free direction and advice, he also asked

We Think You Should Know About OZ

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Dear Friends, We recently attended the AEP Worldwide Conference in Las Vegas to meet friends, check out new entertainment ideas and mingle. It was a fun-filled two days with lots of great showcases. And as things in business tend to happen by chance, we learned something really interesting during a lunch table chat with Carmen Tomassetti, CEO of World Entertainment Productions and multi-tasking event professional. As an event insider, Carmen very much understands our industry's IT needs. We are all always on the run and we juggle gazillions of details. But while we may gripe about our logistics problems, Carmen decided to design a better software. It's called OZ and it's the only software you will need to run your company! OZ integrates every step, it's a virtual office in cloud computing and it runs on everything! OZ generates contracts, invoices and thank-you notes. It works on tablets, smart phones and computers and it's all cloud based. Carmen offers a 20

Monday Music: Verve Remixed - The First Ladies

Dear Friends, We just love it that Marlena Shaw, born 1942, is considered one of the hottest singers by the ultra-cool hip hop producers and DJs in the country! Check out "Woman of The Ghetto" - remixed by Flume's Jackin' House. "Verve Remixed is a series of albums made of tracks of famous mainly Jazz singers of yesteryear that are remixed by many of today's popular electronic and DJ music producers and makers and that have met with great success for the past 11 years straight. You've probably heard many of these tunes whilst standing in line at a Starbucks and definitely at an event I've dj'd ! ; ) Their latest series, out this month, is entitled " The First Ladies" and it is dedicated solely to some of the greatest Jazz singer divas the World has ever known, and getting touched up , remixed and set ablaze! My favorite so far : Marlena Shaw "Woman of the Ghetto" getting the redux by hot new music makers "Flume"

Monday Music: There is A New Mayer in Town!

Dear Friends, Hot Summer temperatures get DJ Matt Cornwall going! Since he was a 100% right predicting the success of Daft Punk and Icona Pop, listen up! Check out Matt's selection for today! Mayer Hawthorne with "Her Favorite Song". "With his latest album, "Where Does This Door Go" Mayer Hawthorne has officially moved beyond just being a sort of throwback soul singer and become a masterful genre-melting pop artist who seems to be coming into his own as a songwriter and arranger just in time to achieve major mainstream success… and he will.. This record has it all… think 70's style Steely Dan meets Marvin Gaye with hip hop and new R&B elements as the backbeat. Watch out Justin Timberlake, looks like there's a new Mayer in town ; ) " ~ DJ Matt Cornwall Happy to notice that EventWorks is not the only dog loving company! Wishing you a great week, Janet

Monday Music with Guest April Gulley: The Bernie Project

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Dear Friends, The story we are sharing with you this Monday is very dear to me personally. Our friend and colleague April Gulley is about to make a very big change in her life - and the lives of 250 children in Uganda! It all happened because one photo, featuring two little Ugandan kids, touched April's heart. April: "My friend Jen Gash returned from a Sweet Sleep mission to Uganda with a photo. We thought it was two little girls and my sister and I nicknamed them Bernie and Tasha. A few months later I had the chance to travel with Sweet Sleep to the Wakiso School of Hope and meet "Bernie. Bernie is a boy and his name is Mahadi." The weeks spent in Uganda helping children changed April's life. Her dream to do more than just visit was born. This summer, April launched a non-profit organization, The Bernie Project, she is moving to Uganda by the end of this year and she will dedicate her strength, energy and soul. The Bernie Project’s inaugural initiat

Pleased to Present: Chris Gerstenblatt, New President of ISES Greater Los Angeles Chapter

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Dear Friends, We are very proud of our hard working event producer, Chris Gerstenblatt, who was just elected and inducted as President of ISES Greater Los Angeles Chapter. Chris will volunteer his work for the next two years to foster enlightened performance through education while promoting ethical conduct. (Mission Statement). We asked a few questions! What do you hope to achieve during your tenure? Chris: I hope to  1.) Build upon the existing Membership of the organization. 2.)  Develop a strong “Student Membership” program to local college and university students in the Special Events Industry. 3.)  Continue current programs such as Cocktails & Conversations, Meet the Masters and Taste of ISES LA.and 4.)  Help implement the 2013 “ISES” Branding elements. What do you most look forward to as President? Chris: The thing I am most excited about during my tenure as President will be the interaction with all the existing members as well as new members within ISES. I als

Monday Music: Celebrating Summer with A Chill Tune!

Dear Friends, We asked DJ Matt to go seasonal. After all, every season has it's own food, fashion, activities and, of course, matching music. Let's hear it for Summer! Matt: "So far, the beginning of Summer 2013 has been abuzz with great music from all fronts, with a notable trend towards what some refer to as "chill wave". Gaining much acclaim and otherwise attention is the new release from this artist known as "Washed Out " (for those of you familiar with the comedy series "Portlandia", the dreamy, ethereal opening music is one of his songs.  "It all feels right" is the first single and already in heavy airwave rotation. I'll be putting together a list of my favorite "summertime music" and would love it if you do as well and share it with me! This one will be high on the list. Give it a listen and see if it feels like summer to you!" Happy swaying ~ DJ Matt Cornwall Please do send Matt your favorit

Just in Time for the Holiday: A Happy End!

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Dear Friends,  Everyone loves a Happy End and we have really happy news regarding our rescued stray dog Alice! If you  "like" us on Facebook you have heard about the little terrier mix that had been roaming the streets around our offices. On June 9th, our floral team rescued the puppy – she is about 5 months old now-  off the streets. Florist Melissa Cowley promised to take her home to foster her, but she needed to be kept safe while everyone worked.The puppy napped inside an Alice in Wonderland prop hat for the day – until she went home with Melissa that night, thus earning the nickname "Alice".  Melissa was her guardian angel, taking her to the vet, getting her cleaned up, vaccinated and treated for fleas and mites, and providing lots of love and puppy guidance. Melissa gave her a wonderful foster home as we searched for a new family, but convinced a couple in her extended family that Alice was meant for them – and she was right! Melissa: "Than

Ringing in Fourth of July with a Beautiful Star Spangled Banner

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Dear Friends! This Monday, as we all get ready to celebrate Fourth of July, we wanted to share a truly beautiful and moving version of the Star Spangled Banner with you. The performers are our friends "Who's Your Daddy A Capella with ATTITUDE"  . "I defy you to watch this and not get chills… these guys are amazing! Go daddies go!! ; "  DJ Matt Cornwall  Wishing you a wonderful holiday weekend! Janet

Please Meet Our New EventWorks Team Members!

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Dear Friends, We are interrupting Monday Music for a Special Message: please meet Kristen Rensch and learn more about the new roles of Michael Alvarado and Brynne Price. We are very pleased to present our newly formed, full-time team. Account Executive Kristen Rensch joined EventWorks a few weeks ago in our sales department. Michael Alvarado moved from Design Production Manager to Account Executive and Brynne Price is now a full-time Event Manager. All are joining our office team members of many years. Please meet Kristen, Michael and Brynne on our website  and hopefully in person soon!  Kristen Rensch With nearly 15 years of experience in a variety of roles within the larger events industry, Kristen brings to the Eventworks team a background in Customer Relations, Marketing & Communications, and Event Management. Her perspective as both an event planner and supplier across a range of industries and platforms – from tradeshows and special events to private aviation - cou

Monday Music: Meet DJ Matt Cornwall!

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Dear Friends, We started to put a little musical pep into your Mondays in September 2011 but we have never formally introduced DJ Matt Cornwall - we are really lacking in manners! Very late but better than never: please meet DJ Matt Cornwall! We love him because he is like a walking Wikipedia of Music and he has a wonderful knack for the mood and the moment, getting it just right. While he works with us a lot, he also has some other small companies amongst his clients, like Apple, the Academy Awards, Golden Globes, Toyota, Starwood Hotels and the list goes on. Contact him and book him:  matt@mattcornwall.com   Phone: 323.547.2705 "Music is the breath of life and is a vital ingredient to any successful event. Similar to great décor, location and great food, music is an integral part of the overall design, keeping it fluid, fun, interesting, creating ambience and overall seeing the event - and whatever theme it may have - through. Having a DJ vs an iPod or programmed music

Monday Music: Watch Out for Robert Delong - NEW ARTIST.

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Dear Friends, Matt predicted the phenomenal success of Daft Punk's return so listen up! He just unearthed a new "Artist to Know": Robert DeLong. "I would not be where I am today as a DJ were it not for the phenomenal world-renowned hand picked musical programming on Los Angeles based public radio station KCRW. Jason Kramer is one of those music selector/dj's whom I met many years ago whilst calling the station one night screaming their praises and we have been great friends ever since. Jason is also a music supervisor at Elias Arts in Los Angeles and has a weekly music showcase for up and coming talent. The electronic one-man band Robert Delong - hailing from the suburbs of Seattle - stopped by The Elias Arts studios for an intimate recording and conversation with Jason. With a background in drums, DeLong’s music culls from indie rock, house, electronica, EDM and moombahton. He was recently tapped as the ‘2013 Artist to Watch’ by MTV, Billboard and VIBE.

Grateful to See Our Amway China Event Featured in Special Events Magazine

Dear Friends, We are happy to share Page 9 of the May issue of Special Events: EventWorks Creates a Big Show for Amway China Thank you. Lisa Hurley, for covering the story of our event! We could not have done it without the help of many collaborators, especially Todd Roberts/Visions Lighting, Greg Russell/Tandem Digital, Doug Johnson/E-Plus Productions and Rick Jobson/Technical Show Management. All together we managed to create the illusion of a spaceship launch, transporting the dinner gala guests into the stratosphere for the evening as just one segment of an event filled with entertainment and special effects. Mahalo for viewing and Aloha! Janet

Monday Music: We Are Letting The Good Times Roll!

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Dear Friends, "What I'm gonna do to you - I betcha like it" - Troy "Shorty Trombone" Andrews will get you going this morning!  DJ Matt caught the bug in New Orleans where our team just let the good times roll in the French Quarter. "Eventworks and I just wrapped up a great week in my favorite of all music meccas, New Orleans. As if that doesn't get any better for yours truly, I was also the opening act for "Nola's" new reigning King of jazz/funk/rock/hiphop… or simply, the "New Orleans Sound" as I like to call it ! Troy Andrews, aka "Shorty Trombone", began his musical career at the tender age of 6, playing trombone, and he hasn't stopped since, playing for the past 25 years with the Neville Brothers and performing as the featured member of Lenny Kravitz's horn section.  He has been touted as one of New Orleans' greatest music stars ! As I always like to say: "keep it funky and nobody gets bored.

Help Soldiers - Send Coffee to Afghanistan!

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Dear Friends! Welcome back from the long Memorial Day Weekend! We are interrupting the Monday Music because very coincidentally we got a true reality check a few days ago that made us think about Memorial Day in a very different way. Our Production Manager Carolyn Vasi shared her nephew's news with us last week. Tony - bottom right in the photo - is a Staff Sergeant in our Armed Forces and he just got re-deployed to Afghanistan where he and his dozen comrades are working the night shift in a camp near Mazar-e-Sharif, Balkh Province. It's a hot, dry, very uncomfortable place and Tony asked his family for one thing: GOOD, STRONG COFFEE! Carolyn and her sister sent a big package this past weekend and we will keep sending care packages to Tony to help him stay awake with a good cup of strong java. We checked with an experienced Colonel to find out what else we should send. Here his reply: "Anything that doesn't melt in the heat! Beef jerky is really good. Che

Monday Music: Check Out The Current # ONE Dance Floor Hit

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Dear Friends! We Facebook-stalked Matt this past week as he jet-setted through Latin America, and asked him what gets the guests moving in Peru. Turns out that the top tune is from Sweden, clear polar opposite to Matt's geographical location; truly global! Get up and dance: here is Icona Pop with "I Love It". I've just returned from a very exciting action packed week dj'ing a global incentive trip in Peru and had the pleasure of playing for the most internationally represented dance floor ever. As usual, there always seems to be one stand out song that works for everyone, and in this case, everyone from around the world! This year's international dance floor filler goes to Swedish Pop duo "Icona Pop" with their song " I love it " featuring British recording artist "Charli XCX." "I Love It" is textbook pop perfection: a track so mood-transforming, so replayable, and so endlessly gratifying that anybody who dared

Monday Music Goes Live!

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Dear Friends! It feels a lot like summer and we are in the mood for fun. While discussing musical memories we all got nostalgic about seeing our favorite bands live. DJ Matt agrees! Nothing tops swaying to the beat in front of a stage, surrounded by like-minded fans. One of the best summer festivals, Hangout 2013 in Gulf Shores, Alabama, is coming up this month! The line-up includes many top names. Here one of the headliners to rock your Monday: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers "The Digital Age. Surely more than a few record execs have wept mulling over that phrase. Streaming services and YouTube have taken over. One-hit wonders of past generations have sold more albums than some of today's biggest artists. Indeed the times they are a-changin. But guess what's standing firm in the midst of rampant music piracy? It's live music! It's irreplaceable in my opinion. Even with our fancy 3D, HD TV's and our thundering surround sound systems, it doesn't matt

For All the Moms: Floral Design Secrets Revealed!

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Dear Friends, 6 days to go before it's time to spoil the mothers in our families - we thought it's a good time to check in with our floral designers to get some tips to create something fresh and easy for May 12th. Kate Brack and Michael Alvarado were happy to oblige! And we love their suggestions: work with what you have got! Rummage around the kitchen for utilitarian containers such as canning jars, simple vases and candy jars. Look in the garden for fresh blooms and greens. Put together a simple arrangement of your own. Adding herbs such as mint turns the bouquet into aromatherapy. Simple buds add interest, green leaves fill the bottom layers. Work steps: select your flowers, trim and clean them up, get organized. Select your container and be creative: let a single gorgeous flower float, mix flowers and foliage, Consider potting a few succulents for a long lasting gift. And voilà, your personal gift is ready.

Monday Music Special Treat: Desert Lady Vol. 5 by DJ Matt Cornwall

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Dear Friends, DJ Matt Cornwall has a special musical treat for us, his latest personal mix for good friends only: Desert Lady Volume 5. Put the top down and let your hair fly as you head up Route 62 to Joshua Tree! Please visit MixCloud and enjoy the music! Spring is here, and I'm happy to share with you another "Desert Lady" music mix to warm up a little with. These mixes of music originally came about at the desperate plea from a friend of mine who told me she was tired of all her music and wanted some that felt appropriate for driving to the desert to, resulting in what is now Vol. 5 (however an abbreviated version ) of this music series. Enjoy, and rejoice in (hopefully) the warmth of the sun wherever you may be! See you on the dance floor! : ) DJ Matt Cornwall We are looking forward to lazy days by desert pools! Happy Week! Janet

Monday Music Blast: The Funk Returns!

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Dear Friends! Good news for all of you out there who miss the good old times - aka the 80's! Coachella fans were abuzz on the first day of the festival with Daft Punk's return to the scene! We got the track! "Dance music fans the world over have been eagerly anticipating the return of the pioneering, dynamic duo known as "Daft Punk" …especially with their crafty musical snippet teases of tracks from the fourth coming full release "Random Access Memories " available May 21st. The first track to be released and now available on iTunes,  ‘Get Lucky’ is an incredibly casual, laid-back disco groove destined to become one of the summer’s defining sounds. Gliding across a shimmering, instantly recognizable Nile Rodgers guitar riff and a light electronica pulsation courtesy of the "robots," (or Daft Punk in their signature reknown robot regalia ; ) Pharrell lays on his velvety smooth, if not slightly off-key vocals across the track. The enlistme

Happy to Present Our New Street Scene Graffiti Design

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Dear Friends! We are interrupting the musical program for an important message.  We were recently tasked with the production of a 3-hour post award gala party in San Diego that needed to be fun, fresh, innovative and interactive. Event Producer Chris Gerstenblatt came up with a new theme: Street Scene Graffiti! The challenge: designing the custom artwork -- 12 steel walls, 12 brick walls, and 25 oil drums in all!  So our in-house art department went to work. Maria, René and art director Frankie turned the EventWorks grounds into a graffiti art studio. We are very proud of their achievement and feel that the colorful results give everyone a happy start to the week!   Event Manager Brynne Price reports: "The party was a full success. All the décor created a really urban "Downtown" playful atmosphere that encouraged the 800 guests to participate, including “tagging” the communal tables with permanent markers we provided. So fun! Guests also loved the interactiv

Aloha Jake Shimabukuro! The Ukulele Star will rock your View of Hawaiian Music!

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Aloha! DJ Matt is off to Kauai for work and we are jealous - and thinking about the islands. Hawaiian music is usually associated with thoughts of Iz and "Somewhere over the Rainbow" but there is way more! We love this ultra modern, internationally acclaimed Honolulu based Ukulele God who will change your way of thinking, too! "I'm off to DJ another exciting incentive trip, this time on the breathtakingly gorgeous island of Kauai and as always, am eager to soak up some of the local music! If you haven't considered that during your travels, I highly recommend doing so! It's a great way to experience the culture of whatever place you're in, in addition to the usuals, (sightseeing, food and drink etc : ) Hawaiian native Ukulele wizard Jake Shimabukuro should be considered a national treasure! His ability to rock the ukulele is like no other, and has been compared to the likes of Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, and Miles Davis.  He has played everywhere and