Ei WADA Invites His #1 Fan On Stage And Plays Them LIVE

Ondalinda in Mexico drops stacked lineup (Mayan Warrior, HVOB, Sabo, Blond:Ish)

Ondalinda x Careyes from Ondalinda X Careyes on Vimeo.

Burning Man EXCLUSIVE - Andrew Jorgensen for The Confluence

Andrew Jorgensen for The Confluence

Observe, “Ready to print” Burning Man 2016 images through the eyes of talented photographer, Andrew Jorgensen, courtesy of The Confluence:

ANDREW JORGENSEN BIO

For the last ten years, internationally renowned professional freelance photographer Andrew Jorgensen has transformed the way live music and festivals have been viewed across the globe.  Pairing a camera with his aesthetic of highly-saturated, dramatic imagery and a captivating eye, Jorgensen has proven himself to be one of the premiere live event photographers in the world.

Based in San Diego, CA, Jorgensen has traversed festivals far and wide through a compelling lense to capture stolen moments, breathtaking installations, sprawling panoramas and priceless memories. Averaging 12-13 festivals annually, his specialization lies in finessing the emotive environment of the festival landscape and, conveying to the outside world the awe-inspiring energy contained within.

The portfolio of Andrew Jorgensen is an impressive standalone testament to the unrivaled caliber of photography and dedication to his craft, as he holds in-house media team positions for several top music festivals in the United States including Coachella Music and Arts Festival, Bonnaroo, Outside Lands in addition to shooting premier transformational festivals in North America - Lightning in a Bottle, Symbiosis and Envision Festival - Costa Rica.

A well-rounded artist, Andrew Jorgensen also shoots commercial advertising photography for a roster of clients that included Campbell’s Soup, Hilton Hotels plus several other top hospitality groups based in San Diego.

Andrew Jorgensen for The Confluence

For a glimpse through the unique vision of Andrew Jorgensen, visit his portfolio here, which contains an expansive collection of exhilarating digital works of art. 

- All Images credited to Andrew Jorgensen for The Confluence -

Women’s Audio Mission Presents Two All-Star Music Production Panels at the Audio Engineering Society Convention

San Francisco Nonprofit Advancing Women in the Recording Arts Leads AES Panels

(San Francisco, CA – August 27, 2016) – Women’s Audio Mission (WAM), a San Francisco-based nonprofit dedicated to the advancement of women in music production and the recording arts, is presenting two all-star music production panels at the 141^st Audio Engineering Society Convention in Los Angeles from September 29 – October 2^nd.

The panels will feature Grammy award-winning music producers and engineers who have worked with acclaimed artists ranging from Missy Elliott to Jay-Z to Carlos Santana to Taylor Swift. WAM Founder and Executive Director, Terri Winston, will moderate the “All-Star Album Production” panel on Thursday, September 29, 4:00-5:30PM featuring Grammy-winning engineers and producers Marcella Araica (Timbaland, Missy Elliott, Britney Spears, Madonna), Laura Sisk (Taylor Swift, Shakira, Pink), and Piper Payne (Coast Mastering), which will cover the latest work flow and production tips that create efficiency in the album-making process from pre-production to mastering, including traditional acoustic production and beat-making.

Winston will also moderate the “Platinum Vocal Production” panel on Friday, 9/30 at 1:30PM featuring Grammy-winning panelists Jimmy Douglass (Missy Elliott, Jay-Z, Timbaland), Leslie Ann Jones (Dianne Reeves, B.B. King, Carlos Santana), and Neal Pogue (Outkast, Pink, Janelle Monae), that will cover the ins and outs of producing vocal tracks for platinum hits, including recording chains, compression techniques, de-essing, and vocal editing.

WAM has been representing women and girls in the audio industry at the AES convention since 2003. Women are critically underrepresented in the audio industry. Less than 5% of the people who create the media and music heard on the radio, television, in film and on the internet are women. WAM trains over 1,200 women and girls a year in the recording arts in the only professional recording studio in the world built and run by women. AES donates a booth to WAM each year to increase the presence of women at the convention and in the industry. This year, the organization will be representing women and girls in the recording arts at Booth 1129.

“Women’s Audio Mission is very excited to present these two spectacular and diverse panels at AES,” says WAM founder, Terri Winston. “I am excited to have such amazing engineers and producers share their exceptional wisdom and expertise at AES this year.”

XLIVE 2016: Cultivating Big Ideas for Extraordinary Live Event Experiences

XLIVE- Las Vegas, NV- Transcending all things festival, music, film, culinary, eSports and technology, the world’s premiere live event production conference, XLIVE 2016, touches down in the entertainment capital of the world this December 5th -7th, 2016 at the Tropicana Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Previously known by two separate entities, International Music Festival Conference (IMFCON) and International Film Festival Summit (IFFS), XLIVE will host 140+ guest speakers, 80+ exhibitors and 40+ interactive sessions for participants to transform their perspective and understanding about the latest approaches to elevate event production and attendee experience to new, unprecedented heights.

Uniting the industry’s most brilliant minds under one roof, the 13th annual conference will bring the dynamic festival community together to share in a creative and collaborative space where attendees can explore the latest trends and share ideas within the rapid evolution of the large scale gathering phenomenon.Featured speakers at this year’s conference include: Billboard and Hollywood Reporter President John Amato, Eventbrite Co-Founder & CEO Julia Hartz, The Recording Academy Executive Director Theresa Jenkins Red Frog Events Co-CEO Ryan Kunkel, Founders Entertainment Co-Founder & Partner Jordan Wolowitz, Food Network & Cooking Channel New York City Wine & Food Festival Managing Director John Trumble, AEG/Goldenvoice VP of Global Partnerships Caroline Frye Burruss, Soundslinger/Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival Founder/Chief Creative Officer Paul Peck, Charleston Wine + Food Executive Director Gillian Zettler, Creative Artists Agency Head - CAA Culinary Andrew Chason,AEG Senior Vice President Global Partnerships Mark Faber, Newport Folk & Newport Jazz Festivals Executive Producer Jay Sweet, Live Nation VP Strategic Initiatives Tobias Ekman, C3 Presents President - Shaky Festivals Tim Sweetwood, AC Entertainment Forecastle Founder & Captain JK McKnight, ESL/Turtle Entertainment America CEO Craig Levine, Twitch VP & eSports Evangelist Andy Swanson, Airbnb Head of Global Hospitality & Strategy Chip Conley and The Confluence Founder Russell Ward -- plus a collective of many other industry leaders (full list below).

2016 participants of XLIVE can look forward to an abundance of interactive spaces in the Exhibit Hall, ripe with opportunities for networking, education, and inspiration. Boasting over 100 of the most innovative companies within the live event industry, attendees will find themselves face-to-face with game changers that are providing festival organizers with the latest tools and services to take their operations, marketing, and fan engagement strategies to the next level. Also found in the Exhibit Hall will be the Innovation/Startup Showcase,giving emerging companies a forum to demo the next generation of event solutions and technology. Tech enthusiasts will revel at the newly-designed Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality Lab, where curious cohorts may experience the latest in VR/AR technology and witness firsthand how these tools can transform future productions.

Following an enlightening jaunt throughout the Exhibition Hall, attendees can stop and recharge at Refreshment Row, a comfortable setting to enjoy a beverage while they continue to take in the experience. Sync up playlists and share favorite music with longtime and new friends in the Live Lounge area - a perfect opportunity to network in a relaxed environment complete with charging stations for laptops and mobile devices.

Encompassing a wealth of industries, XLIVE also fosters the growth of budding entrepreneurs and seasoned industry pros alike. For the first time, XLIVE will be accepting applications for up-and-coming festival organizers for the Young Festival Entrepreneur Mentorship Program aimed at grooming future festival leaders. Conversely, CEOs, Presidents, Producers and Founders can sit in at this year’s CEO Roundtable - an exclusive group of festival leaders discussing major industry trends, meeting with like-minded contemporaries, and discovering what leaders and their teams are doing to create extraordinary experiences for fans and artists that bring festivals to life.  

Ahead of XLIVE 2016, fans on both coasts can look forward to attending one of two XLIVE 2016 receptions. Held in Los Angeles (August 24th) and New York City (September 13th), the XLIVE receptions will offer up a taste of what’s to come for XLIVE 2016 and 2017.

For more information and/or to register for the convention, please check out the XLIVE website and be sure to like the XLIVE Facebook page to stay up to date on the latest news and speaker announcements.

LEARN | EXPERIENCE | ENGAGE | TRANSFORM

STAY CONNECTED:

XLIVE: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

XLIVE 2016 - Featured Speakers (more to come):

Billboard and Hollywood Reporter President John Amato ~ Eventbrite Co-Founder & CEO Julia Hartz ~ Red Frog Events Co-CEO Ryan Kunkel ~ Founders Entertainment Co-Founder & Partner Jordan Wolowitz ~ Food Network & Cooking Channel New York City Wine & Food Festival Managing Director John Trumble ~ AEG/Goldenvoice VP of Global Partnerships Caroline Frye Burruss ~ Soundslinger/Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival Founder/Chief Creative Officer Paul Peck ~ Charleston Wine + Food Executive Director Gillian Zettler ~ Creative Artists Agency Head - CAA Culinary Andrew Chason ~ AEG Senior Vice President Global Partnerships Mark Faber ~ Newport Folk & Newport Jazz Festivals Executive Producer Jay Sweet ~ Live Nation VP Strategic Initiatives Tobias Ekman ~ C3 Presents President of Shaky Festivals Tim Sweetwood ~ AC Entertainment & Forecastle Founder & Captain JK McKnight ~ ESL/Turtle Entertainment America CEO Craig Levine ~ Twitch VP & eSports Evangelist Andy Swanson ~ Airbnb Head of Global Hospitality & Strategy Chip Conley ~ AC Entertainment Vice President Strategic Partnerships Jeff Cuellar ~ WME/IMG Global Head of eSports Tobias Sherman ~ Noise Pop Industries Founder Kevin Arnold ~ Delaware North Chief Marketing Officer Todd Merry ~ City Winery CEO Michael Dorf ~ SFX Entertainment Managing Director - North America Jacob Smid ~ Anheuser Busch Global Director - Innovation Tina Wung ~ Chipotle Manager - National Events Scott Robinson ~ Osheaga Music & Arts Festival Director of Marketing & PR Sandra Rinaldi ~ Delaware North CMO Todd Merry ~ NCompass International Co-Founder & CEO/President Donna Graves ~ Robot Picnic President Philip Blain ~ SnowGlobe Music Festival Chief Marketing Officer Jeff Lesan ~ Prime Social Group Managing Director Adam Lynn ~ The RKET Group President Ryan Kruger ~ Zeitgeist Artist Management Owner Jordan Kurland ~ Eventbrite Business Strategy & Solutions Manager Biasha Mitchell ~ Country Music Association Director - Digital Strategy Meryl Johnson ~ 542 Entertainment President Billie Jo Aasen ~ City Parks Foundation General Manager - Central Park Summerstage Bruce Wheeler ~ Downtown Grand Hotel & Casino Las Vegas Chairman Seth Schorr ~ Ticketfly Head of Festivals Jeff Kreinik ~ Northside Media Group Founder Scott Stedman North Coast Music Festival Partner Max Wagner ~ Brewgaloo/Greater Raleigh Merchants Association Executive Director Jennifer Martin ~ DoStuff Media CEO Scott Owens ~ Toronto International Film Festival Branded Content Lead Evan Dell’Aquila ~ Treefort Music Fest Founder & Producer Lori Shandro Outen ~ Republic Live Sponsorship & Strategic Partnerships Adam Grosze ~ Bumbershoot Music & Arts Festival/One Reel Executive Director Chris Weber ~ Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority VP Global Business Sales Chris Meyer ~ Global Citizen Festival Event Director David Beame ~ CID Entertainment CEO Dan Berkowitz ~ VR Playhouse CEO Christina Heller ~ Eventbrite Head of Music Marketing Shana Fong ~ Gilroy Garlic Festival Executive Director Brian Bowe ~ MusicfestNW Presents Project Pabst Operations Director Matt Manza ~ The Wine & Food Foundation of Texas Executive Director Peggy Hanley ~ Kaboo Del Mar Festival SVP Marketing Brian Wingerd ~ Middle Waves Music Festival Co-Chair Alison Gerardot ~ Insomniac Events Director of Business Development Joe Silberzweig ~ Main Events International President Stephen Millard ~ Halifax Pop Explosion Festival Executive Director James Boyle ~ Fest300 Creative Director Eamon Armstrong ~ SFX Entertainment & Electric Zoo Director Adam Richman ~ TuneIn Sr. Director Artist Partnerships & Branded Content Charles Raggio ~ 542 Entertainment COO Cory Popiuk ~ Barcelona Enterprises CEO Alan Semsar ~ Ticket Galaxy Head of Music Partnerships Aatish Patel ~ MCP Presents Festival Operations Director Val Harris ~ Winter Craft Beer Festival Co-Founder Ross Bowdey ~ Bacon & Beer Classic/Cannonball Productions CEO Kate Levenstien ~ Middle Waves Music Festival Co-Chair Matt Kelley ~ POP Montreal Director of Brand Partnerships Olivia Diamond ~ Left Hand Brewing Company Community & Events Manager Josh Goldberg ~ The Why Co. Founder Jacob Matthews ~ IWSC Group CEO Allen Gibbons ~ Narus Advisors LLC Partner Chris Grove ~ Kona Brewers Festival Executive Director Kate Jacobson ~ Vindiego Wine & Food Festival Executive Producer David Fraschetti ~ Motley Brews Senior Event Manager Lee Flint ~ Mohegan Sun Public Events Manager Krista May ~ CLEVR CEO Japheth Dillman ~ Vinofest DC Founder Justin Harrison ~ Big Texas Beer Fest Co-Founder Chad Montgomery ~ Fuse Social Media Manager Frankie Greek ~ Fountain Square Music Festival Executive Director Adam Pedersen ~ Feathr Co-Founder & President Aidan Augustin ~ Tiqiq CEO Jesse Lawrence ~ Diageo Global Senior Brand Manager - Smirnoff Justin Medcraft ~ Blur Parties/Toast Nebraska Vice President Stacy Leners ~ Treefort Music Fest Co-Founder & Associate Producer Drew Lorona ~ Dancefestopia Music Festival/Borda Productions Co-founder & Festival Organizer Doug Bordegon ~ Urban Seed VP Of Culinary Partnerships Jolene Mannina ~ VFD Marketing Managing Partner Elie Deshe ~ Northern Nights Music Festival Co-Founder Andrew Borgelt ~ Taste Of Pennsylvania/CrocodileDog Marketing Owner Matthew Davis ~ Gaming Research Partners Managing Director Alex Igelman ~ The Confluence Founder Russell Ward

XLIVE Partners With Media Agency, The Confluence To Announce Multi-Year Collaboration

XLIVE - Las Vegas, NV - A beautiful and long overdue union of the esteemed International Music Festival Conference (IMFCON) and International Film Festival Summit (IFFS) has given birth to the progeny of the future: XLIVE - which hosts the most illustrious convention of industry leaders at the intersection of music, film, culinary, beverage, eSports, technology and the experiences + community that culminate at festivals & live events.  

In an unprecedented move, XLIVE has joined forces with renowned digital media and publicity agency, The Confluence, for the 2016 “Live Event” convention taking place this December 5-7, 2016 at the Tropicana in Las Vegas, NV.  The Confluence, a full-service media agency that delivers best-in-class publicity, branding and content strategy to many of the world’s most influential brands, festivals, and artists, will join in on the collaborative venture with XLIVE to incorporate publicity savvy and expertise into programming and overall communication strategy.

Seeking to revolutionize the way festival and live event aficionados share their expertise with the ultimate goal of elevating the experience of attendees, XLIVE provides information, resources and convenes industry titans from each and every sector of entertainment to a synergetic environment for sharing wisdom, visionary concepts, and cutting-edge trends against the alluring backdrop of Las Vegas’ famed nightlife.

The compelling partnership with The Confluence came as a natural evolution: as pioneers in their respective creative industries it was only a matter of time the two companies were joined by their thirst for  curating unique, memorable and exciting moments in festival and live event history. Waco Hoover, CEO & CoFounder of XLIVE, looks ahead to the future, remarking on the journey that lies ahead:  

“We’re thrilled to welcome The Confluence to the XLIVE community. The Confluence has deep roots in the festival community and shares our passion for creating memorable and extraordinary experiences. As the official public relations firm for XLIVE, there isn’t a better partner suited to work with our team creating awareness for the myriad of organizations participating along with the programs and resources that will be offered to festivals and event producers at the annual 2016 XLIVE Conference in Las Vegas this December.”

The Confluence echos Hoover’s sentiments wholeheartedly, founder Russell Ward adds, “For years, I’ve heard of the amazing things Waco and team were creating it was but a matter of time before we linked to join forces to further expand the visibility of the festival movement that has been growing globally. We are honored to work with the XLIVE team moving forward.”

Serving all facets of content, media and publicity strategy, The Confluence has cemented its place as the premier creative agency for festivals and beyond. Since its inception 8 years ago, The Confluence has engaged world class campaigns for the likes of Lightning in a Bottle, Coachella, Further Future, Wonderfruit Thailand, Do LaB, MaiTai, Robot Heart, Woogie Weekend, Shambhala, Enchanted Forest Gathering, Symbiosis, Decibel and Envision Festival in Costa Rica among many others. In addition to having serviced festival clients on four continents, The Confluence also engages across a multitude of enterprises including lifestyle, technology, medical, and consumer goods with current and past clients including, GoPro, Wall St. Journal, General Electric, Target, Budweiser, Pepsi, Intel and countless others. The Confluence looks forward to bringing their expertise and array of proven methodologies to XLIVE.

Now entering its 13th year, multi-faceted organization XLIVE is revolutionizing the way live events and festivals share expertise, learn and most paramount, envision the future. Formerly the International Music Festival Conference and International Film Festival Summit, XLIVE convenes industry leaders at the intersection of music, film, culinary, beverage, eSports, technology and the experiences that culminate at festivals and live events. Reflecting the passion of the vibrant festival community, XLIVE serves as a catalyst for curating unique, memorable and life-changing experiences within the growing, dynamic and influential realm of festivals.

For more information and/or to register for the convention, please check out the XLIVE website and be sure to like the XLIVE Facebook page to stay up to date on the latest news and speaker announcements.

STAY CONNECTED:

XLIVE: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

The Confluence: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

The Women’s Int’l Music Network and #SaveAGuitar Announce the She Rocks Awards Opening Act Contest

Needham, MA (August 15, 2016) – The Women’s International Music Network (the WiMN),
in partnership with #SaveAGuitar, announces the #SaveAGuitar and She Rocks Awards contest. The contest will award one winner the opening spot performing at the 5th annual She Rocks Awards on Friday, January 20, 2017, at the Winter NAMM show in Anaheim, CA.

The winner will also receive a Breedlove Pursuit Concert acoustic-electric guitar and feature profiles on the WiMN website and the #SaveAGuitar site. Also included in the prize pack is a pair of tickets to the awards, as well as a badge to attend the NAMM show. Ten lucky runners-up will receive a feature on the #SaveAGuitar site and socials, a feature on the WiMN socials, plus a Breedlove T-shirt.

Contestants can enter by submitting their bio, along with links to their favorite performance and social media links, plus a short narrative sharing why playing guitar is important to them and why they love the guitar before the September 30, 2016 deadline. Winners will be selected from among all eligible entries, and announced before November 1, 2016. For complete contest rules and to enter, visit www.thewimn.com/saveaguitar-contest/.

The WiMN Founder, Laura B. Whitmore, comments, “In addition to recognizing accomplished musicians, we're also always on the lookout for bright, emerging talents, and so we're thrilled to partner with #SaveAGuitar to offer this exciting opportunity for a deserving new musician to perform for their peers at the 5th annual She Rocks Awards.”

The She Rocks Awards pays tribute to women who display leadership and stand out within the music industry, and has become a standard at the NAMM Show. Previous award recipients include female industry leaders such as Jennifer Batten, Karmin, Colbie Caillat, Sheila E, The Bangles, Orianthi, Dinah Gretsch, Craigie Zildjian, Janie L. Hendrix, Amani Duncan, Mary Peavey, and more. The event brings together industry professionals, music icons, artists, fans and media to celebrate women in music.

Find out more at sherocksawards.com.

The Great Kat, Juilliard Grad Violin/guitar Virtuoso, Previews New Shred/classical DVD Out Later This Year

The Great Kat http://www.greatkat.com is the world-famous Juilliard graduate Classical Violin Virtuoso/Carnegie Recital Hall Violin Soloist/Winner of “Artists International Competition”. The Great Kat performed as a Prodigy Violin Soloist for NYC Mayor Ed Koch at Gracie Mansion and for Coahuila, Mexico Governor Flores Tapia at the Centennial of General Vito Alessio Robles’ birth and at the famous Teatro Fernando Soler in Saltillo, Mexico and was awarded the "Certificate of Merit" from New York Governor Mario Cuomo. The Great Kat is now the world’s fastest Shred Guitar Virtuoso/“TOP 10 FASTEST SHREDDERS OF ALL TIME” (Guitar One Magazine)/ "FAMOUS JUILLIARD SCHOOL ALUMNI" (Ranker.com)/Reincarnation of Beethoven and the ONLY Guitar-Violin Double Virtuoso since Niccolo Paganini. Timothy Leary, cultural icon collaborated with The Great Kat Violin Virtuoso on the rock song "Right Brain Lover".

Retailing giant Tesco is now featuring The Great Kat’s virtuoso Vivaldi's “The Four Seasons” music in the TV commercial for the popular Activision video game “Call of Duty: Ghosts” http://youtu.be/6tW_ik2J000 . Warner Music Group has just released The Great Kat’s legendary “Worship Me Or Die!” and “Beethoven On Speed” Shred Metal Albums as digital downloads on iTunes and more: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/worship-me-or-die!/id1086423634 & https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/beethoven-on-speed/id1089012301 .“Beethoven On Speed” and "Beethoven Shreds" are now featured in “America’s Beethoven” Exhibit at the “American Beethoven Society”. MVD Entertainment Group is distributing The Great Kat’s Albums & Music Videos worldwide http://mvdb2b.com/s/GreatKatBeethovenShreds/TPR0006 . BBC Radio’s “The Arts Hour” features The Great Kat Shredding Beethoven's "5th Symphony" and Interview from “Fast And Furioso” Show (heard on BBC Radio 4)