The Wallflowers to benefit The Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation
When The Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation sought to produce two time Grammy Award-winning, headline concert act The Wallflowers (featuring Jakob Dylan, son of legend Bob Dylan) at their sixth annual dinner & auction, their event producer, Candace Sands of CS Events, turned to Empire Entertainment to provide all production and technical support in mounting the show. The event was held in the historic event space, Le Capitale, which is the former East River Savings Bank building located in New York's Chinatown at Bowery and Grand. The marble interiors and soaring ceilings are both magnificent and a major challenge acoustically. Empire solved these challenges by selecting the right audio system and calibrating it carefully to meet the acoustical properties of the room.
There were also other challenges that Empire faced including the need to fit the Wallflowers' large stage plot onto a small stage that needed to fit between existing columns of the building and not block any of the fire exits. Empire was able to solve this issue by working closely with the venue and the Wallflowers' production manager to create a solution that worked for everyone. The Wallflowers performed for over an hour and brought the audience to their feet with a set that included all of their hits as well as closing with a cover of the David Bowie song "Heroes." The event drew nearly 1,000 people and raised over $1.6 million for this worthy cause.
Empire is a leading producer of talent for not-for-profits and fundraising events.
Guests received their first taste of technological innovation at registration, where they were welcomed by name on a reactive LED screen installation covering the full width of the entry wall. A large lunch café was created with a décor scheme that incorporated custom-built, ceiling-high steel LED frames draped with foliage to create smaller, intimate restaurant-style spaces that displayed both technology and nature.
A series of breakout sessions presented content targeted to attendees’ varied interests, while imagery displayed throughout the venue showcased real-life applications of how products designed to empower developers help to unleash the power of data and reimagine possibilities that will improve our world.
Every element of Microsoft Connect(); from registration, breakfast and keynote, to lunch and evening cocktails, were custom-designed to communicate exacting brand messaging and to deliver a high-touch guest experience to this important audience. The keynote and breakout sessions were livestreamed through an onsite studio built for this purpose and content was watched online by millions around the world.
Empire is proud to collaborate with Microsoft on this annual, top-tier business communication event.
To view excerpts of Connect(); 2017, please visit https://www.microsoft.com/connectevent
