Glenn Frey and Comedian Greg Fitzsimmons for A Major Annual Conference
When Joe Rigotti, Creative Director of Accent on Cincinnati, the biggest meeting planner and special events company in Ohio, needed a headline concert act to top last year's Hall and Oates performance, he once again turned to Empire Entertainment to secure, book, and produce the talent.There were whispers among the 2300 attendees of the premier insurance company's annual conference that topping last year's entertainment - Hall and Oates, would be impossible. But when the curtain rose and the surprise musical guest was revealed, the crowd roared in excitement and applause as Glenn Frey and his band hit the first notes of the Eagles classic, "Take It Easy," which Frey co-wrote with Don Henley and Jackson Browne.Frey, a member of both the songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, played a greatest hits show that brought the audience to its feet, waving company branded glow balls that were distributed to the entire crowd.
The set list included "Lying Eyes," "Tequila Sunrise," "Take it to the Limit," "Heartache Tonight, " "Peaceful Easy Feeling," as well as several of Frey's solo original hits such as "The Heat is On," "You Belong to the City" and "Smugglers Blues," which is best known for being turned into the smash 80's TV show, Miami Vice.Frey's music, which evokes an endless California desert road trip, was a perfect match for the executive crowd and spouses on hand at Cincinnati's Aronoff Center for The Arts. After receiving a standing ovation, The Glenn Frey Band returned for a rousing encore of "Desperado" and the entire crowd sang in unison for the seventh time.The following evening at the same conference, Empire Entertainment showcased the talents of Greg Fitzsimmons, a stand-up comedian who won four Emmy Awards writing for the Ellen DeGeneres Show, and who has appeared on David Letterman 5 times. Fitzsimmons' stories about his family was a huge hit with the family-oriented demographic.
Empire is a leading booker and producer of major concert acts, comedians, and speakers for corporate meeting and events the world over.
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
