Grammy Week Concert will.i.am
On January 23, 2014, Empire Entertainment was proud to produce the 3rd annual TRANS4M Benefit Concert event on behalf of seven-time Grammy winner will.i.am and his charitable organization, the i.am.angel Foundation. i.am Angel supports trans4mation and revival in distressed communities like will.i.am’s hometown: the east Los Angeles neighborhood of Boyle Heights.
Held for the second year in a row at the AVALON Hollywood on the eve of the Grammy Awards, over 1,400 guests came out to support the i.am.angel Foundation including Kimberly Cole, Eddie Cibrian and LeAnn Rimes, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Taboo, MC Hammer, and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. Will.i.am is best known as a multi-platinum music artist, producer and front man for The Black Eyed Peas, though he is an innovator, entrepreneur and philanthropist as well. As the evening’s host, his message of trans4ming lives through education, opportunity and inspiration was driven home by an emotive program of speakers and videos.
Following the speaking program, will.i.am and an incredible band of backing players delivered a non-stop dance concert featuring guest performances by Busta Rhymes, Chaka Khan, Sergio Mendes, Bell Biv DeVoe, Biz Markie, Doug E. Fresh, Scarface, Slick Rick, Cody Wise, Leah McFall, and We Are The Future. Guests were welcome to explore the multi-level venue including the VIP artists lounge and an open-air club, Bardot.
This year, Empire Entertainment also produced the speaking portion at the VIP dinner held at the Redbury Hotel immediately before the concert. Speakers included Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, will.i.am, and David Silver, the CEO of College Track, all who spoke to the importance of educating America’s youth. All told, the event raised over $2.5 million to support the i.am.angel Foundation’s programs.
Empire Entertainment served as overall event producer for the i.am.angel Foundation TRANS4M Benefit Concert, managing all aspects of the event including venue contracting, registration, logistics, catering, décor, stage, production, staffing, parking, security and onsite management, collaborating with the i.am.angel Foundation, partners, and donors.To find out how you can get involved with i.am.angel Foundation and help trans4m communities around you, visit their website at iamangelfoundation.org
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
