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Release Halloween Horror Nights Music on Spotify, Slash, Universal Studios Hollywood

Universal Studios Hollywood & GRAMMY Award-Winner SLASH, Release Halloween Horror Nights Music on Spotify

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Universal Studios Hollywood and GRAMMY Award-Winning Guitarist, SLASH Strike a Chord with an Original Score Composed for Halloween Horror Nights’ “Universal Monsters” Maze Now Available on Spotify Click Here to Listen to the Score on Spotify

Here for a Peek of the “Universal Monsters” Maze

and Here to Purchase Tickets

Universal City, Calif. –  October 18, 2018 – The original score GRAMMY award-winning and Rock-and-Roll Hall of Fame guitarist, SLASH, released the score composed and produced for Universal Studios Hollywood’s “Halloween Horror Nights” maze, “Universal Monsters,” which can now be heard around the world on Spotify, the free music streaming platform.

“Halloween Horror Nights” pays homage to iconic classic Monsters in this new maze by underscoring each of their unique attributes and reimagining them into terrifying modern day characters.  The Wolf Man, The Invisible Man, The Phantom of the Opera, Dracula, Dracula’s Bride, Frankenstein’s Monster, The Bride of Frankenstein and The Mummy are among those featured in the maze, to which SLASH composed a unique, complex composition that added a haunting dimension to the experience.

“This maze is the ultimate melding of two great icons, the Universal Classic Monsters and one of the greatest guitarists of all time,” said John Murdy, Executive Producer of “Halloween Horror Nights” at Universal Studios Hollywood. “SLASH has great love and respect for these legendary characters, and we knew his unique musical genius would be the perfect ingredient to help bring the Universal Monsters to life as a ‘Living Horror Movie’ for modern day audiences.”

The six original tracks that SLASH composed for the “Universal Monsters” maze, as well as the original track he previously composed for the “Halloween Horror Nights” “Clowns 3D” maze, can be heard here on Spotify and include:

  • “We Belong Dead” – inspired by Frankenstein Monster’s immortal line from the explosive finale of The Bride of Frankenstein, this track fuses Gothic themes with a contemporary EDM/Dubstep feel to set the tone for the horrific experience to come.
  • “The Danse of the Dead” – inspired by “Danse Macabre,” the late medieval art movement that celebrated “the universality of death” and influenced the famous masquerade ball scene from The Phantom of the Opera, this track sets the stage for the Monster’s Masquerade sequence in the maze.
  • “The Final Scare” – this guitar-driven, up-tempo track combines an old school Punk Rock feel with modern electronic sounds to drive the adrenaline-fueled finale of the maze, where multiple monsters attack.
  • “Universal Monsters Rising” – SLASH’s signature lead guitar joins with the mournful sound of a tolling church and the sharp, staccato stabs of violins to call guests to the graveyard, where the Universal Monsters are waiting to rise again.
  • “The Collection Room/Dracula’s Lair” – composed to accompany The Mummy and Dracula sections of the maze, this track transitions between Middle Eastern and Eastern European instrumentation to help bring to life these two Classic Monsters.
  • “Monsters, Maniacs and Madmen (Universal Monsters Maze Medley)” – this compilation track, encompassing several scenes within the maze, takes a single haunting melody and transforms it throughout the arrangement, handing off from piano to guitar, violin, pipe organ and even the synthesized/sampled Opera singer’s voice to create a series of sinister moods.
  • “Sweet Licks (music from “Clowns 3D”) – composed for 2014’s “Clowns 3D” maze, “Halloween Horror Night’s” first collaboration with SLASH, this track creates a creepy carnival vibe to help tell the story of a diabolical family of clowns who run a twisted ice cream factory.

“As a fan of horror movies and of ‘Halloween Horror Nights,’ I jumped at the chance to once again collaborate with Universal Studios Hollywood to produce what can be interpreted as a soundtrack for the maze,” said SLASH.  “Similar to the way music affects a film, I wanted to compose a score for the legions of infamous characters featured in the maze to elicit a greater sense of terror for the guests.  In the end, the goal was to ultimately make the guests feel as if they are playing an integral role in a classic Monster movie.”

SLASH and his band, SLASH FT. MYLES KENNEDY AND THE CONSPIRATORS which features SLASH (guitars), MYLES KENNEDY (lead vocals), TODD KERNS (bass/backing vocals), drummer BRENT FITZ (drums) and rhythm guitarist FRANK SIDORIS (rhythm guitar) just wrapped a sold-out, nationwide, headlining tour in celebration of the release of their new album LIVING THE DREAM. The band’s third full-length release and first new music in over four years, LIVING THE DREAM (Snakepit Records/RoadRunner Records) is available for purchase or streaming: HERE. Fueled by the Top 10 rock song “Driving Rain,” its live-action, animated video as well as the best critical acclaim of their career, LIVING THE DREAM debuted with 10, Top 10 chart placements around the world.  The first single “Driving Rain” jumped to #6 this week and climbing–marks the band’s 6th consecutive, Top 10 single at radio and SLASH’s fastest-rising single ever in his solo career. The LOS ANGELES TIMES described LIVING THE DREAM as “his best work since the demise of Velvet Revolver. …full of “unexpected funk, boogie, blues and garage rock influences.” While ROLLING STONE declared the album “a biting blues filigree at the end of a riff, weeping solos full of long notes, boogie-woogie riffs.” Elsewhere, CLASSIC ROCK hailed “the bands third and Best Album, ‘The Great Pretender’ is the album’s masterpiece and one of the best things Slash has ever done.” Read the full Q&A where SLASH and MYLES KENNEDY breakdown LIVING THE DREAM in its entirety HERE.

At its core, “Halloween Horror Nights” is an extension of the horror film legacy originated by Universal Pictures and introduced to audiences in the 1920s…with a staple of classic Universal Monsters that dominated the silver screen, including Dracula, The Phantom of the Opera, Frankenstein’s Monster and The Wolf Man.

To hear SLASH’s score in person as part of the “Universal Monsters maze, guest can purchase tickets to visit “Halloween Horror Nights at Hollywood.HalloweenHorrorNights.com. “Halloween Horror Nights” continues on October 4-7, 11-14, 18-21, 25-28, 31, and November 1-3, 2018.

“Halloween Horror Nights” at Universal Studios Hollywood brings together the sickest minds in horror to immerse guests in a living, breathing, three-dimensional world of terror. Featuring an all-new slate of unrivaled film production quality mazes, frightful scare zones and a fully re-imagined “Terror Tram” experience uniquely themed to today’s most definitive horror properties, “Halloween Horror Nights” will taunt, terrorize and torment guests with spine-chilling haunted attractions as part of Southern California’s most extreme Halloween experience.

For exciting updates and exclusive “Halloween Horror Nights” content, visit Hollywood.HalloweenHorrorNights.com, like Halloween Horror Nights – Hollywood on Facebook; follow @HorrorNights #UniversalHHN on Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat; and watch the terror come to life on Halloween Horror Nights YouTube.

 

 

For the first time, music and monster fans around the world can surround themselves with an original score composed by Grammy award-winning guitarist, SLASH – specifically created for Universal Studios Hollywood’s Halloween Horror Nights “Universal Monsters” maze.

Now available on Spotify, the complex composition underscores the unique attributes of Universal’s classic Monsters, including The Wolf Man, The Invisible Man, The Phantom of the Opera, Dracula, Dracula’s Bride, Frankenstein’s Monster, The Bride of Frankenstein and The Mummy.

Listen to the music here: https://open.spotify.com/album/1W55V4EU1FYiIdtEa8jRUF

LA Life and Style, Los Angeles Life and Style, The Los Angeles Philharmonic Presents, The Los Angeles Philharmonic Presents "WDCH Dreams" Celebrating the LA Phil's 100th Anniversary

The Los Angeles Philharmonic Presents “WDCH Dreams” Celebrating the LA Phil’s 100th Anniversary

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Los Angeles, CA (September 12, 2018) – The Los Angeles Philharmonic has commissioned award-winning media artist Refik Anadol to create unprecedented, breathtaking, three-dimensional projections onto the steel exterior of Walt Disney Concert Hall to signal the commencement of the LA Phil’s 100-year anniversary celebrations. Free and open to the public, nightly performances are scheduled to occur every half hour, with the first performance at 7:30 p.m., and the last at 11:30 p.m., September 28 to October 6.

The Los Angeles Philharmonic Presents “WDCH Dreams” Celebrating the LA Phil’s 100th Anniversary. Applying custom algorithms to the LA Phil digital archives, media artist Refik Anadol has created WDCH Dreams, stunning visualizations projected onto the building’s exterior for a week and also a season-long immersive exhibition in the Ira Gershwin Gallery.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Los Angeles Philharmonic has commissioned award-winning media artist Refik Anadol to create unprecedented, breathtaking, three-dimensional projections onto the steel exterior of Walt Disney Concert Hall to signal the commencement of the LA Phil’s 100-year anniversary celebrations. Free and open to the public, nightly performances are scheduled to occur every half hour, with the first performance at 7:30 p.m., and the last at 11:30 p.m., September 28 to October 6.

To make Walt Disney Concert Hall “dream,” Anadol utilized a creative, computerized “mind” to mimic how humans dream – by processing memories to form a new combination of images and ideas. To accomplish this, Anadol worked with the Artists and Machine Intelligence program at Google Arts and Culture to apply machine intelligence to the orchestra’s digital archives – nearly 45 terabytes of data – 587,763 image files, 1,880 video files, 1,483 metadata files, and 17,773 audio files (the equivalent of 40,000 hours of audio from 16,471 performances).

The files were parsed into millions of data points that were then categorized by hundreds of attributes, by deep neural networks with the capacity to both remember the totality of the LA Phil’s “memories” and create new connections between them. This “data universe” is Anadol’s material, and machine intelligence is his artistic collaborator. Together, they create something new in image and sound by awakening the metaphorical “consciousness” of Walt Disney Concert Hall. The result is a radical visualization of the organization’s first century and an exploration of synergies between art and technology, and architecture and institutional memory.

To actualize this vision, Anadol is employing 42 large scale projectors, with 50K visual resolution, 8-channel sound, and 1.2M luminance in total. The resulting patterns, or “data sculptures” formed by the machine’s interpretation of the archives will be displayed directly onto the undulating stainless-steel exterior of Walt Disney Concert Hall.

WDCH Dreams’ accompanying soundtrack was created from hand-picked audio from the LA Phil’s archival recordings. Sound designers Parag K. Mital, Robert Thomas, and Kerim Karaoglu augmented these selections by using machine-learning algorithms to find similar performances recorded throughout the LA Phil’s history, creating a unique exploration of historic audio recordings. Viewers can access the soundtrack at the LA Phil’s website (laphil.com/wdchdreams).

Inside Walt Disney Concert Hall, in the Ira Gershwin Gallery, is an immersive and interactive companion installation, offering a unique, one-on-one experience for each gallery visitor. The exhibition presents the entire LA Phil digital archives in a non-linear fashion. The visitor, via a touchscreen interface, can interact with the archives in multiple ways: via a sunburst timeline; through curated moments highlighting milestones in the LA Phil’s 100-year history; and by delving into to the entire data universe that can be uniquely manipulated by each gallery visitor. The space will be re-imagined as a mirrored U-shaped room with two-channel projection. Visuals will be projected onto the mirrored surface giving the visitor a truly immersive, 360-degree experience.

 

The Ira Gershwin Gallery opens to the public on September 28 and will remain open throughout the Centennial season. Visitors can reserve times to access the gallery via The Music Center’s self-guided tour schedule weekdays from 10am – 3pm. Ticket holders to any concert during the Centennial season can access the gallery 90 minutes prior to performances.

As a part of the Centennial celebrations, the LA Phil will make a selection of its archives, and online exhibitions, available on Google Arts & Culture, exploring how WDCH Dreams was made, with behind-the-scenes footage and a short film about the development of the project.

For more information about WDCH Dreams, please visit: http://www.laphil.com/wdchdreams

More about Refik Anadol:
Refik Anadol is known for transforming architectural spaces and façades into giant canvases for live media arts. Born in Turkey, he founded the Istanbul-based design studio Antilop; he also operates a studio in Los Angeles and teaches media arts at UCLA. His renowned site-specific works have been presented at the Digital Arts Biennial Montreal, the Ars Electronica Festival in Austria, and the Outdoor Vision Festival in Santa Fe. He also has contributed unforgettable work in previous LA Phil seasons, including real-time projections for a 2014 performance of Edgard Varèse’s Amériques led by LA Phil Conductor Laureate Esa-Pekka Salonen, and Schumann’s Das Paradies und die Peri, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel and directed by Peter Sellars.
www.refikanadol.com
www.instagram.com/refikanadol

More about the Artists and Machine Intelligence program at Google Arts & Culture:
Artists and Machine Intelligence (AMI) is a program at Google Arts & Culture that brings together artists, philosophers, and machine-learning researchers to realize projects using machine intelligence. Google Arts & Culture is a new, immersive way to experience art, history, culture, and world wonders from over a thousand organizations worldwide. Google Arts & Culture has been created by the Google Cultural Institute, and it is available for free to everyone on the web and on iOS and Android. Read more here.

Editors please note:

WDCH Dreams
Nightly performances
September 28 – October 6, 2018
Every half hour, starting at 7:30pm, with the last performance at 11:30pm
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Free and open to the public

PROGRAM:

Early in the 21st century, machine intelligence advanced beyond the memorization and analysis of data as a basis for prediction. The next phase was creation – data made beautiful. Pairing a computer’s “mind” with a building’s structure transformed both, giving the neural networks of the machine a canvas on which to create and architecture a “consciousness” with which to dream.

Chapter I: Memory
Archival Upload, Remembering the LA Phil’s Past

Chapter II: Consciousness
Radical Visualization, Mapping the Present

Chapter III: Dream
Imagination, Envisioning the Future

Soundtrack accessible starting on September 28, at: laphil.com/wdchdreams

High resolution renderings, for press purposes only, can be found here.

Credit: WDCH Dreams, renderings by Refik Anadol Studio

LA Phil 100:
In its Centennial year (September 2018 through October 2019), the LA Phil is inviting people from Los Angeles and around the world to join them in envisioning a future that music can help create. Major initiatives include presenting the orchestra’s most ambitious artistic season to date, featuring over 50 commissioned works and the LA Phil’s largest roster of artistic collaborations; investing in the future of young people by creating a permanent YOLA center, The Judith and Thomas L. Beckmen YOLA Center @ Inglewood, designed by Frank Gehry; establishing the LA Phil Resident Fellows Program, which will provide musicians representing or serving historically underrepresented populations opportunities for professional advancement; welcoming all of Los Angeles to Celebrate LA!: LA Phil 100 x CicLAvia, a free, massive, street festival featuring performances by hundreds of musicians, dancers and visual artists, stretching from Grand Avenue in front of Walt Disney Concert Hall all the way to the Hollywood Bowl, and concluding with LA Phil 100 at the Bowl, a free concert at the Hollywood Bowl; the “100 for the 100th: Be Our Guest” free ticket initiative, which will invite thousands of new listeners into Walt Disney Concert Hall; and a $500 Million Centennial Campaign to fund the future.

LA Phil:
The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, under the vibrant leadership of Music & Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel, presents an inspiring array of music from all genres – orchestral, chamber and Baroque music, organ and celebrity recitals, new music, jazz, world music and pop – at two of L.A.’s iconic venues, Walt Disney Concert Hall (laphil.com) and the Hollywood Bowl (hollywoodbowl.com). The LA Phil’s season at Walt Disney Concert Hall extends from September through May and throughout the summer at the Hollywood Bowl. With the preeminent Los Angeles Philharmonic at the foundation of its offerings, the LA Phil aims to enrich and transform lives through music, with a robust mix of artistic, education and community programs.

Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood, Los Angeles Life and Style, Stranger Things, Universal Studios Hollywood

Universal Studios Hollywood Unearths All-New R.I.P. Tour at This Year’s “Halloween Horror Nights” Featuring a Private Guided Tour, Gourmet Buffet Dinner, Unlimited Express Line Privileges and Access to an Exclusive “Stranger Things” Lounge

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“Halloween Horror Nights” Begins on Friday, September 14 and Continues on Select Nights through Saturday, November 3, 2018

 Click Here to Purchase Tickets

 Universal City, Calif., September 6, 2018 – The all-new R.I.P. Tour is Universal Studios Hollywood’s first-class ticket to terror this “Halloween Horror Nights,” featuring a private guided tour with trolley access, a gourmet buffet dinner, unlimited Universal Express line privileges and exclusive access to a specially-themed “Stranger Things” lounge.

A premium experience that will sell out, the R.I.P. Tour is a must for guests who prefer to scare in style.  This year’s “Halloween Horror Nights” dates are: September 14-16, 20-22, 26-30, October 4-7, 11-14, 18-21, 25-28, 31, and November 1-3, 2018.  Tickets are available for purchase atHollywood.HalloweenHorrorNights.com.

Today, Universal Studios reveals first look images from the “Stranger Things” haunted maze coming to Halloween Horror Nights 2018.

Each R.I.P. Tour accommodates groups of 12, making it ideal for large parties or smaller mix-in groups. Highlights include:

  • Exclusive “Stranger Things” experience featuring themed photo ops, props from the popular Netflix series and scare-actor make-up demonstrations
  • Unlimited line privileges via Universal Express access to all mazes, Terror Tram and available rides
  • Private VIP trolley transportation to backlot mazes and Terror Tram
  • Reserved VIP seating at the Jabbawockeez live show
  • Gourmet buffet dinner, featuring specially-themed “Stranger Things” foods, including appropriately named Upside Down Sliders at exclusive VIP Dining Room
  • Two complimentary drinks
  • Access to the two Lounges, including the “Stranger Things” themed lounge and lounge on the theme park’s lower lot
  • Commemorative R.I.P. Tour credentials
  • Complimentary valet parking

“Halloween Horror Nights” brings together the sickest minds in horror to immerse guests in a living, breathing, three-dimensional world of terror inspired by TV and film’s most compelling horror properties.

This year’s terrifying line-up includes:

  • “Stranger Things” gives fans a chance to brace the Upside Down in this new maze inspired by Netflix’s critically-acclaimed television series
  • “Poltergeist” brings guests into the light based on the iconic supernatural horror film, directed by Tobe Hooper and produced by Steven Spielberg
  • “The First Purge,” based on Universal Picture’s blockbuster thriller, bears witness to the tradition that unleashed the anarchy
  • “Trick ‘r Treat” brings director Michael Dougherty’s cult Halloween classic to life daring guests to live the rules or suffer the consequences
  • “Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers” unmasks Haddonfield’s infamous serial killer based on the fourth installment in the classic slasher series created by John Carpenter
  • “The Horrors of Blumhouse,” makes an encore performance at this year’s event, bringing leading producer of horror Jason Blum’s Truth or Dare and Unfriended blockbusters movies to life in an all new maze
  • “Universal Monsters” is inspired by Universal’s original cinematic Monsters and the studio that invented the horror film and featuring an original score produced and composed by celebrated GRAMMY® Award-winning musician, SLASH, long hailed as one of the 10-best electric guitar-players of all time

  • “The Walking Dead,” Universal Studios Hollywood’s permanent attraction inspired by AMC’s record-breaking television series, adds to the evening’s carnage
  • The Jabbawockeez award-winning hip hop dance crew returns by popular demand with an all-new, high-energy performance created exclusively for “Halloween Horror Nights”
  • The return of serial killer clown, Hollywood Harry takes a stab at the Terror Tram while guests amble about a portion of the world-famous backlot

For exciting updates and exclusive “Halloween Horror Nights” content, visit Hollywood.HalloweenHorrorNights.com, like Halloween Horror Nights – Hollywood onFacebook; follow @HorrorNights #UniversalHHN on Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat; and watch the terror come to life on Halloween Horror Nights YouTube.

Experience “Halloween Horror Nights” like a VIP with Universal Studios Hollywood’s new R.I.P. Tour!

Highlights include:

  • Exclusive “Stranger Things” experience featuring themed photo ops, props from the popular Netflix series and scare-actor make-up demonstrations
  • Unlimited line privileges via Universal Express access to all mazes, Terror Tram and available rides
  • Private VIP trolley transportation to backlot mazes and Terror Tram
  • Reserved VIP seating at the Jabbawockeez live show
  • Gourmet buffet dinner, featuring specially-themed “Stranger Things” foods, including appropriately named Upside Down Sliders at exclusive VIP Dining Room
  • Two complimentary drinks
  • Access to the two Lounges, including the “Stranger Things” themed lounge and lounge on the theme park’s lower lot
  • Commemorative R.I.P. Tour credentials
  • Complimentary valet parking
Hollywood Bowl, LA Life and Style, Los Angeles Life and Style, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Steven Spielberg

Steven Spielberg has been confirmed as a special guest for the John Williams – Maestro of the Movies weekend with the LA Phi at the Hollywood Bowl celebrating Star Wars 40th Anniversary

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The Hollywood Bowl just announced: Steven Spielberg has been confirmed as a special guest for the John Williams: Maestro of the Movies weekend with the LA Phil #attheBowl! Aug 31–Sept 2, join us for the 40th anniversary celebration of Williams’ Bowl debut: https://bit.ly/2KWBzPm . Photos/Hollywood Bowl
The Hollywood Bowl Just announced: Steven Spielberg has been confirmed as a special guest for the John Williams: Maestro of the Movies weekend. Photo/Hollywood Bowl

Hollywood, Calif. –  The Hollywood Bowl just announced via Twitter: Steven Spielberg has been confirmed as a special guest for the John Williams: Maestro of the Movies weekend with the LA Phil ! Aug 31–Sept 2, join us for the 40th anniversary celebration of Williams’ Bowl debut:

Legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg has been confirmed for the John Williams: Maestro of the Movies weekend at the Hollywood Bowl, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, August 31 through September 2. The weekend of movie music celebrates the 40th anniversary of Williams’ Bowl debut with some of his biggest movie hits, including some selections performed with film clips. David Newman leads the Los Angeles Philharmonic in the first half of the program.

Williams leads the second half of the program, during which Spielberg will introduce selections from their unprecedented 45-year artistic collaboration, which has resulted in some of the most popular and celebrated films in Hollywood history. Among his myriad honors, Spielberg is a three-time Academy Award winner, earning two Oscars for Best Director and Best Picture for “Schindler’s List,” and a third Oscar for Best Director for “Saving Private Ryan.” He is a recipient of the DGA’s Lifetime Achievement Award, the American Film Institute’s Lifetime Achievement Award, the prestigious Irving G. Thalberg Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and a Kennedy Center Honor.

Williams has received five Academy Awards and 51 Oscar nominations, making him the Academy’s most-nominated living person and the second-most nominated person in the history of the Oscars.

Program to be announced.

Tickets for the Hollywood Bowl 2018 summer season are available online at hollywoodbowl.com or via phone at 323 850 2000. Steven Spielberg Confirmed As A Special Guest For The John Williams: Maestro Of The Movies Weekend At The Hollywood Bowl

Hollywood Walk of Fame, Hollywood Walk of Fame Star Ceremonies, Kelly Clarkson, LA Life and Style, Los Angeles Life and Style, Simon Cowell, Star News

Hollywood Chamber of Commerce honors Simon Cowell with Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Special Guest, Kelly Clarkson pays tribute.

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The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce honored Simon Cowell with the 2,642nd star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Wednesday, August 22, 2018. The star will be dedicated in the category of Television at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard in front of the Hollywood & Highland Complex.

Hollywood, Calif. – The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce honored Simon Cowell with the 2,642nd star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Wednesday, August 22, 2018. The star is be dedicated in the category of Television at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard in front of the Hollywood & Highland Complex.

Simon Cowell, Kelly Clarkson, center.

“Simon Cowell has brought a new meaning to talent shows and has made it a mega platform for people to show their talent and tell their tales,” said Ana Martinez, Producer of the Walk of Fame ceremonies. “His honest critical evaluation of talent has won him first place to fans hearts, and a star on our Hollywood Walk of Fame.”

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce which administers the popular star ceremonies encourages people who are unable to attend and fans around the world to watch the event exclusively on www.walkoffame.com.

Simon Cowell is a record company executive, a television and film producer, and a global entertainment icon. Renowned for his eye for talent and candid opinions, Simon has completely transformed popular culture through his show business enterprise.

Simon was born in October 1959 in London. His first industry job was a mailroom position at EMI Music Publishing. By the 1980s, Simon had become an established A&R executive, soon joining BMG for what would become an enduring business relationship.

In 1995, Cowell honed his love affair with television and music when he persuaded Robson Green and Jerome Flynn, stars of hit British TV drama series “Soldier Soldier,” to record a double A-side single Unchained Melody/White Cliffs of Dover. The record became one of the UK’s biggest selling single of 1995, selling 1.8-million copies and staying at the top of the charts for seven consecutive weeks. With BMG’s support, Cowell then set up his own label S Records, and in 1998 signed unknown Irish quintet Westlife, managed by Louis Walsh. Cowell transformed the group’s fortune and it had international success, selling in excess of 50-million records and securing 14 No. 1 singles in the UK.

In 2004, Syco Entertainment was formed as part of Cowell’s new Sony Music partnership. Syco Entertainment is one of the world’s leading global music, film, and TV production companies and is responsible for some of the most successful global music and TV franchises. Artists signed to Syco Music have included One Direction, Camila Cabello, Little Mix, Louis Tomlinson, PRETTYMUCH, Labrinth, James Arthur, CNCO, Grace Vanderwaal, and many more. Syco’s television assets include two worldwide record-breaking shows: The X Factor and the world’s biggest TV format Got Talent. Both formats have launched more global superstars than any other talent show in history.

Simon first appeared on television as a judge on the UK talent show Pop Idol. He launched American Idol in 2002, where he led the judging panel for eight years and saw such stars as Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood launch their careers.

The X Factor, created by Cowell, premiered in 2004 in the UK on ITV and has since gone on to be a television phenomenon, airing in 178 territories and being locally commissioned in 55 territories. The X Factor has created more international music careers than any other television format, including Fifth Harmony and One Direction. Artists discovered by the show have sold more than 500-million records worldwide, including 250 No. 1s, and 450 Top 10 records.

As well as being a judge on The X Factor, Cowell created the ‘Got Talent’ format and is a  judge on Britain’s Got Talent and America’s Got Talent. The Got Talent format is officially theworld’s most successful TV format of all time, airing in 194territories worldwide and holding the Guinness World Records title for thehighest number of adaptations, having been commissioned in 70 territoriesglobally.

America’s Got Talent is in its 13th season and continues to be the No. 1 summer series year after year. Last season was the most watched season of America’s Got Talent ever with an average of more than 20-million viewers per episode. In 2017, Syco Music was named Music Week’s Record Label of the year and is home to internationally successful artists who have sold more than 380 million records to date. Such artists include Camila Cabello, whose hit single ‘Havana’ went No. 1 in a total of 80 countries, and is the most streamed song by any lead female in history. Syco’s artist roster also includes One Direction, who have sold more than 150-million records worldwide, have headlined four sold-out world tours, selling more than 10-million tickets in total. Additionally, Syco is home to Little Mix, who have sold more than 43-million records worldwide, and have eight platinum selling singles.

Cowell teamed up with Univision Communication to create the television show La Banda. The winning group, named CNCO, is the biggest Latin boyband in the world. CNCO released their first album, “Primera Cita,” which became the No. 1 Latin debut album for all of 2016.

Cowell has consistently been honored for his contributions to entertainment. In 2014, he was awarded MipCom’s Personality of the Year Award. In addition, Cowell has received The Rose d’Or Golden Jubilee Award and BAFTA’s Special Achievement Award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the entertainment industry. He has also been awarded the International Emmy Founders Award. In total, television shows created by Cowell have received 24 awards including eight National Television Awards and six BAFTAs. In 2015, Cowell was honored with the Music Industry Trusts Award, the British music industry’s most prestigious accolade, in recognition of his contributions to the industry and many charitable causes.

Throughout his career, Cowell has remained a devoted supporter of many charities and causes. Cowell is a patron of Together For Short Lives, The Katie Piper Foundation and the Linda Blair Sacred Heart Foundation, as well as an Ambassador for Great Ormond Street Hospital. Simonis also a supporter of The Association for Children’s Hospices, Against Breast Cancer, The Health Lottery, Save The Children, Comic Relief, Battersea Dogs Home, RSPCA, The K9 Angels, PETA, Hope Sanctuary Barbados, and Help For Heroes.

★★★

Broadway Plays and Musical, CIM GROUP, Dolby Theatre, LA Life and Style, LA Life and Style Entertainment News, Los Angeles Life and Style, Los Angeles Life and Style Entertainment News, Pantages Theatre Hollywood

BROADWAY IS COMING TO DOLBY THEATRE IN 2020

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CIM Group®, owner and operator of the iconic Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and The Hollywood Pantages Theatre, Los Angeles’ foremost presenter of first-class touring Broadway productions at the prominent location of Hollywood and Vine, today announced an agreement for The Hollywood Pantages Theatre to bring Broadway productions to Dolby Theatre beginning in 2020. Photo/Dolby Theatre
Dolby Theatre will continue to program and host a variety of live television productions, movie premieres, concerts, cultural, civic and arts events including the annual Academy Awards®. Recent programming at Dolby has included several seasons of America’s Got Talent; the American Film Institute’s Lifetime Achievement Award – George Clooney; film premieres for Blank Panther and Solo: A Star Wars Story; showcases for Trevor Noah, Andrea Bocelli, Carol Burnett, and Neal deGrasse Tyson; and The Paley Center for Media’s Paleyfest. Photo/Dolby Theatre

CIM GROUP AND THE HOLLYWOOD PANTAGES THEATRE SIGN AGREEMENT TO BRING BROADWAY PROGRAMMING TO DOLBY THEATRE

Agreement adds to the array of events and entertainment at the Dolby that includes live broadcast, concerts, movie premieres and the annual Academy Awards®

HOLLYWOOD, Calif – August 15, 2018 – CIM Group®, owner and operator of the iconic Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and The Hollywood Pantages Theatre, Los Angeles’ foremost presenter of first-class touring Broadway productions at the prominent location of Hollywood and Vine, today announced an agreement for The Hollywood Pantages Theatre to bring Broadway productions to Dolby Theatre beginning in 2020. Both theatres hold famed locations on Hollywood Boulevard and provide distinct entertainment options.

The Hollywood Pantages Theatre is a premier venue and an historic gem known for bringing exceptional Broadway productions to Los Angeles. Many of these productions have drawn heightened interest in recent years for long-term engagements in Hollywood, and partnering with Dolby Theatre, a richly appointed and technically sophisticated theatre, allows for these complementary venues to further cement Hollywood as the entertainment capital.

Dolby Theatre will continue to program and host a variety of live television productions, movie premieres, concerts, cultural, civic and arts events including the annual Academy Awards®. Recent programming at Dolby has included several seasons of America’s Got Talent; the American Film Institute’s Lifetime Achievement Award – George Clooney; film premieres for Blank Panther and Solo: A Star Wars Story; showcases for Trevor Noah, Andrea Bocelli, Carol Burnett, and Neal deGrasse Tyson; and The Paley Center for Media’s Paleyfest.

“Broadway is creating captivating productions that are enjoying sold-out runs in New York and on tour. This arrangement benefits Los Angeles and the region as audiences will be drawn to an expanded array of acclaimed productions available in Hollywood,” said Shaul Kuba, Co-Founder and Principal of CIM Group. “Dolby Theatre is internationally recognized and with its advanced technology that provides for state-of- the-art sound and projection, television production capabilities and stunning interior, it is a sought-after option for a host of productions. The Hollywood Pantages Theatre bringing Broadway shows to Dolby Theatre complements our program lineup.”

James L. Nederlander, President of the Nederlander Organization said, “My father first began investing in Hollywood in 1977 when he purchased The Pantages Theatre. Since then we have had one goal, which is to bring the best of Broadway to all of Los Angeles. That commitment is strengthened with our agreement to begin presenting shows at Dolby Theatre in 2020. Audiences from all over Los Angeles and beyond will be thrilled to have yet another terrific venue in which to enjoy the Best of Broadway on the West Coast.”

 

About Dolby Theatre

Opened in 2001, the 180,000-square-foot, 3,400-seat Dolby Theatre® with cutting edge technologies sets the stage for entertainment technology as a host of the world’s biggest movie premieres, events, and performances. Dolby Theatre is an ongoing showcase for the latest innovations in Dolby entertainment technology, including Dolby® Atmos™, a breakthrough audio technology that delivers a natural, life-like sensory experience. Dolby Theatre also features Dolby 3D, a state-of-the-art imaging solution that provides audiences with a superior 3D experience. Dolby Theatre is located within the Hollywood & Highland, which consists of over 640,000 square feet of space featuring national, regional and local retail tenants, a variety of restaurants, several of Hollywood’s hottest nightclubs, a six screen state-of-the-art cinema adjacent to the world-famous TCL Chinese Theatre and the 640 room Loews Hollywood

Hotel. www.dolbytheatre.com.

About The Hollywood Pantages Theatre

The Hollywood Pantages is part of The Nederlander Organization, which owns or operates venues on Broadway, Chicago, San Diego, San Jose, Tucson, Durham, Oklahoma City, N. Charleston, and London. The Hollywood Pantages is the foremost presenter of first-class touring productions in Los Angeles, with over 35,000 season ticket holders. Presentations include Hamilton, Disney’s The Lion King, Wicked, The Book of Mormon, and The Phantom of the Opera. www.hollywoodpantages.com.

About CIM Group

CIM is a community-focused real estate and infrastructure owner, operator and lender. Since 1994, CIM has led more than $56 billion of projects in communities across the Americas on behalf of its own account and its partners, co-investors and shareholders. CIM’s broad in-house expertise includes decades of research, acquisition, credit analysis, development, finance, leasing and asset management experience in urban real assets, net-lease assets and other associated credit strategies. Utilizing its disciplined approach and extensive in-house expertise, CIM seeks to maximize value in projects, which ultimately enhances communities. For more information, visit www.cimgroup.com.

Citylife Communications, Comedy, Jerry Seinfeld, LA Life and Style, Los Angeles Life and Style, Los Angeles Theater, Pantages Theatre Hollywood

SEINFELD LIVE at the Pantages Theatre Hollywood, NOVEMBER 2 & 3, 2018 4TH SHOW ADDED! FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2 9:30PM

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America’s premier comedian, Jerry Seinfeld, returns to the Hollywood Pantages to perform his signature stand-up routine November 2 and 3. 

Seinfeld has been hailed for his uncanny ability to joke about the little things in life that relate to audiences everywhere. His latest projects include the Emmy nominated web series, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, and his Netflix specialJerry Before Seinfeld. Seinfeld continues to perform both nationally and internationally.

America’s premier comedian, Jerry Seinfeld, returns to the Hollywood Pantages to perform his signature stand-up routine November 2 and 3 and 4.

4TH SHOW ADDED!
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2 @ 9:30PM
PRESALE ENDS THURSDAY, AUGUST 23 @ 11:59PM

“Weird Al” Yankovic, The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce

HOLLYWOOD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO HONOR ‘WEIRD AL’ YANKOVIC WITH STAR ON THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME GRAMMY-WINNING MUSICAL SATIRIST ANNOUNCES 2019 ORCHESTRA TOUR

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The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce that performer “Weird Al” Yankovic will be honored with the 2,643rd star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Monday, August 27th, at 11:30 a.m. PDT. The star will be dedicated in the category of Recording at 6914 Hollywood Boulevard across the street from the TCL Chinese Theatre.

“Weird Al has single-handedly created an industry of parody! His fans have been waiting for this star for a very long time. We are excited to honor this very funny man on our world-famous Hollywood Walk of Fame,” stated Ana Martinez, Producer of the Walk of Fame ceremonies.

Helping Emcee Leron Gubler, President & CEO of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce to unveil the star will be Dr. Demento and Thomas Lennon.

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce which administers the popular star ceremonies encourages people who are unable to attend and fans around the world to watch the event exclusively on www.walkoffame.com.

Few would have guessed that “Weird Al” Yankovic – who as a shy, accordion-playing teenager got his start sending in homemade tapes

“Weird Al” Yankovic will be honored with the 2,643rd star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Monday, August 27th, at 11:30 a.m. PDT. The star will be dedicated in the category of Recording at 6914 Hollywood Boulevard across the street from the TCL Chinese Theatre.

to the Dr. Demento Radio Show – would go on to become a pop culture icon and the biggest-selling comedy recording artist of all time, with classic song and music video parodies such as“Eat It,” “Like a Surgeon,” “Smells Like Nirvana,” “Amish Paradise,” “White & Nerdy” and “Word Crimes.” Now in his fourth decade as America’s foremost song parodist, he has been the recipient of numerous awards, including four Grammys® (out of fifteen total nominations) and a string of Gold and Platinum albums.

In 2015 and 2016, Weird Al’s Mandatory World Tour encompassed 200 shows throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe and Australia, including two nights at the Hollywood Bowl and a sold-out gig at New York’s Radio City Music Hall. So far this year, Weird Al performed 77 shows as part of his Ridiculously Self-Indulgent, Ill-Advised Vanity Tour, where he and his bandmates of over 35 years played set lists comprised almost entirely of his original non-parody material, and without any of their signature high-octane production (no costumes, props or giant video screens). And in 2019, Weird Al will follow up his most bare-bones tour with his most extravagant tour ever, Strings Attached, where he and his band will be backed every night by a full orchestra.

Weird Al’s 14th studio album, the Grammy® award-winning Mandatory Fun (2014), became the first comedy album in history to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 chart, and the first ever to reach the top of the chart since 1963. Yankovic set the U.S. record on Spotify for having the most tracks from one album in the viral top 10 at one time, taking the top four spots. In addition, his single “Word Crimes” debuted in the Billboard Top 40, making Weird Al one of only four artists to have had Top 40 singles in each of the last four decades along with Michael Jackson, Madonna and U2.

Al has remained active as a recording artist. June 2017 saw the release of Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie (Dreamworks), for which Al co-wrote and performed the film’s theme song. In 2017, Al wrote and performed “The North Korea Polka (Please Don’t Nuke Us)” for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO). That same year, Legacy Recordings released Squeeze Box: The Complete Works of “Weird Al” Yankovic, a remastered 15-disc box set (including a rarities album) plus a 120-page book of archival photos, all housed in a replica of Weird Al’s trademark accordion. Al also recorded cover versions of the Squidbillies theme for Adult Swim and the Ramones’ “Beat on the Brat” for a Dr. Demento compilation album, and he produced remixes of two hit singles for Portugal: The Man (“Feel It Still” and “Live in the Moment”). In March 2018, Al delivered “The Hamilton Polka,” a frantic tour de force mash-up of 14 songs from the Broadway smash, commissioned by Lin-Manuel Miranda and released as part of “Hamildrops” series.

In addition to his cult-hit feature film UHF (1989), his late ‘90s CBS Saturday morning series The Weird Al Show and numerous AL-TV specials he has made for MTV and VH1 over the years, Yankovic has remained a staple of film and television, from appearances on The Simpsons, 30 Rock, The Goldbergs andHow I Met Your Mother to performing live on the Primetime Emmy Awards and starring in his own concert specials for Disney, VH1 and Comedy Central. In 2015, Yankovic took over as co-host and bandleader for the fifth season of IFC’s Comedy Bang! Bang! Currently, Al can be heard as the voice of the title character in Disney Channel’s animated series Milo Murphy’s Law. His other voice acting work includes appearances on Bojack Horseman, Gravity Falls, Adventure Time, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Wander Over Yonder, and the DC animated feature Batman vs. Robin).

Yankovic added “New York Times bestselling author” to his resumé in 2011 with the release of his children’s book, When I Grow Up (HarperCollins), followed two years later by My New Teacher and Me! An animated series based on his children’s books is currently being developed in partnership with the Jim Henson Company. In 2012, Yankovic released Weird Al: The Book (Abrams), an illustrated hardcover on his life and career. The same year, Yankovic became not only MAD Magazine’s cover boy, but the first guest editor in their 63-year history.

In 2017, NECA Toys released the second in its line of retro-clothed Weird Al action figures, and in 2018 Funko released two of its own POP! vinyl figures.

For more information on “Weird Al” Yankovic, please visit weirdal.com.

LA Life and Style, Los Angeles Life and Style, Los Angeles Theater, Pantages Theatre Hollywood, Wicked

Back by popular demand, Wicked returns to the Pantages Theatre Hollywood, Nov. 28, 2018 – Jan. 27, 2019, Tickets on sale now.

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Hollywood, Calif. – Back by popular demand, Wicked , the broadway sensation, looks at what happened in the land of oz…but from a different… world decides to call one “good,” and the other one “wicked.” from the first electrifying note to the… final breathtaking moment, wicked —the untold true story of the witches of oz—transfixes audiences. Tickets are on sale now. For more information , visit https://www.hollywoodpantages.com/seasonpackages

 

City of Santa Clarita, Inc., LA Life and Style, Los Angeles Life and Style, National Procurement Institute, SCV Style

City of Santa Clarita RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS 23rd Annual “ACHIEVEMENT OF EXCELLENCE IN PROCUREMENT 2018 AEP AWARD”

Santa Clarita, Calif. –  The City of Santa Clarita has been recognized with the prestigious 23rd Annual Achievement of Excellence in Procurement® (AEP) Award in 2018 from the National Procurement Institute, Inc. (NPI). This is the eighth time the City has received this award in recognition of its purchasing policies and practices, and marks the fifth consecutive year Santa Clarita has been recognized.

            The AEP Award is bestowed upon public and non-profit organizations that obtain a high application score based on standardized criteria. The AEP is awarded annually to recognize innovation, professionalism, electronic procurement, productivity and leadership in the procurement function. The City of Santa Clarita’s procurement ethics standards, eProcurement practices and internal procurement automation received high honors and recognition among judges. Several other areas were also accredited, including the City’s creative and successful annual Vendor Outreach program, centralized procurement authority, internal customer and professional development training programs, the use of electronic systems for bids, quotes, online surplus auctions and the City’s employee Procurement Card program.

The City of Santa Clarita is one of only 65 cities in the United States and Canada to receive this esteemed award in 2018. The Achievement of Excellence in Procurement Award® has the distinction of being sponsored by every major procurement association in the nation and recognizes state-of-the-art best practices in public procurement.