American Entertainment Magazine - September/October 2012

SHOWCASE C • OCTOBER 3

SHOWCASE B

OCTOBER 2

CONTENTS:

18

AEP WORLDWIDE 2012 CONFERENCE SCHEDULE......................................4EXHIBIT LAYOUT/ BOOTH ASSIGNMENTS/ NATIONAL BOARD.................6A VISIT WITH RESTLESS HEART..........................................................................8SHOWCASE SCHEDULE.......................................................................................11BOARD MEMBER PROFILE: MARK FELIX......................................................12THE AMAZING MIKE RAYBURN..........................................................................16FEATURED ARTISTS: RECYCLED PERCUSSION.........................................18EXPERIENCING THE EDGE EFFECT.................................. ..............................202012 SHOWCASE PROFILES...............................................................................22BRUCE IN THE USA...............................................................................................26

WELCOMEVolume 11, #1: AEP’s Second Signature Event

It is my distinct pleasure to welcome you to AEPWorldwide, the first organization to completelyencompass all the buying divisions for the enter-tainment trade.

If you joined us last year, you had to be impressed withthe dedication that key buyers from all these segmentsput into making the first conference a success. It wasa small collective group but represented immensebuying power.

Not only was business done at the conference, butthese buyers continued to interact with agencies andacts that were part of the initial membership to searchfor their talent needs throughout the year. I was im-pressed as deals were made among the membershipthat would have never happened at other conferences.At this conference, newly elected vice-chair, Doug Hallwill explain his concept for the AEP Buyer’s Networkwhich will encourage members to buy within the or-ganization. This is an idea that Doug birthed along withAnthony Gibson from the Beau Rivage Casino (MGM)and Stephen Bailey from the Grand Opera House.

Leona, Ian and myself along with the distinguishedmembers of your board want you to know that this isyour association and everyone has a voice. Too manyassociations seem to have great ideas and then latermiss the mark. Here the membership speaks and theboard represents each and every segment of the en-tertainment marketplace. You will find our ears to theground and our eyes wide open because no oneknows this business better than those of you who arein the trenches every day.

We want you to enjoy yourself here. Learn from yourcolleagues and share your battles and experiences aswell. This is a place where even the most seasonedbuyer or agent can learn. There are four excellentshowcases being presented and after each you canvisit with the artists and the agents at a Meet & Greeton the floor of the Ovation theater. This will be an ex-cellent time to discuss possibilities for future eventswhere these acts might satisfy your needs.

The last morning of the conference will host a MajorAgency Panel that will give you the chance to discussissues and concerns you might have with bookingcelebrity entertainment and learn more from theagency side of the deal.

Thank you for being part of this conference and the fu-ture of AEP. We are glad to see you here.

Watus C. Kirby, Jr.,Partner , AEP Worldwide

Print and Digital Online Edition © 2012, Cameo Publishing Group - All Rights ReservedEditorial and Subscriptions: (800) 728-2950

Advertising and Artist/Agency Relations: (803) 712-1429Main Office: 15420 Newberry Rd/., Blair SC 29015 • (803) 712-6903

Newberry Office: PO Box 509, Prosperity SC 29127 • (803) 276-1635Fax: (803) 712-6703 • On The Web www.americanentertainmentmagazine.com

AMERICAN ENTERTAINMENT MAGAZINE IS THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF AEP WORLDWIDE

PRIVACY NOTICE: AEM does not sell, barter or trade information on our subscribers to any outside sources.

2, AMERICAN ENTERTAINMENT MAGAZINE, 2012 AEP CONFERENCE ISSUE www.americanentertainmentmagazine.com

MONDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2012

12 NOON - 4:00 PM AEP Worldwide Advisory Board Meeting 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM New Member Meeting / Estancia C6:00 PM - Until AEP Social Gathering / Lobby Bar

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012

8:00 AM - 6:00 PM Conference Registration- Estancia F Ballroom 9:00 AM - 9:30 AM Coffee Talk & Vendor Market Place- Estancia F9:30 AM - Conference Welcome and Remarks - Estancia FAndrea Michaels President, Extraordinary Events, Sherman Oaks, CA and AEPWorldwide Vice-Chairperson

9:45 AM - Friending Each Other ... LIVE - Estancia FAnother rip roaring session hosted by the phenomenally funny Jen Kober. It will be networkingon steroids so bring your best 30 second elevator speech and enjoy meeting new associates orseeing old friends.

11:00 AM- 12 NOON - Ethical Resource Sharing and EntertainmentBuying in the New Age - Estancia FFacilitator: Doug Hall, Principal, TalentPlus Entertainment, LLC, St. Louis, MO & AEP WorldwideBoard Member

Panelists: Jackie Knobbe, APA Talent and Literary Agency (APA), Beverly Hill, CA & AEP World-wide Board Member Anthony Gibson, Executive Entertainment Director, Beau Rivage Resort & Casino (MGM Re-sort), Biloxi, MS & AEP Worldwide Board Member

A discussion about how to properly apply networking resources, personal relationships, and theinternet when sourcing and purchasing talent. The discussion will also focus on how these topicsrelate to the message and mission of the Association of Entertainment Professionals (AEP) andhow your membership can help in pooling such resources.

12 NOON - 1:00 PM - Vendor Market Place - Estancia F1:00 PM - 2:30 PM - Networking Lunch - Estancia B & C2:30 PM - 5:00 PM - Artist Showcase "A" - Ovation Casino Level

Meet & Greet Follow Showcase5:00 PM - 6:00 PM - Embracing The Next Generation - Estancia FFacilitator: Barbara Meyer, President, Admire Entertainment, Palisade, NY and AEP Worldwide Board MemberPanelists: Joseph McGibboney, Program Coordinator, Florida Gulf Coast University, FortMyers, FL & AEP Worldwide Board Member ; Troy Pederson, Casting Director, Walt DisneyCompany, Lake Buena Vista, FL & AEP Worldwide Board Member

Connecting the dots....... in this rapidly changing world how do you offer appropriate talent optionsthat will be embraced by all generations. Our panelists will share their thoughts and experiences.

6:00 PM - 6:30 PM -Vendor Market Place - Estancia F 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM - Dinner On Your Own8:00 PM - 11:00 PM - Artist Showcase "B" - Ovation Casino Level11:00 PM - 11:30 PM - Meet & Greet and Social Gathering - Ovation

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012

8:00 AM - 6:00 PM Conference Registration - Estancia F Foyer 9:00 AM - AEP Coffee Talk & Vendor Market Place - Estancia F9:30 AM - 10:45 AM - Entertainment: What’sHot? - Estancia FFacilitator: Nancy Hays, President, Nancy Hays Entertainment, Chicago, IL & AEP WorldwideBoard MemberPanelists: Scott Gartner, AEG LIVE Events, West Palm Beach, FL; Deborah Smith, ExecutiveDirector, Newberry Opera House, Newberry, SC & AEP Worldwide Board Member; DoreneCollier. President, Event Show Productions, Tampa FL

This is a timely discussion about who and what is "hot" in the entertainment industry that impactsbookings for performing artist facilities, corporate events, fairs, festivals, theme parks, and col-lege/university venues. The audience will have an opportunity to participate in an open discussionas well as ask specific questions to each of the panel members.

10:45 AM - 11:45 AM Vendor Marketplace w/Spotlights - Estancia F11:45 AM - 12 NOON Break - Estancia F12 NOON - 1:30 PM Networking Lunch - China Spice Restaurant1:30 PM - 5:00 PM - Artist Showcase "C" - Ovation Casino Level

with Meet & Greet 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM - Open Mic/ Current Issues- Estancia FFacilitator: Steve Bailey, Executive Director/CEO, The GRAND, Wilmington, DE and AEP Worldwide Board Member Panelist: Brian Hansen, Creative Director, Fuze Entertainment Solutions, Calgary, AlbertaAnthony Gibson, Executive Entertainment Director, Beau Rivage Resort & Casino (MGM Re-sort), Biloxi, MS and AEP Worldwide Board Member

A favorite ...This is your opportunity to discuss current issues with your colleagues. So bringtopics that you would like discussed by our panelists, seasoned talent buyers representing awide spectrum of the entertainment industry.

6:30 PM - 8:30 PM Dinner On Your Own8:30 PM-11:00 PM AEP's Signature Artist Showcase

- Ovation Casino Level11 PM - 11:30 PM Artist "Meet & Greet" & Social Gathering - Ovation

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2012

9:00 AM - 10:00 AM Conference Registration - Estancia F Foyer9:30 AM - 10:30 AM Coffee Talk & Vendor Market Place- Estancia F10:00 AM - 10:30 AM Conference Report Card - Estancia FFacilitator: Andrea Michaels,President, Extraordinary Events. Sherman Oaks, CA and AEP Worldwide Vice Chairperson

AEP Worldwide is a member driven organization, so this session is designed to get your thoughtsabout this year's conference, listen to what you would like to see in the future; and discuss loca-tion(s) for our 2013 conference.

10:30 AM - 12:00 NOON BUYER/AGENCY PANEL - Estancia FFacilitator: Mark Felix, Director Drury Entertainment Group, Drury Dynamics ,Inc. , New York,NY & AEP Worldwide Board Member. Panelist: Zach Radoski , Agent, International CreativeManagement (ICM): Christianne Weiss, Agent, APA Talent and Literary Agency (APA);JackieKnobbe, Senior Vice President, APA Talent and Literary Agency (APA), Beverly Hills, CA andAEP Board Member

Speak face to face with major agents. This open dialogue format will allow conference attendeesto ask agents questions about booking talent and for agents to talk about how they view thefuture of the entertainment business.

12 NOON - 2:00 PM National Advisory Board Wrap Up - Estancia B

OUR SHOWCASES ARE AN INTEGRAL PARTOF THE AEP EXPERIENCE. THEY ALLOW YOU

TO SEE A WIDE VARIETY OF ARTISTSFROM ALL SECTORS OF THE INDUSTRY.

PLEASE SHOW UP ON TIME AND GIVE THESEACTS THE ATTENTION THEY DESERVE.

THEY HAVE PAID TO PEFORM BEORE ANELITE GROUP OF ENTERTAINMENT

PROFESSIONALS. PLEASE BE ATTENTIVEAND COURTEOUS DURING THEIR

PERFORMANCE TIME.

2012 AEP Conference Schedule


2012 AEP Exhibit Area / Board

2012 EXHIBIT LOCATION:Estancia F

Booth Agency Artist(s)

Booth 1 Metropolis Productions The Edge Effect (SC)Booth 2 Harmony Artists Steve SolomonBooth 3 Admire Entertainment Jen Kober (SC)Booth 4 Vox Audio Vox Audio (SC)Booth 5 Miracle Conerts The Jumpers OrchestraBooth 6 Neon Entertainment Nick Pike (SC)Booth 7 Penguin Entertainment Pop Fusion (SC),

Michael Barimo (SC), Quattro Four Divo (SC)

Booth 8 Penguin Entertainment Motowon In Motion (SC), Eye Candy w/ Jessica D (SC), Romanitco Duo (SC)

Booth 9 The Standards The Standards (SC)Booth 10 APA Talent & Literary Agency Ron Pearson (SC)Booth 11 Associated Ent. Consultants Alter Ego (SC)Booth 12 Classical Entertainment Vox Indigo (SC), Dirk K (SC)Booth 13 Classical Entertainment̀ The Phat Pack (SC),

Beijing Tri (SC)Booth 14 About Entertainment Bronkar Lee (SC)Booth 15 Craig Neier Associates Bruce In The USA (SC)

Mitchell Zeidwig (SC)Booth 16 Brand N Music Restless Heart (SC)

Tim Rushlow (SC)Booth 17 OZ Software Session Demo

Carmen Tomasetti

SPECIAL GUESTS:Recycled Percussion • International Creative Management (ICM)Mike Rayburn • See-Agency

(SC) = SHOWCASING THIS EVENT(ALT) = ALTERNATE (Will be invited to perform if a slot opens)

AEP NATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD

• Jackie Knobbe, Senior VP of Comedy Agency For The Performing Arts, Beverly Hills, CA

• Troy Pederson, Casting Director for Disney Properties The Walt Disney Company, Lake Buena Vista, FL

• Tom Faessel, Assoc. Director of Residence Life & Programming, University of Akron, Akron OH

• Judy Thee, National Entertainment Director The Freeman Company Worldwide, Orlando FL

• Nancy Hays, President Nancy Hays Entertainment, Chicago IL

• Steve Bailey, Executive Director and CEO The Grand Opera House & related properties, Wilmington DE

• Robert Hulsmeyer, Senior Partner Empire Force Events, New York NY

• Andrea Michaels ( AEP Vice Chair), President Extraordinary Events, Sherman Oaks CA

• Joseph W. McGibboney, Program Coordinator, Office ofDean of Students, Florida Gulf Coast Univ, Fort Myers, FL

• Deborah Smith, Executive DirectorThe Historic Newberry Opera House, Newberry SC

• Douglas Hall, Principal (AEP Vice Chair)Talent-Plus Entertainment LLC, Saint Louis, MO

• Sam Trego, President Imagination Entertainment, San Diego CA

• Jane Neitz-Singleton, Assistant Director, University of Nevada,Las Vegas NV

• Donielle Ojeah Bell, Senior Program Advisor University of Georgia, Athens GA

• Rick Stowe, Partner, EastCoast Entertainment, Atlanta GA

• Anthony Gibson, Executive Director of Entertainment Beau Rivage Resort & Casino (MGM), Biloxi MS

• Barbara Meyer, President Admire Entertainment, Paslisades, NY

• Mark Felix, DirectorDrury Design Dynamics, Inc., New York, NY

• Jon Michaels, Vice PresidentExtraordinary Events, Sherman Oaks, CA

AEP WORLDWIDE LLC STAFF• Leona Plaugh, Executive Director, AEP Partner73 Somerton Place, Columbia SC 29209(803) 782-1947

• W.C. Kirby, Jr., AEP Partner Cameo Publishing GroupAmerican Entertainment MagazineCampus Activities Magazine®15420 Newberry Rd, Blair SC 29015(800) 728-2950

• Ian Kirby, AEP Member/Conference RelationsEditor, American Entertainment Magazineand Campus Activities Magazine®15420 Newberry Rd, Blair SC 29015(803) 312-1551

AEP CONTRIBUTING SPONSORS:• American Entertainment Magazine• EastCoast Entertainment• Bog Higa• Barbara Banta

AEP National Advisory Board & Staff


THE MARKETPLACE IS OPEN DAILY AND ISATTACHED TO AEP’S MEETING ROOM FOR

EASY ACCESSIBILITY TOVENDORS.


Restless Heart is one of those bandsthat surprises us, because when yousee them, you slap yourself in the fore-head and say ‘Oh yeah! I rememberthem!’ Most famous for their main-stream crossover smash hit “When SheCries,” this band has been huge suc-cess in their heyday with 4 albums cer-tified gold and 25 charted Billboard hits,including 6 number ones.

In their prime between the mid eightiesand early nineties, they were playing thelargest venues in the country and shar-ing the stage with some of the biggest

acts. After a brief hiatus in the nineties,all five original members of the band re-grouped in the early 2000s and focusedtheir energies on playing not only datesfor their still loyal fans, but also in puttingon great shows for private audiences.

Larry Stewart, the lead voice and front-man of RH, sits down with American En-tertainment Magazine, just before theirshowcase Tuesday, October 2, to talkabout the group’s history and howthey’ve now come back leaner andmeaner and retooled to entertain inevery market that will have them.

“We started back in 1983, meeting inNashville. We knew each other in pairs(laughs), Paul our bassist and John ourdrummer played in a band, and Dave ourkeyboard player and I were in a band aswell and working in the studio. Most ofthe guys are from Oklahoma, so we al-ways joked about how it was like anOklahoma Music Mafia,” he chuckles.

Larry looks back sounding perhaps a bitwistful and definitely grateful for the op-portunity to be a part of an act that hasbeen doing what they love for 30 years.“When they asked me, I was the last one

www.americanentertainmentmagazine.com AMERICAN ENTERTAINMENT MAGAZINE, 2012 AEP CONFERENCE ISSUE, 9

to join. We recorded in the first weekendof April 1984. We signed with RCA laterthat year and released our first single.”

When that single, “Let The HeartacheRide” was released in January of 1985and quickly went top 25, RestlessHeart incredibly had never played alive show together. The song wasquickly followed by three releasesbreaking the top 10, in “I Want Every-one To Cry,” “(Back To The) Heart-break Kid” and “Til I Loved You.”

Larry explains the ebb and flow of the

music industry at the time saw a muchhigher turnover in Radio singles. “Backthen, your typical single had a shelf lifeof about 8 weeks,” he says, in the West-ern twang you might expect from a bandwith roots in Oklahoma. “We were im-mediately in the studio recording the‘Wheels’ album and released ‘That RockWon’t Roll’ which, much to our surprise,went to number one.”

All of a sudden the band was in a re-hearsal hall preparing for a tour. A land-slide of hits cascaded out of them andfor the next three years the charts would

treat them as if painted with magic. “Weended up having 7 number ones in arow. It was quite a whirlwind,” helaughs, 25 years later still sounding al-most a little bit in disbelief. “Through1991, we were on the road opening forall the big artists. It was an amazing jour-ney for us. It was a very traditional timein country music; Randy Travis explod-ing on the scene, The Judds, Ricky Sk-aggs, and on and on. Here comes thislong-haired contemporary band (laughs)that jumped on to the scene and some-how radio at the time accepted ourmusic with open arms, to be honest with


you. We had no idea what we weredoing, we just wanted to record the bestsongs and the best records we couldand the five of us lived in the studio try-ing to do that. It was a great run.”

The band took a break in the mid1990s, and then got back together afew years later. “We did a greatest hitspackage with 4 of the 5 of us in 1998and toured with Vince Gill for thatyear, but decided it didn’t quite feelright and took another break. All fiveof us got together a few years later togo out and do a few shows just to seeif anyone still cared. That was around2001 and here it is 2012 and we arestill trying (laughs). We are touring asmuch as ever and getting ready to cel-ebrate our 30th anniversary together.”

It’s quite an accomplishment, but thegroup isn’t sitting back on their laurels,but still actively pursuing new endeav-ors. “There are only two bands out ofNashville that have been together for thelast 30 years and they are Restless Heartand Diamond Rio. We are proud of thatand we are trying to extend that run aslong as possible. We have two or threeprojects going. We are in the studio now

recording in between touring and tryingto plan on releasing a project in 2013, aswell as a Christmas album this year. Weare having a great time.”

Now that Restless Heart is well intotheir second wind, they are a more ex-perienced and smarter group. This in-cludes going from a band thriving ononly ticketed sales to converging theirshow into catering to the various trademarkets of corporate, performing arts,casino and other privately bookeddates. “When you are in the midst ofthe success whirlwind (and in a band-not as a solo artist) there are many dif-ferent directions to go; it’s hard toagree on things sometimes with somany people’s opinions in the mix.Now, it’s a lot different because we’vemade some mistakes, and we’ve donesome things right but, either way welearned a lot. One of those things washow many more opportunities therewould be for us to continue working ifwe opened up to different types ofdates. Now we are split pretty evenlybetween several different markets andit keeps us busy and more stable thanrelying solely on public support as wehave in the past.”

The group is one that can cater to youno matter what your market or audienceis. A hard-pressed antagonist may beable to find somewhere Restless Heartwouldn’t fit in, but it wouldn’t be easy.This is a mainstream band in a verymainstream genre, with tons of talent,experience and hard-earned where-withal. “We primarily play performingarts halls and casinos now, but that alsoincludes quite a few corporate dateswhich we love doing as well. We lovepeople and we appreciate it when theyask us to come play for them and theirgroups. We are definitely at a point inour lives where this is something wewould like to do a lot more of. We lookforward to ploughing right on throughfor as many more years as our support-ers will have us.”

Check out Restless Heart for a big nameband that won’t break your budget, yethas enough chart topping hits to getyour crowd on their feet. Contact GregBurns at Brand N Music at 615-562-3726or [email protected]

SHOWCASE B OCTOBER 2

RESTLESS HEART

2012 AEPSHOWCASESCHEDULE

SHOWCASE A2:30- 5:00 PM • OCTOBER 2Pop FusionMichael BarimoQuattro Four DivoMotown In MotionEye Candy featuring Jessica DRomanitico Duo

SHOWCASE B8 PM- 11:30 PM • OCTOBER 2Mike Rayburn (Emcee)Bruce In The USASteve SolomonDirk KThe Jump OrchestraThe Edge EffectRestless Heart

SHOWCASE C1:30- 5:00 PM • OCTOBER 3Ron Pearson (Emcee)Vox IndigoThe Phat PackMitchell ZeidwigBeijing TrioVox AudioRecycled Percussion

SHOWCASE D8 PM- 11:30 PM • OCTOBER 3Jen Kober (Emcee)The StandardsBronkar LeeTim Rushlow (Little Texas)Nick PikeAlter Ego

YOUR CHANCE TO MEET THEARTISTS AND THEIR AGENCIES ANDDO SOME BUSINESS HAPPENS AT

THE “MEET & GREET” FOLLOWINGEACH SHOWCASE IN THE OVATION

THEATER. DON’T MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY TO INTERACT AND

GET YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED.


CCalling Mark Felix a key playerin the corporate entertainmentfield would not be an under-

statement. As the Director of the DruryEntertainment Group, he works withsome of the most prominent companiesin the world and books some of it’s mostfamous performers. He’s been with theprivately held corporate communica-tions company for a dozen years. Re-sponsible for all the entertainment andguest speaker business for Drury’smeeting and events, he works with For-

tune 500 companies like IBM, Walmart,Johnson & Johnson, Google, Bristol-Meyers Squib, etc.

As the Director of Drury EntertainmentGroup, Mark has a support staff work-ing with him as he oversees all theplanning and buying for their clients’events. “Basically I am responsible forfinding new talent, guest speakers, en-tertainment trends and sharing themwith our corporate clients. One littlesuccess story we have is being one of

the very first to book Team iLuminatein the corporate market.”

Mark is someone with a long history inthe business and is proud that his tenureand extended relationships give him theability to get projects done that wouldotherwise not be feasible. “I have saidfor years, we are totally in a business ofrelationships. I like to think I have someof the best relationships in the industry.I actually used to be an agent myself, firstat William Morris and then at ICM, before


jumping over to the other side of thefence where I have been exclusively buy-ing and producing talent for the last 20years or so. I truly know both sides ofthe equation and that perspective, alongwith being at it quite a while, has led tomany opportunities.”

Mark is one of the few in the business ofentertainment that didn’t land here tan-gentially from another path by accident.“When I was attending Ithaca College inupstate New York as a business major, Iwas always into music but wasn’t surewhat to do with my life. I somehowfound out about the concert committeethere that was part of the campus activi-ties program. I’m dating myself now(laughs) but I still have posters framed inmy basement to prove it. Going back to1977 or so, we were putting on concertsby these up and coming acts that no onehad ever heard of at the time, like BillyJoel, Elvis Costello and Bonnie Raitt.”

If you want someone who knows every-thing there is to know about a particularbusiness, find the one who worked hisway from the ground up, not graduatedinto the field. “I started on the stagecrew, literally as a stage hand, I was agrunt, a laborer, putting on these shows.I worked myself up to the level of concertchairperson my senior year of college,and I knew by that point this was what Iwanted to do. Something related to en-tertainment, booking, live events, maybeeven representing talent as an agent.”

When it comes to sourcing talent, Markhas a few aces up his sleeve and tips togive out, but it isn’t always as easy as 1-2-3. “I think it starts with knowing abouta million people,” he jokes. “I don’t reallylook for unsolicited material, but havingan agent or a manager or someone at arecord company send me a CD some-times surprises me. Mainly though, it’s

word of mouth, again having the relation-ships and connections that result in con-versations and emails where ideas getpassed on. Effective networking is themost important thing one can do when itcomes to sourcing the best new talent.”

Mark keeps his eyes peeled on the main-stream of course, watching shows like“America’s Got Talent,” “The Voice,” andothers, but his well-trained and discern-ing eye makes it easy for him to find whathe likes quickly. “I look at everything, Iwatch everything that crosses my deskand I usually know within two minutes ifit’s really good or really bad.”

Mark reads all the industry publicationshe can get his hands on as well. “Fromthis magazine to Variety, Billboard andRolling Stone, I read everything I can.You never know where you’ll stumbleupon something that will strike a nerve.”

Mark’s specialty focuses on entertain-ment that is centered on business meet-ings. While stand-alone concerts are notout of their realm, talent with a messageis especially effective for his needs,which splits his time between A-listnames and relatively unknown emergingtalent. “We do an awful lot of entertain-ment that is a part of a meeting. Maybe itis a cool, unique act to open a meetingand grab attention, or an act that will per-form interstitially throughout the event.These are acts you have probably neverheard of. There are many great acts outthere who might not have the wide-spread recognition yet but are phenom-enal performers, whether it is an act likeProject DJ SlaM or Bella Electric Strings.We use acts like that all the time. On theother hand, we are also producing andbooking a lot of big name talent, acts likeMaroon 5, Train, The Goo-Goo Dolls,Glenn Frey, Joe Walsh, Crosby, Stills &Nash, etc.”

“The same goes with speakers; I workwith guest speakers, from complete un-knowns with amazing stories to tell thatbecome speakers you'll never forget, tobig name guest speakers like Steve Woz-niak, Peyton Manning, Malcolm Glad-well, and countless others.”

Mark doesn’t take a ton of time off, butwhen he does, he likes to jam out. “Inmy downtime, I am a frustrated musi-cian. I am happily married with two kidsand two dogs, and I’ve owned a drum setfor 30 years that I keep in my basementand whenever I get a chance I pop in aCD, turn the volume to 12 and wail away.I also sit in with any bands that will letme. It’s nothing professional, just fun.”

Mark is new to the board of the Associa-tion of Entertainment Professionals thisyear and is eagerly anticipating thisyear’s conference. “I have to tell you,foremost, I am probably one of the peo-ple who actually enjoys sitting in the en-tertainment showcases for 3 or 4 hoursa night! I love seeing the talent, espe-cially new talent and as I said, I can tellpretty quickly if it’s talent that is right forme and my clients or not. For me, AEPis about the showcasing, and of coursethe networking and schmoozing. Imean, I’ve been in this business a longtime, and I’m still learning. It is a greatlearning opportunity.”

If you’re an event planner who wants anexpert to weigh in, an experienced pro-ducer looking for new insights, or some-one putting on an event with major talentthat would like a heavy hitter at the platefor them, give Mark Felix at Drury DesignDynamics a call at 212-213-4600 ext 211or [email protected]




Once widely known as “TheWorld’s Funniest Guitar Vir-tuoso,” Mike Rayburn has

taken an incredibly successful ca-reer as a pure entertainer, earningawards and accolades everywherehe played and turned it into an evenmore successful career as a speak-ertainer. So much so, that Mike isnow not only a Certified SpeakingProfessional with the NationalSpeakers Association, but has beeninducted into their Hall of Fame asone of the youngest ever to be hon-ored as such.

The funny thing is, despite a para-digm shift in Mike’s attention, hesays that not much really changedfor him, other than the epiphany ofgoing after speaking in itself. Hestill considers himself an enter-tainer – he always was – just onewith a message. Now though, he isable to craft and deliver that mes-sage more poignantly to audienceswho eagerly apply it. He still doespure entertainment dates when re-quested, but the power of the mes-sage he conveys is only trulyutilized in the proper setting, whenhe is able to empower and motivate.

The truth is, whether Mike is at hisregular performing arts dates, theoccasional campus, or his bailiwickin the corporate market, there’s notall that much difference betweenthose shows, and the show thatmade his bones (and him CampusActivities Magazine’s Entertainer ofThe Year 3 times). “I have alwayshad at least a little bit of a message,even as an entertainer back in thecollege market. Around 2001, afriend of mine said, ‘Hey Mike,you’re clean, you’re funny, youhave a message...you’re a speakerand you don’t even know it!’ I said,‘What’s a speaker?’ (laughs), ‘Likemotivational?’ That was kind of astrange feeling for me.”

Mike is likely referring to the layper-son’s view of what a ‘speaker’ is.When he was in the college market,of course there were speakersaround, but that was also higher ed.

It’s not difficult to realize that mostpeople on the outside perceivespeakers in a corporate or specialevent setting as the typical TonyRobbins knockoff, not seeing thelayers of depth there before know-ing first hand, and not realizing justhow much business is out there forqualified presenters. “I joined theNational Speakers Association anddecided then I would use the enter-tainment foremost. There is no lessentertainment value in my corporatepresentation than anything else Ihave ever done.” Those familiarwith Mike’s music and comedyknow this is a big statement. “Thedifference is, I use the entertainmentvalue not just to entertain, but to il-lustrate the three tools that for memade the difference between play-ing for seven people in a bar in Vir-ginia and becoming a regularheadliner at Carnegie.”

Standing O’s at eight command per-formances so far. Mike decided tocraft a message to others, teachingthem the principles he applied in get-ting there. “It is really all about possi-bility thinking and peak performance.But my angle, which I think is prettycool and unique, is that every otherpresentation of this ilk uses statistics

and Power Point. I don’t. I use guitarand comedy, but I am still making thepoints and sharing actionable tools,concrete information and powerfulcontent that professionals can use intheir organizations to increase theirbottom line, increase performanceand open people’s minds up so theycan get past their own limitations. Re-laying all of this with music and com-edy instead of charts and graphs isvery well received.”

Mike usually does opening and/or clos-ing keynotes. “I almost always openand close the conference. I do somestuff in the middle sometimes; I doawards shows, really anything anyoneneeds me for, but I’m tapped most forthose keynotes. The show works sowell in that capacity, it has just taken off.”

Mike’s message of “What IfA?” hasbeen one that sticks with audienceswithout a handout. “The key is I makethe tools memorable the same way ahit song is memorable. They can singthe hook back. The number one toolpeople walk away with from my show,is the mantra ‘What IfA?’ which is infact the name of the entire program. Ilive life based on this question. Whatif I could play a song on guitar withoutpicking the strings? Sound crazy? Ido it for the audience. What if LedZeppelin sang Dr. Seuss? What ifTravis Tritt sang Pink Floyd? What if Icould play Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhap-sody’ on acoustic guitar? I do themall. I apply that same principle in somany different examples, that it be-comes a mantra through the rest ofthe conference. All of a sudden peo-ple are walking out as possibilitythinkers, folks that were not before. Itis the coolest thing and I get so manyemails from people who apply theprinciple and it works.”

Mike’s other tools are just as effective.Check out his website at www.miker-ayburn.com for lots more information,as well as videos of Mike’s presenta-tions. Then, give Christa Haberstockof See Agency a call at 310-903-1971or [email protected]

SHOWCASE B EMCEE OCTOBER 2


When it comes to the term “junkrock,” many acts have endedup in the junk yard, but if there

is one which has managed to claw theirway to the top of the heap and stay there,it’s Recycled Percussion. The group offour guys has risen to fame from smallNew Hampshire roots, appearing on nu-merous television programs, including a2009 run on “America’s Got Talent,” wherethey placed third out of over 100,000 actsand became the highest placed non-vocalact ever to compete in the show’s history.

Recycled Percussion began gaining suc-cess in 1999 when they were featured onthe cover of USA TODAY. Just two yearslater in 2001, the band began touring thecountry performing over 250 shows a yearat colleges, NBA halftimes, corporate

events, and any other venue that can con-tain them. Recycled Percussion receivedawards yearly (6 time national Act of theYear, 3 time Best Major Performer of theYear, 4 time Best Live Act) and has beenseen on many popular shows such as TheToday Show, Carson Daly, Talk Soup,Crook and Chase and many more.

Created in 1995 for a high school talentshow by Justin Spencer, their first per-formance gave birth to a new style ofmusic. “It started out as a totally new con-cept and quickly blossomed into being thepremier act on the college market,” Justinsays. “The show includes three drum-mers and a DJ and these guys are at thetop of their art form. When we started, wewere just looking for something alternativeat the time - a show with tons of energy

and something that was fun. We alsowanted to develop an act where the drum-mers were at the forefront rather than inthe background.” They certainly achievedthat because RP has helped revolutionizethe way audiences think about drumming.

They are currently headliners at the Tropi-cana Las Vegas. Their all-ages venue hasa massive stage that allows them to taketheir show to another level, but don’t thinkthey can’t still rock out at your event any-where in the world.

What you hear when you book RecycledPercussion doesn’t come easy. “There arerigorous rehearsal sessions. There weremany long arduous hours that went intowhat we believe is a drummer’s master-piece. It took about eight weeks sitting in


a large rehearsal space to come up withthe concepts for our current show...andwe’re talking 70-80 hour weeks of nonstopblood and sweat putting all this together.

Recycle’s show tried to use the most ag-gressive sound possible merged with themost alternative instruments imaginable.Alternative it is. They play on everything,INCLUDING the kitchen sink. “We use any-thing we can assault with a drumstick. It’sthe magic of Recycled Percussion thatmakes it great, not just the unorthodox as-sortment of tools of the trade. Any one in-strument by itself may not sound thatgood. Collectively they make a musicalarrangement that sounds awesome.”

In October 2010 Recycled Percussion wasthe only American band selected to perform

on the finale of “China’s Got Talent” whichwas broadcast live from Shanghai Stadiumfor an audience of 80,000 with 610 millionviewers watching from home. The band hasalso performed at the 2010 Latin Grammy's,World MMA Awards, NBA & NFL halftimeshows, convention general session open-ers, corporate events, colleges, performingarts centers, casinos and more.

They spent three months performing atPlanet Hollywood in Las Vegas and onemonth performing at MGM Grand Fox-woods in Connecticut. In 2010, the groupbecame the first true band to have a showon the Las Vegas Strip when they signeda deal with MGM Grand to have their ownnightly show at Studio 54.

Recycled Percussion’s show features

gritty assaults on buckets, power toolsand ladders along with high-flying athleti-cism and a touch of humor that is one ofthe best interactive shows in Las Vegas.Audience members are given drumsticksand unconventional instruments and areencouraged to play along with the bandduring the show.

Have Recycled Percussion bring this in-teractive, energizing and addictive com-mand performance you your next event.Contact Zach Radoski at ICM at 310-550-4049 or [email protected] formore information on how RP can psychup your audience.

SHOWCASE C, OCTOBER 3

If you wanted to assemble a dream teama cappella act, and then take a genrestretching leap further, you’d get TheEdge Effect.

This is a great act, made up of six indi-vidual voices with pedigrees beyondthe pale, but what really separates thisact from the rest of their ilk is their in-novative shrugging off of the chainsthat most of this type of act hingessuccess on: the novelty of using onlythe power of the human voice. If youwant that act, The Edge Effect can de-liver it bar none as well as any, but whynot take the same powerful, emotivecapability of the pure human voice andbeef it up with some musicianship aswell? Two of the bands members,Daniel Alan and Sean Gerrity tell uswhy this is “Not Just A Boy Band.”

Dan opens with some pedigree. “Thegroup is comprised of what we think isan all-star lineup from other bands anda cappella groups and shows aroundthe world. We all got kind of tired of whatwe were doing and wanted to startsomething new. We keep all of our rootsin a cappella and harmony is where ourbase is, but we pride ourselves in beingmore than just that. We realized thatrather than trying to lean on that alone,if we wrote a song that calls for a guitar,then we’ll use a guitar. If it calls for key-board, the same. We found that it cre-ates a very nice sound texture thatpeople aren’t really used to yet, it hasgiven us a bit of a cutting edge feel.When you have a drum set playing witha beat boxer, there’s a new element, justlike when you have a vocal bassist play-ing with a real guitar.”

An a cappella act selling their act on thebasis of using no instrumentation is a bit

like a magician selling himself based onhow hard his tricks are, not by their im-pact on the audience. “That is a greatanalogy,” Sean says. “At some point,the novelty of not having any instru-ments wears off, and then the questionis, ‘What kind of effect are you leavingthe audience with?’ We think a veryhealthy mix of a cappella and the fullband performances combined makes amuch heavier impact than relying on acappella alone.”

The group has only been together forabout a year, so this is a concept notfound easily elsewhere and one thatbuyers can be sure will be fresh. “Wehave charts for all of our music, so wecan get a band to accompany us at anydate and give the event producer theability to have a full scale productiontype show. That’s something most acappella acts can’t deliver.”

The band includes members fromMTV’s “America’s Top Pop Group”,Boyz II Men’s “Next Great A CappellaGroup” and finalists from “America’sGot Talent,” and who have shared thestage with Prince, Tony Bennet, Pussy-cat Dolls, Stevie Wonder, John Legendand Jay Leno. These types of connec-tions have led them to some very highprofile events. “We got the chance to doa really cool show for The Jett TravoltaFoundation for the premiere of John Tra-volta’s newest movie Savages. We gotto open that premiere, walk the red car-pet and entertain in the VIP premieresection with John Travolta and KellyPreston and the local luminaries. Thatwas a great opportunity and a very highprofile event for us and very exciting.”

Check out notjustaboyband.com andsee why this act is one of a kind. As they

climb the ladder in the events world,they may have many imitators, but yousaw it here first so get your hands onthem now and have a truly unique a cap-pella experience for your audience.Contact Lisa Compton at MetropolisProductions at (407) 541-0553 ext. 2010or [email protected] formore information. SHOWCASE B OCTOBER 2



SHOWCASES: Tuesday Afternoon

POP FUSION: FRESH! YOUNG! HIP! A CAPPELLA!These energetic young Americans reflect modern diver-sity. Diverse in heritage! Diverse in musical style! As seenat Disney's EPCOT, 7 days a week for the past severalmonths. Lightly choreographed, casual in look and amaz-ing vocals. POP FUSION is Glee-ful!PENGUIN ENTERTAINMENT, (407) 539-1333

MICHAEL BARIMO: Part Caruso, part Canary' -New York Times. Compelling vocal artist and worldchampion whistler, Michael Barimo has received rave re-views from performances at Lincoln Center, CarnegieHall, Letterman and more. Multi-lingual! Multi-talented!Available with tracks or band or orchestra.PENGUIN ENTERTAINMENT, (407) 539-1333

NOT NECESSARILY THE ORDER OF PERFORMANCES

ROMANTICO DUO: Experience beloved Neapoli-tan songs, thrilling arias, and Sinatra standards, Top 40hits as well as pop classics, enchanting guitar solos froman act that is classy, exciting and polished.PENGUIN ENTERTAINMENT, (407) 539-1333

QUATTRO FOUR DIVO: Four handsomesingers perform in the style of IL DIVO only QUATTROFOUR DIVO sings in Italian, Spanish, Portuguese andEnglish. This act has been featured at major conventionsincluding those presented by Disney Event Group.PENGUIN ENTERTAINMENT, (407) 539-1333

EYE CANDY Featuring Jessica D: Thevoice. The heart. Jessica's' show-stopping vocals and pow-erful delivery dazzled audiences on Royal Caribbean CruiseLines, Walt Disney World conventions and shows, HersheyPark, Bush Gardens and nationwide music festivals. Jes-sica sings any style of pop from any era!PENGUIN ENTERTAINMENT, (407) 539-1333

MOTOWN IN MOTION: A thrilling high-energy tribute to some of the finest American music ever produced. This cast isgorgeous young and wildly talented. Explosive choreography! Featured at Disney conventions, EPCOT and major performing artcenters in the Southeast. Book the full show or individual acts. Available with tracks or live band.PENGUIN ENTERTAINMENT, (407) 539-1333


AEP WORLDWIDEGRATEFULLY

ACKNOWLEDGESEASTCOAST

ENTERTAINMENT AND RICK STOWE FOR

ALL THE WORK THEY PUTINTO PLANNING OUR

2012 SHOWCASE EVENTS.

SHOWCASES: Tuesday Evening

STEVE SOLOMON: Stand up comedy with ex-cerpts from his Off-Broadway show, 'My Mothers Italian,My Father's Jewish and I'm in Therapy'.

Join the fun as Steve carries you into his own uniqueworld of outrageous laughs and more.BLACK BOX BOOKING, (561) 906-0430


THE EDGE EFFECT: Winners of MTV's "Top PopGroup" and Boyz II Men's "Next Great A Cappella Group",The Edge Effect combines pop, R & B, jazz, rock, and funkin a show unlike any other. Their sound blurs the genre lineand weaves a colorful tapestry of infectious beats, intricateharmonies, and spectacular vocal acrobatics.METROPOLIS PRODUCTIONS, (407) 541-0553

THE JUMPERS ORCHESTRA: The JumpersOrchestra performs a dazzling and energetic stage showof America's most beloved Rock, Pop , Swing and Stan-dards. Featuring Radio City performers and musicians.The Jumpers Orchestra delivers high flying Family enter-tainment for all ages!MIRACLE CONCERTS, (203) 208-3166

BRUCE IN THE USA: This high-energymusical experience is a note-perfect and visuallyaccurate recreation of a Bruce Springsteen &The E St. Band show. Matt Ryan, from the WorldFamous “Legends In Concert” cast, began play-ing the Springsteen character in 2000. The BruceIn The USA Band consists of seasoned worldclass professional musicians, from suchacts/bands as Queen/Paul Rogers, Meatloaf,Blue Oyster Cult, Hall and Oats, Joe Cocker, TheOjays, Aretha Franklin, David Cassidy, TheTemptations, SlashC and so many more. Thishigh end, powerhouse, band has made theWorld’s #1 Tribute to the E Street Band’s musicallegacy. Bruce’s legendary concerts (in thelargest arenas) sell-out within hours of their an-nounced sale. The Bruce In The USA show wasborn on the Las Vegas Strip in the winter of 2004,with its debut at the Aladdin Hotel and Casino’smajestic “V Theatre”. CRAIG NEIER ENTERTAINMENT, (973) 227-8787

MIKE RAYBURN: The World's Funniest Guitar Vir-tuoso , Mike is one of the youngest Inductees into theSpeakers Hall of Fame and an expert on personal devel-opment & human potential. He has performed at CarnegieHall and is a Las Vegas Headliner. He has been featuredin USA Today (business section), Billboard, Gig, AmericanEntertainment, & Successful Meetings magazines .SEE AGENCY, (310) 903-1971

RESTLESS HEART: Surely one of themost anticipated showcases of the confer-ence, buyers can’t wait for these guys toturn on the hits, and hits they have. Tenty-six Billboard charting songs with sixmaing it to the top spot on the countrymusic charts and fourteen making it to theprestigious Top Ten.

Prepare yourselves for an evening ofmusic that spans more than four decadesof country music history includingGrammy, CMA and ACM Nominations.

Known for their clean and enduring bal-lads, Restless Heart can still make themagic that audienecs are craving. Perfectfor across the board buyers looking forthat special attraction.BRAND N MUSIC, (615) 562-3726


DIRK K: Dirk K is an accomplished guitarist blendingJazz, Flamenco, and Brazilian music. He has received aShaq Hero Award from Shaquille O'Neal, and toured withRandy Brecker, Al Jarreau in Los Angeles, opened forSonny Rollins in Belgium and various additional musicalaccolades, too numerous to mention.CLASSICAL ENTERTAINMENT, (702) 558-2973

SHOWCASES: Wednesday Afternoon

BEIJING TRO: Comprised of three virtuoso Chinesemusicians, Collectively the artists have traveled the globe,representing the best of Chinese musical tradition and folk-lore, now bundled with a zest and appreciation for theirAmerican lifestyle, and enjoying the benefits the new tech-nological age has to offer.CLASSICAL ENTERTAINMENT, (702) 558-2973

VOX AUDIO: Vox Audio - 5 voice acappella sen-sation Vox Audio has travelled the globe entertainingand amazing audiences everywhere they go. Theyare a staple in the corporate and special events mar-ket and are known for their creative reditions ofAmerica’s most belocfed music.VOX AUDIO • (407) 963-4376

RECYCLED PERCUSSION: From hisroots in New Hampshire, Justin Spencer tookhis idea and spanned the globe with it.

First starting as an attraction in the CampusMarket and moving on to corporate audi-ences, the group gained critical acclaim fortheir performance on “America’s Got Talent”which rendered them a casino contract herein Vegas.

Best described as a version of Blue Man onsteroids, this show is nothing but entertain-ment and high energy. The stunts are bothawe inspiring and remarkable as these musi-cians turned athletes wow their audiences.

ICM, (310) 550-4049 • ZACH RADOWSKI

RON PEARSON: Ron is hitting on all cylinders!His keeping it clean brand of humor recently earnedhim three Telly Awards. He also recently knocked theaudiences dead at the Chelsea Lately Show and hasbeen touring theaters with the Apostles of Comedy.AGENCY FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS (APA)(310) 888-4291 • JACKIE KNOBBE


MITCHELL ZEIDWIG: He journeyed on to enor-mous critical acclaim throughout the world not only as aconcert pianist, but as a comedian and composer. Thepress described Zeidwig's work as "Breathtaking," "Po-etic," "Genius," "Sensational," and "Perfect."He has ap-peared in over 100 Prime Time television shows and hasseveral sold out performances at Carnegie Hall.CRAIG NEIER ENTERTAINMENT, (973) 227-8787

THE PHAT PACK: Inspired by the spirit of The RatPack, three guys who met while performing in “Phantom:The Las Vegas Spectacular” decided it was high time theygot to perform the songs they love and have a great timedoing it. Expect side splitting original songs, favorite Amer-ican standards, Las Vegas hits, and Broadway treasures.CLASSICAL ENTERTAINMENT, (702) 558-2973

VOX INDIGO: This is an ensemble of four virtuosovocalists and one guitar sensation dedicated to unique ver-sions of both classic and contemporary songs. One is a fa-vorite local jazz diva singing in multiple languages, onesings nightly at the Bellagio in the Cirque production "O",and two sing nightly in the Cirque production of "Mystere". CLASSICAL ENTERTAINMENT, (702) 558-2973


DON’T MISS OUTON THE

MEET & GREETFOLLOWING EACH

SHOWCASE!

Meet The Acts And Their Agents.

Talk AboutFuture Business.

SHOWCASES: Wednesday Evening

JEN KOBER: Jen Kober's powerful performancesweave together a southern-style tale of love lost at the buf-fet, road trip adventures at The Waffle House and midnightmishaps at Wal Mart. Jen has performed with DamonWayans, Dane Cook, Chris Tucker, Wayne Brady, KevinPollack, Dana Carvey, Roseanne, Sinbad and others.ADMIRE ENTERTAINMENT, (877) 236-4738

TIM RUSHLOW:Don’t miss this intimate collectionof Tim’s best known hits. The former lead singer of LittleTexas has sold more than 11 mi9llion reciords includingthe well known ballad, “God Bless Texas.” Hear him ex-plore some of country music’s most revered songs.GREG BURNS, (615) 562-3726

NICK PIKE: Nick's one-man show is a combinationof juggling, acrobatics, fast paced comedy, hilarious au-dience participation and stunts so dangerous no one elsein the world performs them. For over 10 years Nick talentshave taken him around the world and also landed him aspot in America’s Got Talent Season 5 quarterfinals.NEON ENTERTAINMENT, (716) 836-6366


THE STANDARDS: The human voice, that's how it all started for five brothers who shared a passion for music.Singing together at an early age, they began the makings of this one-of-a-kind vocal group, forging a relationship beyondbrotherhood and taking harmony to perfection. Today, they are known as The Standards. If you are yet to see this intru-iging act, you won’t want to miss this showcase. A Capella perfected.ELECTRIC HOUSE MANAGEMENT, (615)-330-1410

BRONKAR LEE: is the world's only Rhythmic Jug-gling Beatboxer. He's a headlining act on Disney cruiselines, has been featured on TV shows around the worldfrom Global TV to NBC to CBS and Univision and he haseven toured as Ring Master of Switzerlands infamous Cir-cus Monti. Welcome the vocal prince of percussion.ABOUT ENTERTAINMENT, 310-880-6034

ALTER EGO: This is Montreal’shippest party band. It’s a non-stop alldance repertoire featuring the best of70’s disco, 80’s rock, & 90’s Pop, andeven Lady Gaga. With the 7dancer/lead singers and 95 dazzlingcostume changes, this act has a MTVfeel to it. When Alter Ego takes thestage it is evident that the party hasbegun. Their show is designed to in-teract with the audience and keepthem on the dance floor. And for thosewho don’t wish to dance, Alter Ego’sshow is very entertaining to watch!The gorgeous costumes, the high en-ergy choreography, the Top 40 hits, theflashing lights.....this band certainlysends an audience into overdrive.ASSOCIATED ENTERTAIN-MENT CONSULTANTS(650) 348-7972


DON’T MISS OUTON THE

MEET & GREETFOLLOWING EACH

SHOWCASE!

Meet The Acts And Their Agents.

Talk AboutFuture Business.

Most of tribute acts exist in a sphere com-pletely separate from the talents they imitate,with the original artists not condoning andsometimes even condemning the tributes. Itwould be a pretty sharp guarantee of qualitythen if a tribute act were actually endorsedby members of the act they emulate then,wouldn’t it?

“The Greatest Tribute!” Clarence Clemons,E-Street Band

Bruce In The USA is the real deal. This isn’tsome hodgepodge of musicians pegged to-gether to try to fit square act into a mar-ketable round hole, this band is made up ofworld class musicians that have supportedartists like Queen, Paul Rogers, Meatloaf,Blue Oyster Cult, Hall and Oats, Joe Cocker,The O’Jays, Aretha Franklin, David Cassidy,The Temptations, Slash and more. Thegroup is led by Matt Ryan, who played BruceSpringsteen in Legends In Concert on theLas Vegas Strip for 7 years before startingthis show.

The act has been together for almost 10years, and it has been quite a successful runso far. “We have been doing corporateevents all over the world from exotic localesto all the big cities in the U.S.,” Matt says.“The way we see it, this is an insanely suc-cessful corporate act, everywhere we take it.”

Essentially the act is a recreation of a Spring-steen show that has been successful on andoff the strip. “It is a very accurate show; we

sound like, look like and behave like the char-acters we portray.”

The band comes in and plays the show theaudience wants to hear. Not only do they beltout all the big hits but upon request, the bandcan roll out any of the hundreds of deeperalbum cuts and B-sides for the hardcorefans. “In a corporate environment, we deliverin the in-your-face hits, all the radio songsand any special requests. We do everythingwe can to create a rock concert environmentwherever we are. This is not a wedding banddelivery, it’s a high-end international touringact that fits in performing arts centers, the-aters, casinos, fairs or any public venues aswell as being easily translated into a privateenvironment.”

Bruce Springsteen still regularly reigns thekingdom of concert sales all over the world.It’s not necessarily easy to get a ticket, letalone have The Boss show up at yourevent, even if you’re in that kind of budget-ary ballpark. This act can be an exceptionalsubstitute, so much so that not only thefans of Bruce Springsteen have approved,but even the official E-Street Brand hasgiven their sanction. “Folks expect to seea tribute act or impersonator on the VegasStrip, but I personally was a little apprehen-sive at the thought of taking this across thecountry in public venues where the realhardcore Bruce fans are. It could havebeen met with some backlash, like some-thing was being taken instead of given.What happened was once we had this

show and on the Strip, Bruce’s inner circleincluding Clarence Clemons got wind of it.They brought us to New York City wherethey rented out the Hard Rock in TimesSquare on a Saturday Night. It was a veryintimidating gig. They took video of the gig,where we backed up Clarence (who endedup a dear friend that we played privateevents with and was a very supportive partof the show) and played this show, whichthey sent to an island where Bruce waswith his family. He couldn’t be there, butthey did a simulcast where they joked withBruce like ‘Hey, we don’t really need youanymore!” all in good fun.

“When he found out the show existed, hewas very supportive, to the point he wouldplay giant stadiums on the West Coast (es-pecially during the “Rising” tour when thiswas really fresh to him), and tell his huge au-diences about us and joke ‘Hey man, I don’tknow why anyone would want to be me.’ orlook over at Stevie Van Zandt and say ‘Yeah,I heard his band was better than mine.‘ Soright from the start he has been a great friendand it has been a huge blessing to have himon our side.”

This is the real deal folks. This is the closestact to the real thing and this show is cali-brated to suit exactly your audiences’ need.Give Craig Neier a call at 973-227-8787 [email protected] for more information onmaking your next event totally Boss.

SHOWCASE B, OCTOBER 2



Cameo Publishing Group USA AE 9/12PO Box 509Prosperity SC 29127

Change Service Requested

PRST STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDCOLUMBIA SCPERMIT #706

Documents

American Entertainment Magazine - September/October 2012