The Recording Academy’s official Grammy after-party, known as the Grammy Celebration, followed the awards next door to Staples at the Los Angeles Convention Center’s West Hall. Produced by the Recording Academy’s Brandon Chapman and Rex Supa, working with Angel City Designs, the event drew its traditionally massive crowd of 5,000.
Angel City Designs' look for the huge bash was a modernist take on Shakespeare’s classic “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” The party’s production used three distinct lighting and scenic looks: silhouettes of trees through the morning mist, followed by warming color hues to evoke a day getting brighter, and then a sunset through a forest, which included a diffused lighting glow meant to represent the Aurora Borealis. ShowPro handled the lighting and video projection.
Aerialists performed from within a dramatic green-draped cube.
A neon-green outline of the recognizable shape of an Absolut bottle served as an entrance into a platform bar area, designed and produced by MKG.
Flowers from CJ Matsumoto & Sons topped tables with varying linens meant to conjure various natural environments.
Roaming performers wore fanciful costumes, and entertainment came from Kool and the Gang and Gavin DeGraw.
Patina’s catering included edible flowers on desserts, meant to conjure natural and fanciful environments.
Essence kicked off Grammy weekend with its eighth annual Black Women in Music event at NeueHouse Hollywood, sponsored by Lincoln and Absolut, featuring live performances from Erykah Badu and Tiwa Savage.
Gold Sky Productions designed the event, where a color-blocking theme lent a bold, graphic look.
A floral and succulent wall announced sponsor Lincoln.
Logo pillows in black popped against textural white seating groups.
Desserts served on a roving cart bore the event's messaging.
Presented by American Airlines and Citi at the Ace Hotel following the Grammys, Universal Music Group’s event included a chic candlelit bar bearing the sponsors' names.
An angular, illuminated structure overhead lent a graphic, modern look to the party space.
Lucian Grainge’s Artist Showcase at the Theatre at Ace Hotel on February 11 gave attendees access to Universal Music Group’s established and up-and-coming talent through performances. A gallery-style wall included sponsors' names—Citi and American Airlines presented—as well as a place for talent to add signatures.
A range of old-school concert stubs—from a time when people saved them as souvenirs, before digital ticketing was the norm—arranged under a glass tabletop created eye-catching, on-theme decor.
Republic Records, in partnership with Absolut and Pryma, hosted a February 12 event at Catch, where, painted models drew attention.
On February 12, CAA hosted a Grammy party at Hyde with nominees and past winners in attendance including Stevie Wonder, Boy George, and others. There, marquee-style lettering spelled out the agency’s name against a wooden-slat wall, and carnival string lights hung over head.
Mastercard opened a record store in the former Tower Records location in the week leading up to the Grammys. The #Thankthefans House at Gibson Brands Sunset (formerly Tower) offered a taste of old-school-style record store nostalgia, with vinyl listening stations, a recording booth, Gibson guitar displays, and other activations. BMF Media produced the pop-up event.
The program kicked off on February 8 with a performance by Best Country Album nominee Brandy Clark and the band Temecula Road, as well as an industry panel discussion featuring industry pros.
Official Grammy partner Delta Air Lines hosted its pre-awards event on February 9 at Beauty & Essex, adjacent to the new Dream Hollywood hotel. New this year, celebrities on the red carpet were asked to stop and sign two oversize metallic airplanes, mimicking the form of paper airplanes, which decorated the arrivals line.
For every unique signature, Delta committed to donate $1,000 to the Grammy Museum, where one of the planes will live. The second plane will be displayed at the Delta Museum in Atlanta.
Decorative objects within the MKG-produced party space echoed the angular look of the paper plane motif.
Capitol File magazine also returned this year with a cocktail party for 400 at the British Embassy on April 28. Syzygy Events International provided branded bars inside the embassy and lounge furniture in the garden.
Inside, Advoc8 worked with the venue’s pillar in the middle of the gallery to create a carousel bar branded with the names of each of CNN’s broadcast shows around the top.
The annual Joffrey Bala Spring Gala took place April 21 at Roosevelt University and the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago. In the latter venue's Red Lacquer room, David Beahm Experiences installed a bar backdrop of frames decorated with bouquets of various flowers. Frost provided lighting at the event.
