May 4, 2017: Twitter to Live Stream Concerts in Live Nation Partnership, Mike Pence to Host White House Cinco de Mayo Party, Refinery29 Announces Live Event Push to Connect Brands With Women Offline

1. TWITTER TO LIVE STREAM CONCERTS IN LIVE NATION PARTNERSHIP: At its first NewFront event earlier this week, Twitter announced 14 new and renewed partnerships for its live event stream push, including one with Live Nation that will allow users to watch concerts. Forbes: “This new program is now in motion alongside Live Nation, which is helping identify which artists would be perfect for this, and then working with their teams and the venues where shows are actually taking place to make sure all works perfectly. The first concert that is set to air live on Twitter is country artist Zac Brown Band, who will be performing at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park in Alpharetta, GA. The show is one of two nights the band has scheduled at that location on their Welcome Home Tour. That performance will stream on May 13, and artists such as Train, Portugal. The Man, August Alsina and Marian Hill are all signed on as well to let viewers from around the world tune in to catch a live showing on Twitter later this year. This new deal between Twitter and Live Nation makes a lot of sense for both companies (as well as the artists involved), as there likely was very little that needed to be done technologically to make it happen that wasn't already available. Twitter already has hundreds of millions of users, and the infrastructure needed to allow a crowd of potentially millions of those tweeters is now owned by the company, as it acquired Periscope years ago. Many concerts are live streamed to sites like YouTube or dedicated, branded locations online, and it's becoming easier and easier to make these special viewings possible.” http://bit.ly/2p8IpGH

2. MIKE PENCE TO HOST WHITE HOUSE CINCO DE MAYO PARTY: Vice President Mike Pence will host today’s Cinco de Mayo celebration at the White House, an event that many were unsure would happen under the Trump administration. Politico: “A reception will be held in the Indian Treaty Room of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, the building next door to the White House, on Thursday, the day before the holiday. An official in Pence’s office said it’s unclear whether President Donald Trump, who marked Cinco de Mayo last year with a tweet about a taco bowl, will attend the White House celebration. Trump’s headed to New York City on Thursday to join Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull at an event to mark the Battle of the Coral Sea aboard the USS Intrepid. Some in the Hispanic community weren’t even sure a reception would take place, with at least two invitees saying they had not heard of any event until a few weeks ago. LIBRE, a group backed by the billionaire Koch brothers that aims to promote free-market ideas in Latino communities, said they received their invitation on Monday.” http://politi.co/2q1Qge8

3. REFINERY29 ANNOUNCES LIVE EVENT PUSH TO CONNECT BRANDS WITH WOMEN OFFLINE: At its NewFront event on Wednesday, Refinery29 said it wants to help connect brands with women offline through a slew of new live event programming. Adweek: “Last year, Refinery29 opened The Empathy Lab, a joint program with the Columbia University’s Digital Storytelling Lab, setting up focus groups to gather information about how power is represented in real-life conversations and digital media, with that research helping inform Refinery29’s programming and strategy. Now, the media company is opening up the program to conduct research on behalf of brands to ‘help them better understand their mission, maintain their values and understand the role of empathy in today’s challenging and critical climate.’ ‘We’ve got to get as intimate with her in her real life as we do in her digital one,’ said Amy Emmerich, Refinery29’s chief content officer, referring to Refinery29’s readers during today’s NewFronts presentation at New York’s Terminal 5. ‘We’ve got expertise in events and live programming, and we’re going to build out generative content models.’ … Refinery29 is expanding 29Rooms, its pop-up experiential program that turns physical spaces into branded content, to Los Angeles. There is also an augmented reality component planned for the experience. Last year’s activation in New York generated 250 million social interactions. ‘We know that young people everywhere are looking to connect and take part in thought-provoking creative experiences,’ explained Piera Gelardi, executive creative director and co-founder of Refinery29.” http://bit.ly/2oZCdFH


* INDUSTRY NEWS*

Basel, Switzerland-based MCH Group, a live marketing company, has acquired MC2, a U.S. event marketing service provider. Business Wire: http://bit.ly/2p28Ei8

* LOCAL NEWS *

BOSTON:  "The Roast of David Ortiz" will take place June 22 at House of Blues. The event will benefit the former Red Sox player's nonprofit, the David Ortiz Children's Fund. 

LAS VEGAS:  The 12th annual World Series of Beer Pong will take place June 2-4 at Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino.

Venetian Las Vegas has launched Facebook Messenger direct booking channels, which will offer guests the chance to book hotels directly through the messaging feature. 

Event-planning service Colin Cowie Lifestyle will open a Las Vegas office this year. The office will be lead by Ashley Goodhue. 

LOS ANGELES:  Technology and communications networking event Telecom Exchange LA, hosted by Jaymie Scotto & Associates, will take place November 6-7 at DoubleTree by Hilton downtown. 

For information on upcoming events in Los Angeles, visit Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/losangeles

MONTREAL:  The 35th edition of Just For Laughs comedy festival will take place July 12-31. The event will be co-headlined by Jerry Seinfeld and Gad Elmaleh, and feature standup shows from Judd Apatow, Trevor Noah, Ali Wong, and more. Videotron Galas presented by Air Canada will take place at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier at Place de Arts over six nights during the festival, with hosts that include Laverne Cox, David Spade, and Howie Mandel. 

NEW YORK:  The inaugural Village Voice Pride Awards will take place June 21 at Capitale. The event, which benefits Heritage of Pride, will be hosted by Alan Cumming.

BCAGlobal will host its 13th annual Global Food and Wine Experience on Friday at Gustavino's.

RuPaul's DragCon NYC will take place September 30-October 1. This is the first New York edition of the event, which has taken place in Los Angeles annually since 2015. 

The inaugural Survive and Thrive, an event targeted toward mission-driven entrepreneurs, will take place September 8-10 at Club Getaway in South Kent, Connecticut. 

Leon Goldberg has been appointed complex director of sales and marketing for Sheraton New York Times Square and New York Marriott Marquis. 

For information on upcoming events in New York, visit Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/newyork

ORLANDO/CENTRAL FLORIDA:  Ace Cafe Orlando will open May 19. The 35,000-square-foot motor-centric venue will be the first North American location of the London-based cafe. The venue will have a full-service restaurant, four bars, retail shops, an art gallery, and multiple private and semiprivate event spaces. 

Disney is extending the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival to 75 days. The event will run August 31-November 13, and include 35 global food and wine marketplaces and 225 concerts. 

TORONTO:  Young professional volunteer group 30 Under Thirty will host a Pride-affiliated, 1980s-prom-inspired fund-raising and networking event to support the Canfar, the Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research, on June 10 at 519 Community Centre. 

Fitness education provider Canfitpro will host its 24th annual World Fitness Expo August 16-20 at Metro Toronto Convention Centre. The event will offer more than 300 fitness-education sessions presented by more than 200 international experts. 

WASHINGTON, D.C.:  The fourth annual Alzheimer's Association Brain Ball takes place Friday at Mellon Auditorium. 

YOUR NEWS: What are you doing? Tell us: [email protected]. 

JOB BOARD: Post a job or find a job: http://jobs.bizbash.com

With contributions from Jenny Berg in Chicago, Alesandra Dubin and Claire Hoffman in Los Angeles, Mitra Sorrells in Orlando, and Beth Kormanik, Michele Laufik, Jill Menze, and Ian Zelaya in New York.

BizBash Daily is the must-read digest of event industry news from BizBash.com.

Feed the Sheet: [email protected]

Subscribe: www.bizbash.com/bizbashdaily

Advertise with BizBash: [email protected]