entertainment trends

Branden Chapman, Rex Supa, Clay Upton, and Casey Immoor headed up the Recording Academy's official bash, and Along Came Mary Productions, helmed by longtime collaborator Mary Micucci, once again produced the affair. Inspired by Bollywood, the post-ceremony event took over a space the size of three football fields with entertainers, dancers, acrobats, projections, elevated lounges, and design evocative of the the world of Indian films. A massive covered decor piece in the center of the space served as a raised stage for dancers; it included a working fountain filled with flowers and was surrounded by bench seating.

Costumed dancers entertained from multiple platforms around the massive space.

Indian-inspired tents covered seating groups and bars.

A Bollywood prop served as a conversation piece adjacent to Along Came Mary's buffet stations, which offered curries, Hindi sweets like Bombay kulfi and kaffir lime bars, and other on-theme fare.

Jewel tones added bright pops of color to the enormous space, with linens, lanterns, and other decor pieces all decked out in bold orange, purple, pink, and red hues.

A colorful stage served as a splashy backdrop for performances by the B-52s, Estelle, and DJ Michelle Pesce.

For the Grammys Special Merit Awards at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre, 15/40 Productions took its cue for the lighting from the Recording Academy's invitation. The invite had a relief of an intricate pattern, evocative of, say, the style of an Indian henna tattoo in a deep wine color. The production company translated that look into the design and decor, including an ornate lighting pattern.

Colin Cowie returned to produce Cash Money Records' annual preparty with a vintage Las Vegas theme—think Rat Pack mixed with Crazy Horse. At the entrance to the soundstage at the Lot in West Hollywood was a vintage 1951 Cadillac convertible. Inside the space, there were palm trees throughout along with a section of cabanas.

Of course, there was also neon, in the form of a custom Cash Money Records sign.

On Friday, L.A. Live's Conga Room was the backdrop for the launch of the mPowering Action mobile platform, an entertainment-driven initiative aimed at empowering youth through mobile phones.

The event included a surprise performance by Justin Timberlake and special appearances by artists like Timbaland, who, alongside Agnes Monica, made the U.S. debut of the first song for the mPowering Action mobile platform. DJ Avicii (pictured) drew a packed, celebrity-heavy crowd of fans.

Taking over the Ace Museum on Friday night, Levi's celebrated 140 years of the 501 jean. Working alongside senior manager of entertainment marketing Greg Sato, the Visionary Group turned the raw venue into an industrial and minimalist event space for 600 guests. Custom-designed pieces for the event, like five steel bars, complemented the gallery-like installations meant to honor decades of Levi's history. M83's Anthony Gonzalez served as DJ, and Frank Ocean performed.

The Family Equality Council held its annual awards dinner honoring notables in the world of arts, entertainment, politics, and the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community for their efforts to advance equality. Recognize that splashy, sunny motif from HBO's Emmy party?

On Friday, AAM founders Mark Beaven and Andy Kipnes hosted their 16th annual pre-Grammy event, known as "Friends 'N' Family," with top music industry executives. Music came from the likes of Carly Rae Jepsen and Paul Oakenfold, while guests could play ping-pong at tables. Rebel Industries and Big Time Affairs produced the party at the Paramount lot. For the fourth year, the event benefited Rock the Vote.

Kicking things off early on February 4, Delta Air Lines (the awards' official airline) hosted a private concert by Fun. at the SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills. The concert was part of Delta’s "Nonstop NYC Challenge," which awarded winners a charter flight from New York to Los Angeles. In addition to the show, winners also received a private dinner hosted by chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa at Nobu Malibu and a performance by comedian Aziz Ansari.

MKG produced Delta's pre-Grammy event at the Getty House, all done in a tented party space in the brand's signature red. Seating samples in the event space showed off Delta's Business Elite experience, and a Delta Sky Luxury Bar was meant to give a sample of the experience offered at some Delta Sky Clubs in airports. Jermaine Dupri was the DJ.

Sonos Studio hosted an event curated by Janelle Monáe that transformed the venue with a ceiling full of balloons and a grass floor complete with croquet set.

Sonos worked collaboratively with Wondaland Arts Society, an artists organization founded by Monáe and like-minded young artists, to bring the whimsical event to life.

Essence magazine hosted its fourth annual "Black Women in Music" event at Greystone Manor on February 6 with performances by Lianne La Havas and Solange Knowles. Illuminated crystalline chandeliers hung overhead, and a bold logo gobo announced the host.

Red Light Management's Grammys after-party took over a tented space at the Mondrian with production by Gina Wade Creative. Chandeliers hung from a clear-top tent under which trees created an indoor-outdoor look.