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Game-Changing New Feature, SimpliFi, Changes the Way IR Pros Issue Market-Moving News
News Direct, the state-of-the-art news and content distribution service purpose-built to meet the demands of modern media outreach, introduces SimpliFi, an innovative feature specifically for IR pros. SimpliFi streamlines the process of creating and distributing financial content, including earnings releases, mitigating security risks and maximizing cost savings in the process.
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TV anime “Platinum End” Official Trailer #2 has been released with 10 language subtitles including English
Today, the TV anime “Platinum End” official trailer #2, which is going to be on air from October 2021, has been released. This trailer shows many new scenes from the TV anime “Platinum End” and also introduces a line up of voices of new characters like, Saki Hanakago (CV:M・A・O) ,Nanato Mukaido (CV:Toshiyuki Morikawa), Kanade Uryu(CV:Kaito Ishikawa), Revel (CV:Natsuki Hanae), Mimi Yamada (CV:Kaori Maeda). This trailer shows the world view of the production and gives a glimpse of Mirai Kakehashi’s mentality. When watching the visuals of this trailer the viewers must be excited for the new anime! The trailer has subtitles in 10 languages including, Japanese, English, Traditional Chinese, Korean, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Indonesian, Thai and Russian. Please check the trailer out! And also the key visual has been released. All 5 God candidates, Mirai Kakehashi, Kanade Uryu, Nanato Mukaido, Saki Hanakago and Hajime Sokotani, appear and these visuals will give you a hint of the beginning of the story. Look out for each character’s catchphrase as well. The opening theme song, “Sense”, will be created by BAND-MAID and the ending theme song, ‘Koufukuron’, will be created by Yuu Miyashita. BAND-MAID is the band which will make the opening theme song. BAND-MAID is based in Japan, and despite the visuals of their maid costume, they create hard rock music. Their hard rock sound is supported hugely by many fans and media coverage across the world. The ending theme song will be created by Yuu Miyashita. He is a singer and illustrator and his talents are vast. He is active mainly in the internet scene. His work includes making lyrics, composing and arranging songs and also producing music videos of animation. BAND-MAID’s song “Sense” is partially released in the official trailer #2 today and it will be released on the TV Size version from tomorrow, the 6th of September. It’s now only one month before the TV anime ”Platinum End” starts. You can’t take your eyes from how the story will evolve.
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Porsche Korea Unveils a New Cinematic Road Movie ‘Off the Grid’ Episode Starring Kim Hee-ae, Together with Studio Discovery
Porsche Korea (CEO Holger Gerrmann) announced the screening of the road movie, ‘Off the Grid’ featuring actress Kim Hee-ae and her solo journey on Jeju Island in the brand’s first ever electric sports car, the Taycan, on September 2nd in collaboration with Studio Discovery. ‘Off the Grid’ is a reality program that captures the freedom of travelling in solitude, and was designed to show Porsche as the brand for those who follow their 'dreams.' The first episode of ‘Off the Gird’, which received favorable reviews in May starring Kim Da-mi, embarks on its second journey with Kim Hee-ae and will heal viewers by taking them on her three day experience. The ‘Off the Grid’ episode will be aired in two parts, starring Kim Hee-ae, an actress who shows strong presence with excellent acting skills. Together with the Taycan, Kim Hee-ae will escape from the everyday mundanity and reveal a healing journey enjoying the vast nature of Jeju Island. Through a sensuous video featuring the beautiful sceneries of Jeju Island against a backdrop of comforting narration by the actress Kim Hee-ae, the Taycan’s quality of everyday usability to Porsche's sustainable future mobility concept, Porsche’s design DNA, and the dynamic E-performance strategy, will be conveyed to the viewers. Porsche Korea will sequentially introduce Porsche vehicles through the road trip format of the ‘Off the Grid’ series, with the concept of famous actors ‘travelling in solitude’ without any script nor advanced production plans. In particular, this collaboration is drawing attention as producer Seo Seung-han, who planned and directed the nation's one and only car variety program ‘Top Gear Korea,’ took charge. CEO of Porsche Korea Holger Gerrmann stated, “I hope the ‘Off the Grid’ series gives the viewers the opportunity to enjoy the excitement of limitless traveling in a car and let them experience the Taycan's charm while driving across Jeju Island’s dense forest and beautiful coastal roads." He also added, “Porsche Korea will continue to release new innovative contents on various plat-forms, expanding opportunities for consumers to experience the brand and products.” The cinematic road movie ‘Off the Grid’ will be broadcasted for the first time on the 2nd on Discovery Channel Korea and Sky Channel at 10:30 p.m. One week prior to the airing, it will be pre-released on KT seezn’s OTT platform ‘seezn’. Detailed information can be found on Discovery Channel, Sky TV, KT seezn’s website, and official SNS accounts.
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Jeff Garlin and Jimmy Vivino's Couch of Guitars; New Series Streaming Worldwide Now on Gibson TV
Gibson TV, the iconic, American guitar maker’s award-winning, worldwide online network--features original series about music and culture from the world’s best storytellers. Today, Gibson TV has premiered the second episode of “Jeff Garlin and Jimmy Vivino’s Couch of Guitars.” The new, original series features HBO star Jeff Garlin and guitarist Jimmy Vivino as they discuss their love for guitars, comedy, and music, all from the comfort of their couch. Watch and share Episode 2 of “Jeff Garlin and Jimmy Vivino’s Couch of Guitars,” where Jeff and Jimmy have a lively conversation from the couch with guest Elliot Easton of The Cars. In this episode, the good times definitely roll as Jimmy and Jeff talk all things Cars, the Boston music scene, palmetto bugs, Neil Diamond, and their mutual love of Chicago blues with The Cars guitarist Elliot Easton. Watch as Jeff and Jimmy dig into the impact the genre-bending band had in the 80s and beyond with Elliot Easton who opens-up about the legacy of The Cars, their humble beginnings, and how an influential DJ in Boston helped launch their career with an old-school demo tape. Maybe growing up across the street from Neil Diamond had something to do with Elliot Easton’s musical destiny, or maybe not. Elliot’s impact on rock music cannot be denied. In 1976, Easton joined Ric Ocasek, Benjamin Orr, David Robinson, and Greg Hawkes to form The Cars, a new wave ensemble that went counter to the big hair and blistering guitar solos of the day. Elliot and The Cars recorded several platinum albums and Top 40 singles and were a mainstay on MTV. Elliot released his only solo album, Change No Change, in 1985 while on hiatus from The Cars and later toured with Creedence Clearwater Revisited. In 2018, The Cars were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. To this day, with nearly 5 million monthly listeners on Spotify, The Cars enjoy a passionate following among old and new fans. Jeff Garlin is an American stand-up comedian and actor. He plays family patriarch Murray Goldberg in the ABC series “The Goldbergs” and Jeff Greene in the HBO series “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” Garlin has also had recurring roles in other TV shows, including “Mad About You” and “Arrested Development”, and has also appeared in several movies, including Safety Not Guaranteed, WALL-E, ParaNorman, and Toy Story 3. For the latest information on Jeff Garlin, visit https://www.jeffgarlin.com/ Jimmy Vivino is an American musician who plays guitar and keyboards and is renowned for his singing, producing, and work as a musical director. He was the leader of Jimmy Vivino and the Basic Cable Band, the house band for the TBS late-night TV show, “Conan.” Vivino was also a member of the “Tonight Show Band” and the house band for NBC’s “Late Night with Conan O’Brien.” Jimmy has also performed with numerous rock bands and respected musicians, including Al Kooper, Levon Helm, John Sebastian, Johnnie Johnson, Hubert Sumlin, Son Seals, Donald Fagen, Phoebe Snow, Laura Nyro, and more. For the latest information on Jimmy Vivino, visit: https://www.jimmyvivino.com. Watch and share the debut episode of “Jeff Garlin and Jimmy Vivino’s Couch of Guitars,” where Jeff and Jimmy have a lively conversation from the couch including stories about Buddy Guy, Eric Clapton, Neil Young, Peter Green, Jeff Tweedy, Johnny Greenwood and more. Garlin also reveals his favorite guitar and explains his hesitation for playing in front of an audience.
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Team17 reveals new games and release dates at gamescom
Team17 has confirmed a series of release dates and games at gamescom. Revealed during the Future Games Show was Trepang2, a fast-paced horror first-person shooter heading to Steam in 2022; further highlights included confirmation that adventure roguelike Crown Trick is launching on 7th September for PlayStation®4 and Xbox One, adding to its current availability on Nintendo Switch™ and Steam; the indie games label also revealed kooky culinary adventure Epic Chef would be arriving in November together with dwaven mining sim Hammerting, which is full launching onto PC on 16th November. The announcement continued a flurry of news from Team17, which this week also announced it has added Australian studio Drop Bear Bytes’ isometic role-playing game Broken Roads to its 2022 release schedule alongside Stormind Games’ Batora: Lost Haven. Today’s reveal also confirmed two titles – Honey, I Joined A Cult and The Unliving – will be launching into Steam Early Access on 14th September and 26th October respectively. Also featured was online strategic World War II shooter Hell Let Loose, which will be expanding onto new-generation platforms this autumn, adding to its recent launch on PC. The announcements were made days after the recent launch of Navegante Games’ platformer, Greak: Memories of Azur, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, as well as PC and Nintendo Switch. [Team17 Presents… full list] Greak: Memories of Azur – Navegante Games – Out Now Sheltered 2 – Unicube Games – Coming 21st September 2021 Crown Trick – Next Studios – Out Now (PC & Nintendo Switch), Coming 7th September 2021 (PlayStation 4, Xbox One) Honey, I Joined A Cult – Sole Survivor Games – Steam Early Access, 14th September 2021 The Unliving – RocketBrush Studio – Steam Early Access, 26th October 2021 Hammerting – Warpzone Studios – Coming 16th November 2021 Epic Chef – Infinigon Games – Coming November 2021 Hell Let Loose – Black Matter – Out Now (PC), Coming Soon 2021 (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S) Batora: Lost Haven – Stormind Games – Coming 2022 Broken Roads – Drop Bear Bytes – Coming 2022 Trepang2 – Trepang Studios – Coming 2022
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Lemmings documentary will celebrate 30 years of a games icon
A new documentary will shine a light on the iconic video game Lemmings, which is celebrating its 30th birthday this year. Lemmings is a stalwart of the Britsoft establishment. Originally developed by DMA Design in Dundee, it was first published for the Commodore Amiga by Liverpool-based Psygnosis in 1991 and has made its way to many other platforms since, including Sony’s PlayStation and, most recently, mobile. The documentary, Lemmings 30th: Can You Dig It?, celebrates this icon of Scottish and UK games culture by speaking to the people behind its original success, while also celebrating its legacy in gameplay. The documentary was commissioned by Lemmings Mobile publisher Exient and is directed by leading video game film producer Richard Wilcox of That Video Company. It will be released online in Q4 2021. Among the DMA team members, industry folk, media and superfans to be featured in the documentary so far are:- Adrian Powell (original Lemmings cover artist), Chris Scullion (journalist), Chris van der Kuyl (developer & Kingsway Club alumni), Eli Mouawad (streamer), Enrique Hervas (Lead Designer at Exient), Gary Penn (ex-DMA & journalist), Gary Timmons (ex-DMA), Gary Whitta (screen writer & journalist), Ian Hetherington (ex-Psygnosis), Jake Montanarini (Norwich University), James Roadley-Battin (Art Director at Exient), Kish Hirani (BAME In Games, ex-PlayStation), Larry Bundy Jr (TV presenter, YouTuber), Nia Wearn (Staffordshire University), Nick Gorse (Coventry University), Paul Farley (ex-DMA), Peter Molyneux (games industry legend), Robin Gray (Gayming Magazine), Russell Kay (ex-DMA), Ryan Locke (Abertay University), Silvio Micalef (Lead Artist at Exient), Tim Wright (ex-DMA), Trista Bytes (superfan, YouTuber) and more. Players of Lemmings can already celebrate the game’s 30th year with amazing new content available every month for the mobile game, available for iOS and Android devices – including retro graphics, ‘90s inspired Lemmings tribes and an ‘old skool’ soundtrack. Lemmings Mobile, first published Exient in December 2018, refreshes the classic ‘90s platform experience for smartphones and tablets, tasking players with saving the adorable critters once again as they search for a new home in the face of environmental catastrophe. Since its release, players of Lemmings Mobile have saved more than 25bn of our furry friends. “We’re excited to help to celebrate the 30th birthday of Lemmings, which has to be one of the most-loved games ever made,” said Jamie Wotton, Creative Marketing Manager at Exient. “It’s a game that has touched the hearts of so many fans, old and new, so with the documentary we want to give them something special in recognition of the impact Lemmings has had on global games and games culture.”
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Jerry Cantrell “Wino” Les Paul Custom Guitar Marks First Collaboration with Gibson Custom Shop and Singer-Songwriter-Guitarist and Alice
The Gibson Custom Shop is the pinnacle of craftsmanship, quality, and sound excellence through accuracy, authenticity, and attention to detail. NASHVILLE, TN (August 24, 2021) For the past 127 years, Gibson--the iconic American instrument brand--has been synonymous with creating and shaping sound across genres of music and generations of players. Today, Gibson Custom Shop has announced the release of the limited-edition Jerry Cantrell “Wino” Les Paul Custom guitar, the guitar marks the first official collaboration with Gibson luthiers and the legendary singer, songwriter, guitarist, and ALICE IN CHAINS co-founder Jerry Cantrell. “The Wino has always been one of my favorite guitars,” says Jerry Cantrell. “It’s a really good-looking guitar.” Only 100 of the new Jerry Cantrell “Wino” Les Paul Custom guitar were hand-crafted by the expert luthiers of the Gibson Custom Shop. Each guitar in this very special limited run is personally hand-signed on the back of the headstock by Jerry Cantrell. The Jerry Cantrell “Wino” Les Paul Custom guitar is available worldwide via www.gibson.com Made to replicate the Alice in Chains guitarist's iconic Les Paul™ Custom, the new Jerry Cantrell “Wino” Les Paul Custom guitar has many personal touches, including a stunning Murphy Lab aged "Wino" Wine Red finish over a maple top and 9-hole weight-relieved mahogany body, aged gold hardware, Grover® Kidney tuners, and 490R and 498T pickups with a gold cover on the neck pickup and exposed coils on the bridge pickup. The Jerry Cantrell “Wino” Les Paul Custom also features a Fishman Powerbridge piezo pickup-equipped bridge for acoustic-like tonal options. There are two volume controls (one for each magnetic pickup), and a third volume (where the bridge tone control would normally be) for the Powerbridge piezo pickup. A master tone and a three-way toggle pickup selector round out the controls, while a stereo output jack allows for discrete electric and acoustic signal routing. A Jerry Cantrell Custom Case is included. Jerry Cantrell recently announced the forthcoming release of the new album Brighten, out October 29. Co-produced by musician and composer Tyler Bates, and long-time engineer Paul Fig, Brighten features a diverse group of music luminaries including Duff McKagan (Guns N’ Roses) Greg Puciato (The Black Queen / Killer Be Killed / The Dillinger Escape Plan), as well as drummers Gil Sharone (Stolen Babies / The Dillinger Escape Plan) and Abe Laboriel Jr. (Paul McCartney). Additional supporting players include pedal steel master Michael Rozon, Vincent Jones on piano, Wurlitzer and organ, Jordan Lewis on piano, Matias Ambrogi-Torres on strings, and Lola Bates on additional backing vocals. Brighten is available for pre-order everywhere now, here: https://hoo.be/jerrycantrell. Tickets to Cantrell’s recently announced 2022 Brighten Tour are on sale Friday, August 27. For more information, visit: https://jerrycantrell.com/
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Watch Dave Mustaine of Megadeth on Gibson TV's "Icons," Streaming Now
Gibson TV, the iconic, American guitar maker’s award-winning, worldwide online network--features original series about music and culture from the world’s best storytellers. Gibson TV has premiered the fifth episode of the show titled “Icons”--a longform interview series featuring some of the most iconic artists, producers, and music business pioneers in the world. In the new episode of “Icons” out today, Gibson TV sits down with the legendary guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, and GRAMMY®-winning founder and leader of Megadeth, Dave Mustaine. In this intimate look into his musical journey, Dave lets viewers in and shares very personal stories about his childhood, his music career, and the enduring legacy of Megadeth. Rare photos and footage from Dave’s storied career and tumultuous life paint a picture of a man who has overcome so much and yet never, ever lost his absolute love of playing guitar and creating music. Renowned worldwide, the thrash metal pioneer Dave Mustaine founded Megadeth 35 years ago, developing the thrash metal genre with the band’s debut album, Killing Is My Business… And Business Is Good! Megadeth has sold more than 38 million albums, earning many accolades along the way, including a GRAMMY® Award and 12 additional GRAMMY® nominations, and five, consecutive platinum/multi-platinum albums, including 1992’s multi-platinum-selling Countdown to Extinction. Megadeth has headlined many of the biggest stages in the world and sold-out arenas as part of “The Big Four.” Across the entirety of his recorded catalog, Mustaine has achieved a staggering sales tally of nearly 50 million albums sold worldwide. Megadeth is currently co-headlining the Metal Tour of the Year in North America with Lamb of God. For dates, tickets and VIP packages, visit: metaltouroftheyear.com. The band is currently working on their 16th studio album. Listen to Megadeth, https://megadeth.lnk.to/stream “Dave’s ‘Icons’ interview takes an intimate look into his incredible career highs and lows, showing how strong he is and everything he has done to keep Megadeth moving forward,” says Cesar Gueikian, Brand President, Gibson Brands. “The interview also reveals a heartfelt and vulnerable side of Dave that people have never seen before, and it’s truly inspiring how he’s transcended his own personal struggles. Gibson is beyond honored to work with Dave Mustaine and bring his creative vision to life.” Watch and share the Dave Mustaine episode of “Icons” on Gibson TV,
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Gibson Announces Partnership with Kirk Hammett of Metallica
Gibson, the iconic American instrument brand, has announced an official brand partnership with Kirk Hammett of Metallica, one of the most iconic rock guitarists today. The new partnership will span across Gibson Brands including Gibson and Epiphone guitars. “It’s a really great and exciting time for me to be joining forces with Gibson,” says Kirk Hammett. “I look forward to achieving great things together in the future.” “It’s an honor to welcome the icon, the ripper, Kirk Hammett back to the Gibson family,” says Cesar Gueikian, Brand President, Gibson Brands. “Kirk has been carrying the flag for hard rock and heavy metal for decades, and his Gibson guitars have been there with him from the very beginning. From his first Gibson, his 1979 Flying V to ‘Greeny’ and everything in between, Gibson guitars have been an integral part of Kirk’s sound. All of us at Gibson are looking forward to this collaboration and are grateful that Kirk has trusted us to begin a new partnership.” Watch and share the new interview with Kirk Hammett and Cesar Gueikian (Brand President, Gibson Brands) on Gibson TV, Today, Thursday, July 29, at 10am PT. Born in San Francisco in November 1962, Kirk Hammett quickly found himself obsessed with watching monster movies and reading books and comics. Transitioning through his teenage years meant taking up guitar and teaching himself how to play by ear for hours on end. In 1979, Kirk Hammett named and founded the metal band Exodus. After recording a three-song demo in 1982, Hammett was called out to New York to audition for Metallica, and by the time Kill ‘Em All was released in July of 1983, he was officially part of the Metallica plan for world domination. Adding his style and passion into the mix helped define and shape the sound of Metallica as they grew into the band they are now, and Hammett’s solos and signature licks have inspired a legion of musicians young and old. From Hammett’s early sonic experiences with a guitar out of a Montgomery Ward store catalog special, progressing to hitting Hendrix vibes with a ’78 Fender Stratocaster, then moving on professionally to Gibson Flying Vs and Les Pauls, and customized ESP’s. It goes without saying that Kirk Hammett is a guitar geek and has an affinity for anything with six strings including his 1985 Jackson Randy Rhoads Flying V or a frequently played Gibson 59 Les Paul Standard that once belonged to the immortal genius of both Peter Green and Gary Moore - affectionately known and celebrated worldwide as “Greeny.” Now as Metallica celebrates their 40th Anniversary in 2021, Kirk Hammett is ready to let those strings shine once again.
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Taito’s DariusBurst Another Chronicle EX+ (PS4/Switch) Boxed/Digital - Out Today - New Trailer
TAITO and ININ Games are pleased to announce the release of DariusBurst Another Chronicle EX+. The new, revised Darius experience is now available physically and digitally on Nintendo Switch and Sony PlayStation 4 for Europe and North America. DariusBurst Another Chronicle EX+ is a new revision of DariusBurst AC and comes with gorgeous 3D graphics in the most compelling and challengingly awesome adventure yet, with this update to the arcade classic. The evolution of this top notch brand continues and it is now 10 years since the original version and the original team, which is focused and highly motivated, has ensured this offers something really special. Features: Local co-op for up to 4 players Ghostship function 4 game modes and all new and exclusive events High replayability with branching stages Modern HD graphics and a great atmospheric soundtrack Face off against more than 40 gigantic battleships Make strategic use of the versatile Burst Beam to destroy the evil Belsar Forces For the first time, take flight in the Silver-Hawk Murakumo in all modes In DariusBurst Another Chronicle EX+, within the unique oceanic-themed designed setting, players need to learn how to make use of the ship's cannons’ multifunctional utility, which opens up whole new tactical combat possibilities! Not only is the Burst Beam a weapon that dramatically alters the tide in combat, it also doubles up as a shield against enemy fire when under attack. Explosive action, fantastic and detailed subterranean settings, inventive combat challenges and mesmerizing boss attacks are presented. Utilising an ultra-broad aspect ratio, the sea-life panorama is a visual feast that features classical style Sci-Fi spaceships and enemies, but also sees players encounter deep-sea creatures re-imagined as mechanical battleships which is a great mix of Sci-Fi and deep-sea creatures. The panorama settings are enhanced by a great soundtrack from TAITO’s in-house sound team Zuntata that amplifies the adrenaline-filled atmosphere with powerful beats and emotional tunes infused with Japanese instruments and underwater sampling.
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Gibson Gives Raises Over $2.5 Million Dollars Worldwide
In July-2019, Gibson re-launched its philanthropic arm Gibson Gives--and upon its two-year anniversary, Gibson Gives is proud to announce it has raised over $2.5 million dollars worldwide through its mission of creating, developing, and supporting non-profit organizations in their efforts to advance musicians, as well as youth-focused education and wellness initiatives. Leveraging the success of Gibson Gives, the brand followed with KRK Kares, and has announced today the launch of Epiphone Empowered, Kramer Kares, and Mesa Mission. Under the umbrella of Gibson Gives--a 501(c)(3) organization--the above programs will follow the same success path and bring awareness to the charitable spirit of all the brands of Gibson. 100% of all donations to and from Gibson Gives go towards giving the gift of music. Gibson Gives has created two new groups which include an Influencers and an Artist Advisory Council to help drive the culture of giving back across Gibson’s brands, employees, artists, partners, events, and communities worldwide. The Gibson Gives Influencers and Artist Advisory Council will provide thought leadership, foundation, and funding strategy, as well as present philanthropic opportunities they are passionate about that fulfill the foundation’s mission to amplify the reach, message, and awareness of all program initiatives and non-profit partners. The Gibson Gives Artist Advisory Council members include Lzzy Hale, Celisse, Alex Lifeson, Matt Heafy, Joe Bonamassa, Billy F. Gibbons, Slash, Captain Kirk Douglas, and more. The Gibson Gives Influencers group is comprised of a community of leaders across the Music and Entertainment Business, Sports, Youth, Education, Legacy, International, the Nashville “Music City” Community and our partner advisors. Gibson Gives Influencers include the following appointments: Music Education: Jeff Smith/Music Makes Us (Director of Arts, Metro Nashville Public Schools), Sports: Ken Adams (Co-Owner, Tennessee Titans), Matt Crews (CEO, Music City Grand Prix), Ian Ayers (CEO, Nashville Soccer Club), Music City Community: Ben Hall (Senior Director of Development, Country Music Hall of Fame), International: Lee Bartram, (Head of Marketing and Cultural Influence, Gibson Brands Europe), Youth: Toby Lee (musician), Legacy: Nina Miller (Executive Director of Miranda Lambert’s Mutt Nation/Former Executive Director, Gibson Foundation), Music Industry: Reid Shippen (Song Farm/GRAMMY® award-winning producer/engineer/mixer), Music Industry (Non-Profit): Melinda Colaizzi (Founder, Women Who Rock), Partner Influencer: Erica Krusen (Managing Director of Mental Health, MusiCares). Gibson Gives recently announced the launch of TEMPO, Training and Empowering Musicians to Prevent Overdose--a collaborative program with MusiCares, Harbor Path and 7 non-profits--to save musicians lives in response to continued and elevated opioid overdoses from over a year of confinement and Covid 19 closures. TEMPO empowers participating non-profits and venues by providing the life-saving training necessary for using the drug naloxone (Narcan, Naloxone Auto-Injector) to prevent opioid overdose. Watch the new TEMPO PSA with Forest Blakk to raise awareness in the musician community, and learn more about TEMPO: https://www.tempomission.org/ During the July-2019 re-launch of Gibson Gives, the foundation immediately committed to donating 1,000 guitars in 1000 days to non-profits including music education, music wellness programs and musicians in need worldwide and has climbed above and beyond that initial milestone by donating over 2800+ guitars in 700 days. “When we announced we would donate 1000 guitars in 1000 days, I thought it was a lofty goal,” explains Dendy Jarrett, Executive Director of Gibson Gives. “We could have never predicted all the hurdles this past year presented in the music community and beyond. It’s been a humbling experience and an honor to work with so many worthy music and health programs in need, directly supporting and impacting individual people, as well as non-profits.” Gibson Gives is committed to making the world a better place and helping those in need in the following ways: Introduce, inspire, and amplify the power of music by working with major musician-oriented charities such as MusiCares, Keeping the Blues Alive, NIVA, NITO, Apollo Theater, the Save the Music Foundation, and more to help struggling musicians worldwide. The Play It Forward program, established to move quickly and offer fast support to individual musicians, groups, as well as charitable organizations with immediate needs including the recent Nashville Tornado, Nashville bombing that displaced many creators. Amplify programs for music students that have been disrupted by budget cuts in local community schools, music programs, and educational foundations worldwide, including Playing for Change, Manos Escuela de Guitarra in Aguascalientes, Mexico, Maplewood High School in Nashville, TN, Gallatin High School in Bozeman, MT, as well as schools across Europe, Africa, Spain, South America, Canada, and more. Develop offerings with established programs focused on physical wellness and mental health including Teenage Cancer Trust (U.K.), Guitars For Vets, Ryan Seacrest Foundation, JoyRXMusic, Notes for Notes, Women Who Rock, Keep-A-Breast, Give a Note, and more. Gibson Gives and KRK Kares work extensively with other charities in a 360 degree way, raising the funds they need the most right now including MusiCares, The Recording Academy (GRAMMY’s), Guitars For Vets (helping U.S. military veterans with PTSD), Let’s Stay (In) Together Apollo Theater Benefit, Women Who Rock (raised over $45,000 in October for breast cancer research at Magee Women’s Research Institute) Ryan Seacrest Foundation (placed Gibson instruments and KRK studio gear in all of their U.S. hospitals for recovering children and offering them music-making lessons to cope with illness and PTSD), JoyRxMusic® Children’s Cancer Association (arranged music lessons for hospitalized kids and teens facing cancer and coping with serious illness) and the Do it for the Love’ Foundation (a wish-granting nonprofit organization for people living with life-threatening illnesses). Gibson Gives became the exclusive stringed instrument provider for the Nashville based non-profit Musicians On Call (who arrange in-room and virtual performances by superstar artists with hospital patients) and donated high-value guitars for auction to support the Teenage Cancer Trust (London, U.K.). Gibson Gives partnered with the NAMM Foundation for their Believe In Music 2021 program--NAMM attendees both donated and selected the non-profit they wanted to receive their donation—raising $20,000 in three days. As key music programs in schools continue to be cut in the U.S. and worldwide, Gibson Gives accelerated its expansion and global footprint this year. The Covid 19 pandemic school closures made the need for access to music education and instruments even greater in our communities. Gibson Gives will continue to supply schools with music learning resources and instruments including Manos Escuela de Guitarra in Aguascalientes, Mexico, in partnership with Sergio Vallin of Maná, Gibson sent 50 guitars to the school to support the teachers and students in Mexico. Gibson Gives placed instruments in schools in South Africa and Armenia, and when the entire Kingdom of Tonga--170+ Polynesian islands in the South Pacific--was locked down to outsiders due to the pandemic, Gibson stepped in to provide guitars and ukuleles for a youth music-learning program at the local library. Gibson Gives partnered with Universal Music Publishing Group in China to identify schools in need of music education assistance and partnered with the following programs and schools to gift guitars and music accessories including Playing For Change Foundation (placed 200 new acoustic guitars for their school programs in underserved communities across the globe), Notes for Notes, Life by Music, Samanlego School (Vitoria, Spain), Gallatin High School (Bozeman, MT), Maplewood High School (Nashville, TN), Give A Note, Music Heals Foundation (Vancouver, B.C.), and arranged music business workshops with the Save the Music Foundation for students to learn about jobs in the music industry. Gibson Gives launched the Play it Forward program when Gibson helped local and national musicians in need by replacing guitars--regardless of the brand--lost in the devastating Nashville tornados of February 2020. Play It Forward allows Gibson Gives to act fast for events like COVID 19, natural disasters, and those times Gibson learns of someone who is truly worthy of a gifted guitar. On December 25, 2020, a bomb in an RV parked on in downtown Nashville destroyed residences and buildings. Nationally known local musician and session player Buck McCoy was able to evacuate but lost most of his personal belongings in the blast including 12 guitars and his home studio equipment. Gibson Gives’ Play It Forward was able to immediately replace Buck’s instruments (a Gibson Acoustic and a Gibson Les Paul electric guitar and KRK Kares provided him with a pair of ROKIT monitors and KRK headphones). As a result, Buck was able to start working again on his weekly radio show. Earlier this year, Gibson Gives worked with renowned Parisian visual pop artist Benjamin Pietri to create a special installation at the upscale Le Bon Marché store in Paris, France. Pietri’s Gibson Flying Les Paul art installation sold for $10,000 USD. Pietri’s vintage figurines and musical instruments are all “Proust's madeleines” which are sublimated in glass boxes by the colors and the poetry of butterflies from all over the world (photos below). Gibson Gives is planning more collaborations with Pietri and other visual artists this year. Watch and share the interview with James “JC” Curleigh, President and CEO of Gibson Brands on the worldwide mission of Gibson Gives: Gibson Gives believes that getting instruments into the hands of those with a desire to make music is a truly life-changing event and investing in music education will yield better people, better leaders, and a better world for all. https://www.gibsonfoundation.org/home
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Harbour City joins hands with Disney and Pixar to host Hong Kong’s first Pixar Fest
In celebration of Pixar’s 35th anniversary, Harbour City is joining hands with Disney and Pixar once again to bring to the city the first-ever Pixar Fest from now through 15 August. Leveraging the horizontal and spacious mall layout, Harbour City adopts a new format to organize a large-scale event with installations and check-in points throughout the mall to diversify foot traffic and minimize close physical contacts. In addition, Harbour City creates a series of interactive activities, including augmented reality (AR) check-ins and an online game, connecting the real and virtual world across offline and online platforms, offering guests multidimensional experiences. Memorable scenes featuring 12 Pixar movies are brought to life at different parts of the mall. In addition, the iconic Pixar Ball and Lamp installation, 5.2 meters in height, matching the size as that in its headquarters in California, marks its first appearance in Hong Kong at Harbour City’s observatory deck, “Ocean Terminal Deck” under the backdrop of the stunning Victoria Harbour views. - Event Highlight 1: Photo Spots Inspired by Classic Scenes Throughout the Mall to Embark on a Magical Movie Journey Pixar Ball and Lamp’s First Appearance in Hong Kong Win Surprise Gifts by Social Media Check-Ins on Designated Dates and Scenes Harbour City will take you on an eventful movie journey of Pixar through mesmerizing photo spots featuring 12 of Pixar’s animations across the mall. Instant professional shooting service will be provided on-site at Ocean Terminal Deck, as well as at the Soul and Toy Story 4 check points for you to capture the joyful moments! Entering Ocean Terminal Forecourt, you will discover a 3.4 meters high Pixar logo and a 7 meters high Pixar Fest arch in layering design, painted in the iconic red, yellow and blue colors from Pixar Ball, with images of Pixar’s characters. The iconic Pixar Ball and Lamp installation, 5.2 meters in height, matching the size as that in its headquarters in California, will make its first appearance in Hong Kong at Ocean Terminal Deck, against the 270-degree panorama of Victoria Harbour as the backdrop. Inside the mall, you will also find Toy Story 4’s Woody and Buzz Lightyear, over 4 meters and 3 meters high respectively, ready to soar “to infinity and beyond”! In addition, simply by checking in on social media at designated photos spots on specified dates, you may stand a chance to win themed gifts of respective movies! Gifts are available on a first-come-first-served basis. Make sure to keep up with the flash announcements on our official social media! - Event Highlight 2: Immerse in the Movie World at 5 Classic Scene Check Points Incorporated with AR Photo Check-Ins Apart from taking pictures on-site with the movie characters’ statues, you can also capture the hidden characters through augmented reality (AR) at 5 check points, including Finding Dory, Incredibles 2, Monsters University, Toy Story 4 and Up. Immerse in the world of Pixar’s animations by downloading the mobile app “Harbour Cityzen” for free, turning on the “AR Fun” camera, and scanning the movie logos to trigger the characters to show up! Then you can take pictures with them just as you are in the movies! The adventurous Dory and Nemo have made their way to Ocean Terminal Deck. While they are enjoying the serenity of the sea view, their friends' Destiny, Bailey, Hank, and sea otters join the crowds to make their presence at the Deck. Check out their funny moves with the AR camera now! Duplicates of Jack-Jack are found in the seaview balcony! Come babysit the naughty Jack-Jack while looking up Mr. & Mrs. Incredible and the family to help get a hold of Jack-Jack! Mike and Sulley have acquired the “scarer” skills from Monsters University. Are you ready to be frightened by the squad behind the doors? Don’t forget to discover Art with the AR camera! Woody and Buzz Lightyear are ready to soar. Here come their new acquaintances Forky, Ducky and Bunny, who try to steal their thunder! Snap the lovely scenes with the AR camera to capture the precious moments with your friends! Carl is about to embark on his journey up in the air at the lawn. Let’s search for the trace of scout Russel, Dug, and Kevin with the AR camera! - Event Highlight 3: Revisit Pixar’s Movies and Shorts and Reminisce about the Memorable Moments Besides physical photo spots, Pixar Fest is also bringing you the screenings of selected movie clips! Harbour City has hand-picked the iconic scenes from Ratatouille and WALL•E complementing the 3D decorations, putting you in the middle of the movie scenes. Outside the window at the zone of Ratatouille is the beautiful landscape of Paris. And there is a 3D kitchen for your “secret cooking lesson” to become the best chef in town! The zone of WALL•E is decorated in the theme of dumpsite on Earth and the space. Come and embark on a mission to bring lives back onto the Earth with WALL•E and Eve! Grab the time to take snaps at the intervals! In addition to the feature films, Pixar has also created numerous Pixar Shorts which are very familiar to the fans. Come and enjoy these creative theatrical shorts! For the mall to implement crowd controls and monitor numbers, visitors will be required to pre-register online at KLOOK, and will be required to have their body temperature checked and hands sanitized before entering the check point. [Details] Time: 11am – 8pm (30 minutes per session) Location: Shop 2131-2, Level 2, Gateway Arcade Registration Website: https://www.klook.com/en-US/activity/58622 - Event Highlight 4: Online and Offline Interactive Activities 1. Discover Your Soul and Take Pictures On-Site Together In Soul, Joe accidentally discovers that new souls need to undergo training at The Great Before and search for its spark. Within the campaign period, you can create your own little Soul and share it on social media platforms. Your Soul will appear on the big screen on-site along with others as well! Scan the QR code and find your Soul back! Professional shooting has been arranged for your picture time together! [Details] Operating Hours of the Screen: 11am – 8pm Location: Shop 2125, Level 2, Gateway Arcade Game Site: http://event.harbourcity.com.hk 2. Express Your Mood at the Emotion Headquarters While adults tend to share their moods with others on social media, kids can share how they feel at the check point of Inside Out! Just as each character represents a specific mood in the movie, you can pick the respective character’s sticker and put it on the wall! Time: 11am – 8pm Location: Atrium I, Gateway Arcade 3. Race with McQueen at Harbour City Cup The legendary Lightning McQueen is back on track. Come and practice the twists and turns with McQueen at the track! Enjoy the Remote Control “Cars 3” Lightning McQueen Turbo Racer test drive*. Besides the race, kids can get on the McQueen toy cars for photos and be the new legendary racer on track!Details Time: 11am – 8pm Location: Atrium, G/F, Ocean Terminal Fee*: HK$20 Remarks: The game is for kids aged 12 or under. Sessions will be set up while quota will be arranged on a first-come, first-served basis. 4. Go Across the Land of the Dead with Miguel An aspiring young musician, Miguel, is accidentally transported to the Land of the Dead and comes across his skeletal ancestors. Bring your family members to capture the family portrait with Miguel in this magical land, and surprises may appear behind you! Time: 10am – 10pm Location: Ocean Terminal Main Concourse - Event Highlight 5: Two Routes to Make the Movie Journey Even More Memorable Discover the Pixar Character in You and Emboss Your Own Stamps on Thematic Postcards To complete your movie journey with a perfect touch, Harbour City has two routes planned for you. Each Pixar character has its own traits. Have you ever thought of being or feel connected to one of them? You can join the "Which Pixar Character Are You?" Personality Test to discover the Pixar character in you! In addition, you can get a Pixar Fest Postcards Set (total of 12 Postcards), travel around the mall to all Embossing Stamp Station Hotspots to emboss and collect commemorative stamps on different postcards for memories. Upon completion of the route(s), you can redeem extra Pixar premiums! - Event Highlight 6: A Wide Variety of Merchandise Available 1. Pixar Fest Pop-Up Store Selling Over a Thousand Pixar Movies-Themed Merchandise Pixar Fest Pop-Up Store will be selling over a thousand Pixar Movies-Themed Merchandise, including figures, tableware, tote bags, T-shirts and a series of Hot Toys Toy Story Cosbaby And CosRider, along with sweets made by Kingsley Desserts & Gourmandises to keep you cool for the summer. Moreover, there are various photo taking spots including a Jumbo Size Lotso CosRider! (Please refer to the appendixes for detailed product catalogues) In addition, customers with spending of HK$200 or above at Pixar Fest Pop-Up Store can present the original same-day receipt to redeem a pack of Toy Story Cosbaby Stickers at Hot Toys Rebel (Shop 4017, Level 4, Gateway Arcade) and enjoy 5% discount for the Cosbaby series. First-come-first-served, while stock lasts. Don’t miss it! [Details] Time: 12nn – 9pm Location: Ocean Terminal Main Concourse 2. Crossover Merchandise Created with Brands at Harbour City and Exclusive Shopping Privileges Within the campaign period, several brands at Harbour City will offer time-limited thematic merchandise and exclusive shopping privileges. Please visit Harbour City website (https://bit.ly/3qGGI4Q), or ask corresponding shop staff for more details.
