VOLKSWAGEN, adidas and CHAMPS SPORTS, NOWWHAT.com, AMERICAN EXPRESS,BURNLOUNGE, W HOTELS, GIBSON, NRDC ENHANCE DOWNLOAD EXPERIENCE WITH INTERACTIVE ELEMENTS
LOS ANGELES, /PR/ — Live Nation, the world’s largest
live music company, announced featured interactive experiences in
cooperation with premiere sponsors for Download 2007 today. The acclaimed
music festival, scheduled this year in Boston, Washington State, Chicago
and San Francisco, attracted sponsors specifically interested in developing
unique ways to incorporate their brand into the festival programming and
truly deliver on Download’s mission to be the “ultimate interactive
festival.” Each Download 2007 sponsor, Volkswagen, American Express, adidas
and Champs Sports, BurnLounge, NowWhat.com, W Hotels, Gibson and NRDC, will
offer fans brand-exclusive and valuable onsite and online interactive
experiences with artists and festival fans, including but not limited to,
jamming with fellow musicians in a genuine garage style setting,
experiencing the show with true VIP treatment like a rock star, a virtual
photo booth, artist meet and greets, autograph sessions and more.
“The core of Download is to create an experience that connects fans to
their favorite artists in a more distinctive and intimate fashion,” said
Christopher Swope, Vice President of National Alliances at Live Nation.
“Each of the exciting interactive programming experiences at Download 2007
are enhanced through the participation of this year’s strategic partners
who make that connection even more memorable.”
Volkswagen returns for the second consecutive year of a three-year
sponsorship as the exclusive automotive sponsor for Download and the V-dub
Road to Download club-events (concerts in club venues interspersed between
the Download Festival dates). VW will host the V-dub Garage, an authentic
garage-style environment where festival attendees can jam with supplied
instruments and have their music digitally recorded and spotlighted on
vw.com. Volkswagen will also be hosting an artist interaction stage where
select Download bands extend to the fans a rare look into their lives on
the road during free form Q & A sessions.
“The Volkswagen/Download music partnership is a logical extension to
our history of supporting emerging musical artists,” said Keith Price,
Public Relations Manager, Volkswagen of America, Inc. “The Download
Festival is innovative in combining music with technology, and directly
speaks to the people who buy Volkswagens.”
adidas teams up with Champs Sports for the second year in a row at
Download to bring fans a unique opportunity to “Walk In The Shoes of a Rock
Star,” giving them the chance to attend the festival like a rock star. In
each market, a lucky fan and their entourage will be chauffeured to the
show and given VIP treatment for the day with access to an artist
meet-and-greet and a gift certificate for their favorite adidas product at
Champs Sports. adidas and Champs Sports continue the interactive experience
at each event by conducting a text-messaging promotion that will give fans
the opportunity to upgrade their seats to an exclusive stage-level viewing
area — bringing fans even closer to the artists they love. Prior to each
festival date, adidas and Champs Sports will be offering everyone the
chance to experience Download by giving away tickets in each market via
scratch and win cards distributed at select Champs Sports retail locations.
BurnLounge, the world’s first fan-driven digital community, will create
a dedicated Download Festival Community page featuring music from
participating Download artists. Through the revolutionary technology of
BurnLounge, fans can visit the Festival page for updates and more, as well
as download the music they love, all in one place.
“The BurnLounge Community is about empowering and rewarding fans by
driving the entire entertainment experience online; being a part of the
Download Festival is an obvious extension of that objective and we’re
excited to be involved in such an important music experience for artists
and their fans,” said Anastacia K. Stathakis, BurnLounge Director of Events
& Strategic Partnerships.
NowWhat.com is another returning sponsor and will be present at each
venue with an on-site activation booth, including photo opportunities for
fans to be viewed later online. NowWhat.com contest winners and special
guests will also have access to special meet & greets with select artists.
After the show, NowWhat.com will allow fans to get an exclusive view from
behind the scenes at Download by logging on to NowWhat.com to watch video
footage from backstage.
“We are excited to be a part of Download again in 2007 with this
engaging consumer activation. Download is THE festival to reach our core
target audience,” said Bobby Wilkinson, National Sponsorship Marketing
Manager for NowWhat.com.
The Natural resources Defense Council (NRDC) — a national nonprofit
organization of specialists dedicated to protecting public health and the
environment — will work with Live Nation to create a greener festival
experience for Download 2007 events. Now, the festival that connects fans
to their favorite bands like never before will also connect fans to a cause
like never before. Among the initiatives being planned by Download Festival
and the NRDC, are a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and artist and
audience awareness outreach at the participating venues.
“With the impacts of global warming becoming more visible every day,
green issues are permeating the culture like never before,” said Kelly Cox,
NRDC Marketing Associate. “Now eco-friendly behavior is beginning to cross
into music festival experiences, and the music industry is helping to fuel
the cultural shift. We’re thrilled to be a part of the Download Festival,
offering up the latest ideas, opportunities and information to an audience
that’s eager to engage.”
Gibson is the official instrument provider of Download 2007 and will be
providing various Gibson guitars and Slingerland drums to the Download
Artist Master Class Workshops where select Download talent will share
insight and knowledge about what it takes to become an accomplished artist
in an intimate experiential setting that is focused on musical instruments
and the song creation process. Fans will also have a chance to win
Download-branded Epiphone guitars, artist-signed guitar straps, access to
Gibson bus tours, and even a chance to tour the Gibson factory in
Nashville.
American Express(R) Gold Card members, Platinum Card(R) members and
Centurion(R) Card members will have the opportunity to redeem Membership
Rewards points or purchase VIP experience packages in select Download
markets including premium seats, access to VIP hospitality and official
festival merchandise.
W Hotels returns as a Download sponsor for the third consecutive year
and will be hosting exclusive festival after parties in select markets.
“Music, design and technology are passions of W Hotels,” said Ross Klein,
President of Starwood Luxury Brands Group. “Just as W provides a
destination for people to connect with one another, the Download Festival
has created one of the most innovative and engaging music experiences to
foster this connection.”
The Download Festival 2007 event dates and lineup includes:
— August 18th at Boston’s Tweeter Center for the Performing Arts: Modest
Mouse, Guster, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Neko Case, Wolf Parade, Band of Horses,
Bang Camaro, Apollo Sunshine
— August 25th at Washington State’s Gorge Amphitheatre: Modest Mouse,
Incubus, The Presidents of the United States of America, Nada Surf, The
Thermals, Arthur & Yu, The Heavenly States, Back Door Slam
— September 2nd at Chicago’s Charter One Pavilion: The Shins, Snoop Dogg,
Brand New, Band of Horses, Minus The Bear, Wolf Parade, Honeycut, De
Novo Dahl, Men Women & Children, The Veils
— October 6th at San Francisco’s Shoreline Amphitheatre: The Cure,
A.F.I., Kings of Leon, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, She Wants Revenge,
Metric, Black Angels, 65Daysofstatic, Vau De Vire Society
Tickets for Download Festival 2007 range in price from $35-$65 and are
available at http://www.livenation.com and http://www.downloadfestival.com.
For additional information on Download 2007, please visit
http://www.downloadfestival.com.
About Live Nation
Live Nation is the world’s largest live music company. Our mission is
to inspire passion for live music around the world. We are the largest
promoter of live concerts in the world, the second-largest entertainment
venue management company and have a rapidly growing online presence. We
create superior experiences for artists and fans, regularly producing tours
for the biggest superstars in the business, including The Rolling Stones,
The Police, Madonna, U2 and Coldplay. Globally, we own, operate, have
booking rights for and/or have an equity interest in more than 160 venues,
including House of Blues(R) and Fillmore(R) music venues and prestigious
locations such as Nikon at Jones Beach in New York and London’s Wembley
Arena. Our websites collectively are the second most popular
entertainment/event websites in the United States, according to
Nielsen//NetRatings. In addition, we also produce, promote or host
theatrical, specialized motor sports and other live entertainment events.
In 2006, we connected nearly 60 million fans with their favorite performers
at approximately 26,000 events in 18 countries around the world.
Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, Live Nation is listed on the New
York Stock Exchange, trading under the symbol “LYV.”
