The Complex Complex, SXSW 2014

When the NYC based brand influencers at Complex Media told us they were converting a house off of 3rd St. into their “home away from home” for SXSW, we asked them, “How can we help?” We understood that they wanted to throw a legit house party vibe at a select few SXSW attendees so, we built a modest 16’x8′ stage in the backyard, and then dropped a powerful sound and lighting system for the incredible lineup of talent scheduled to perform.

Day and night, The Complex Complex had elite artists and clientele in, out, and around the small downtown Austin home. At any given time you might be next to Chali 2na (Jurassic 5) or rubbing elbows with deadmau5. You might be discussing the finer points of Pre Raphaelite Art with Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth), while watching Anamanaguchi perform punk rock songs with an 8 bit Game Boy.

This all assumes that you were able to GET IN to The Complex Complex. This was by far the most exclusive event that our founders had at SXSW 2014. After repeated attempts all day to gain access to this exclusive event, I was finally able to sneak in the VIP entrance to document the final performance on our stage, 6 time Grammy winning dubstep DJ, Skrillex, to an absolutely packed capacity crowd. Thank you, Complex Media.

For more information on the activations that our founders handled at SXSW, check out my blog post here. If you are ready to talk to our experts about your next event, then feel free to contact us. We look forward to hearing from you, and working with you!

Is Your Nightlife Bad for Your Health? How to Sustainably Party Like a Rockstar

I’d like to consider myself your average, run of the mill thirty something. I wake up, go to work and come back home like any other red-blooded, taxpaying American. I am becoming increasingly aware, however, that most of what I consider to be standard weekend nightlife activity is not doing me or my health any favors. After years of cheese fries and buffalo wings being the only thing between my liver and an onslaught of an untold number of sugary, overly-caffeinated alcoholic drinks, part of me is turning to more sustainable behaviors as I quickly approach my 40s.

“We’re meeting on the baseball diamond at 5,” the instructions said. “Park behind Right Field and DON’T BE LATE!” I give myself a 15 minute cushion because, please… I’m a responsible adult. I am WAY beyond all the careless and haphazard decisions of my youth. Meanwhile, I follow my GPS directions to find a single file line of cars 2 miles long directly in front of the entrance. Ok, panic. Text the Event Leader to cover my tail, plead with the parking attendant not to charge me for parking… By this point, I already feel the bass rumble from our massive sound system as I duck under a broken fence post and arrive on the field just in the nick of time.

“Glad you decided to join us,” I hear behind a wall of Electronic Dance Music and cheers. The rest of the Event Team had arrived hours earlier to survey the site, unload the trucks, and setup over 5 tons of Professional Grade Sound and Stage equipment. “This is just the pre-party. We’re expecting over 11,000 runners, tonight.” Over 11,000?!? On a cold and windy February afternoon? Why had I never considered this?

And they came. Wave after wave of bright-eyed runners poured onto the baseball diamond with various bits of neon flair, a sea of candy-colored athletes waiting for their moment to attack the black light run course, stage by stage. My first task is to ride along with the Event Lead, fire up the electric generators, turn on the high power black light towers and crank the speakers with trance inducing dance music. “The runners are beginning to line up. Get to the Starting Line, ASAP!”

As the sea of glowing distance runners pour past me onto the course, I shamefully recount all my past weekend activities. It’s mostly sitting or standing in one place or another for hours, over paying for food and drinks while I complain about some silly first world inconvenience. I wonder if any of the runners are planning on stopping by Taco Bell after this…

As the runners finish the 5k black light run distance, they file back toward the stage on the baseball diamond. It’s dark now, and what was just bits of flair is now a glowing sea of bright neon colors. I’m having flashbacks to all the raves and outdoor tent parties I’ve been to, but this party has a different vibe. Take all the magic and power of the biggest warehouse parties you went to in college, remove the sketchy and dangerous elements, add a free range, grass fed kale shake or two – and what you’re left with is a pretty good description of a Black Light Run. Loud music, pretty people, glow sticks, but what do we have here? Clean bathrooms? A safe family environment? Concession stands? It IS a rave party… only grown up!

The DJ effortlessly mixes underground dubstep with Katy Perry to the delight of the crowd. A hype man on stage is throwing out handfuls of glow-in-the-dark party favors, as fast as he can. What happens next was MIND BLOWING.

After a knowing look to the DJ and the crowd, the hype man begins a count down from 10. It’s my first Black Light Run, so I look around as the crowd joins in. 3..2..1..

BOOM! The beat drops as clouds of neon colored powder (I later learned is treated corn starch) envelopes everything in sight. I can’t see the hand in front of my face but I can feel the crowd explode with energy as they disappear behind the cloak of colored fog. As the neon dust settles and the stage and lights slowly come back into focus, it dawns on me. THIS IS REALLY FUN! Looks like I’ll be spending more time with my new co-workers at In Depth Events!

Hopefully this blog has been informative for our event planner clients! For more information on In Depth Events and our event production capabilities, please Ask Us a Question today. We look forward to hearing from you and working with you on your event!

Experiences In Live Event Marketing:Verizon FIOS FEST!

FIOS FEST Rolls out across the US

As a live event marketing professional, I’ve been honored to be a part of some amazing live event marketing campaigns. When Verizon began to enable FIOS in the major US markets, I was selected to be a part the live event marketing group for one the largest fiber-optic roll outs of the new millennium. At the time, FIOS was a new entity, and our job was introducing it to folks that weren’t familiar with all it’s intricacies. This was a live event campaign across the country hitting all the major cities in states such as New York, Florida, Texas and California. We created a campaign that encompassed all key elements to execute a flawless marketing campaign. We named it FIOS FESTS. The following were elements that we implemented to ensure the best outcome possible for the client.

How we did it – by the numbers!

1. Pre-promote. Letting the local consumer base know where, when, what, and why in fun, creative ways to motivate consumers and drive interest for the live marketing event. For FIOS, we would set up in front of local businesses and speak to consumers one on one and offer fun incentives for their time. We also incorporated music by offering free music downloads from our site. For this campaign, pre-promotion was a key target for creating a great, well attended event.

2. Location. Finding a centralized location was another key factor in the overall execution of the FIOS events. With the FIOS FEST, we needed a football field-sized area that would hold several 20 foot x 20 foot tents, a fully loaded event stage and a footprint for vendors. Permits and approvals had to be obtained well in advance to avoid any last minute snafus that might have arisen. The idea was to make the event as accessible to as many of the locals as possible without having them make a major trek from end of the city to the other.

3. Production. For the FIOS FEST, and for every other event I’ve been a part of, the final and most critical element is incorporating the right production equipment. This will enhance and make sure your event comes across as professional endeavor and not some thrown together, last minute after thought. The stage is the focal point of any live event as it features the entertainment and contests going on throughout the day. For FIOS FEST, we used a SAM 550 mobile stage at each of our locations. This StageLine SAM550 model is the flagship of the StageLine fleet with a deck size of 50 feet x 38 feet and a load bearing rooftop capable of supporting 44,000 lbs. With flown Line Array, state of the art lighting, and (of course) FIOS banners, it made an impressive centerpiece to the FIOS FEST.

From FIOS to Production Experience, Inc.

My experience with the FIOS FEST campaign, as well as several other live event marketing promotions, has made me a valuable addition in my current position as Live Event Marketing Manager at Production Experience, Inc. The main keys as listed above are my steps to executing a flawless event anywhere from a few hundred, to thousands of participants. As always, “Go big or go home”! Your target consumers are worth it and they deserve the best in execution with the right production pieces at the core.

The Most Trusted Name in Sound, Stage, Lighting and Video Production Vendors

As a marketing or PR firm, the choice of the right live event production vendor for your live event can mean the difference between dizzying success or dismal failure. You need a company that can provide a safe, structurally sound stage and rooftop. A company that can provide the appropriate sound system for the venue. A company with experience in different types of lighting for different types of events. A company that knows how video can motivate an audience. And, hopefully, a company that can truck it all to your activation site, no matter what market your live event is in.

If you are reading this and nodding your head, then you’ve found the right place. Our company, In Depth Events, is made up of experts at all of the above. Of course, anyone can SAY that, but how do you prove it? For us, it’s a simple matter of showing you our experience through the pictures of shows we’ve helped produce, a quick look at our repeat client base and the compliments of our past clients.

Most importantly, however, is not our technical expertise. It’s the way we work with our clients. You’ll find that we speak your language and our friendly sales staff is almost physic when it comes to anticipating your needs. On site, our technical staff is willing to accommodate your client’s needs to an astounding degree. Our entire team is there to make your show look great, which makes you look great in the eyes of your end client.

Does this sound like your dream company? For more information on In Depth Events and live event production vendor capabilities, please Ask Us a Question today. We look forward to hearing from you and working with you on your event!

Category: Success Stories