This week kicked off with Apple’s WWDC Conference. Although it’s eternally missing the magic of Steve Jobs, I think these presentations continue to get better and smoother in a nearly-post-Covid era. I found the effects, transitions, and diversity of speakers …
Brooklyn in the Summer
In the U.S., certain cities are known for certain times of year: Chicago in August (Lollapalooza, we back!); Miami in December; and the Pacific Northwest once the rain finally stops in July. But do any of these beat Brooklyn in …
Summer ’21 Kick-Off
Happy almost Memorial Day Weekend. May 31st is sure to kick off a Summer like no other. With markets roaring, prices rising, and so much up in the air, it’s going to be interesting to watch the most fortunate, vaccinated …
Crypto Correction
It’s been a weird, rough couple of weeks in the world of crypto. Reports of the NFT market cooling down seem reliable, but the industry, I believe, is here to stay. A little correction can be healthy. The space was …
The Return To Live
It’s wonderful to see all of the news about live events. Every time I check my email, more and more festivals are announcing 2021 lineups; tour dates are taking shape; and from what it looks like, tickets are selling well. …
Re-imagining Drinko de Mayo
Wishing you a happy May 5th, otherwise known as Cinco de Mayo. Cinco de Mayo is a holiday that celebrates the Mexican army’s 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War. Though Mexico won the …
How The West Once Was
Back in the day (around 1946), the country western stars of the time envisioned, invested in, and built a place called Pioneertown in the desert outside Palm Springs, CA. The town was designed as a series of country western sets …
Cannabiz 🚀
It truly is the Roaring Twenty-Twenties! There seems to be a gold rush in every industry as the world is flush with cash and the future is being written. From E-Sports and Gaming to crypto and NFTs; from music rights …
America’s Return to Normalcy
I can’t begin to describe how excited I am to get back out there and experience live music again. When I was a talent agent, I would hit up at least five shows a week and sometimes three in a …
The Museum of NFT
Have you been to a museum recently? A few weeks back, I was lucky enough to see the KAWS exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum, which documents his remarkable rise. KAWS is an artist that epitomizes how to break into the …
NFT Mania
When it comes to the world of Crypto x Music, it really is the wild, wild west out here. I haven’t seen something so exciting, so explosive, so disruptive, and so dangerous since the early days of Napster. NFT mania …
Grammys Weekend Again? Yawn.
This weekend is the music industry’s biggest weekend. Or is it? Do people really care about The Grammys right now? They certainly didn’t care about the Golden Globes. All of the typical tentpole moments in cultural marketing (NBA All-Star Weekend, SXSW) …
NFT Music Boom
We are living in a historic time of transformation.The art and music world is changing before our eyes thanks to the potential of NFTs and social tokens. It’s a massive boom that is paving new roads and rewriting the rules. …
The Future Of Brand Partnerships in Music
The first notable brand partnership in music was forged in 1964 between the Rolling Stones and Rice Krispies following the meteoric rise of television. The 1980’s brought the first mega-deals, with Pepsi’s endorsement of Michael Jackson leading the way. But …
A New Type of CEO
Last week, I published an article in AdAge on why brands need a chief entertainment officer. I’m glad to see it resonating with many of my peers. The truth is, even though this role doesn’t exist within many companies yet, …