Lifestyle, Culture, Technology, Entertainment, Music VOCAL Lifestyle, Culture, Technology, Entertainment, Music VOCAL

Feel the Pride

For the month of June, NYC Pride welcomes WorldPride as it marks the 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising and a half century of LGBTQI+ liberation. To celebrate this moment, The Ally Coalition have created an emotive community-driven sound and light experience featuring a soundscape by St Vincent, and generated by user messages. The experience is powered by Microsoft AI technology that explores powerful feelings of hope, anger, joy and determination.

 

The Ally Coalition Presents Feel the Pride, an immersive installation celebrating WorldPride, Powered by Microsoft

As WorldPride NYC Commemorates the Reality of Stonewall 50, Artificial Intelligence Creates a Unique Audio-Visual Display of the World’s Sentiments on Pride.

 

For the month of June, NYC Pride welcomes WorldPride as it marks the 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising and a half century of LGBTQI+ liberation. To celebrate this moment, The Ally Coalition have created an emotive community-driven sound and light experience featuring a soundscape by St Vincent, and generated by user messages. The experience is powered by Microsoft AI technology that explores powerful feelings of hope, anger, joy and determination.

Feel The Pride is an immersive experience that aims to express what Pride feels like with a stunning sound and light display that will take guests on a journey through shared sentiment of what Pride means to them. Either onsite or from around the world using the #FeelThePride hashtag on Twitter, users input their message conveying their personal feelings of Pride from which Microsoft Azure’s Sentiment Analysis tool analyzes the content for sentiment and translates it into a generative sound and light experience. The sounds of St. Vincent and lighting display of color patterns that are presented evolve into a unique presentation for each message based on the underlying sentiment.

The 2019 WorldPride is the first to take place in the Stonewall Uprising’s home of New York City, an event that in 1969 marked a turning point in equality for personal choice of expression which remains a symbol of strength in the LGBTQI+ communities around the world. To commemorate its 50-year anniversary, the non-profit activist spokesgroup The Ally Coalition envisioned an experience that would amplify the passion of this movement, elevating participants with collective hope while grounding them with the connections of community.

The Feel the Pride installation will run from June 15–30, located at 568 Broadway (at Prince St), New York, NY.

For more information, please contact VOCAL or visit www.theallycoalition.org.

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Technology, Culture, Lifestyle, Creative VOCAL Technology, Culture, Lifestyle, Creative VOCAL

Hollywood Dream Machines: Petersen Automotive Museum x Microsoft

The Petersen Automotive Museum announced today that its upcoming “Hollywood Dream Machines: Vehicles of Science Fiction and Fantasy” exhibit will spotlight a unique and immersive mixed-reality experience powered by Microsoft HoloLens. The display, named “Hollywood Dream Machines: Worlds Reimagined,” will be centered around the iconic Time Machine from “Back to the Future” and the famed Warthog from the “Halo” franchise. Opening May 4, 2019, the experience will offer guests an inside look at these legendary sci-fi machines.

Petersen Automotive Museum Explores Iconic Sci-Fi Vehicles With Microsoft Hololens in New Hollywood Exhibit

The upcoming exhibit “Hollywood Dream Machines: Vehicles of Science Fiction and Fantasy” will prominently feature an immersive mixed reality look inside the Time Machine from “Back to the Future” and the Warthog from the “Halo” franchise using Microsoft HoloLens technology.

The Petersen Automotive Museum announced today that its upcoming “Hollywood Dream Machines: Vehicles of Science Fiction and Fantasy” exhibit will spotlight a unique and immersive mixed-reality experience powered by Microsoft HoloLens. The display, named “Hollywood Dream Machines: Worlds Reimagined,” will be centered around the iconic Time Machine from “Back to the Future” and the famed Warthog from the “Halo” franchise. Opening May 4, 2019, the experience will offer guests an inside look at these legendary sci-fi machines.

Using Microsoft HoloLens, “Back to the Future” co-creator and producer Bob Gale will guide fans into the world of Hill Valley to tour the ins and outs of the legendary Time Machine. For those looking to explore the “Halo” universe, the “Monitor” 343 Guilty Spark will offer guests an inside look at the systems and weaponry of the mighty Warthog.

“The Petersen is proud to partner with Microsoft on this mixed-reality project,” said Terry L. Karges, Executive Director of the Petersen Automotive Museum. “This exhibit is made to highlight the futuristic vehicles and technologies that spark our imaginations, and Microsoft’s HoloLens is a cutting-edge way to express that high-tech vision in real life.”

Produced in collaboration with Comic-Con with additional support by Microsoft and Audi, other key vehicles in the “Hollywood Dream Machines: Vehicles of Science Fiction and Fantasy” exhibit will include the 2016 Audi R8 from “Avengers: Age of Ultron” and “Captain America: Civil War,” the 2035 Audi RSQ from “I Robot,” the Weyland Industries RT01 Group Transport from “Prometheus,” the 2008 Audi R8 from “Iron Man,” Bumblebee from the “Transformers” series, the GM Ultralight from “Demolition Man,” several Batmobiles, along with over 40 additional iconic Hollywood vehicles, artwork, props and costumes.

“We are incredibly excited to be partnering again with the Petersen on a second mixed reality experience for their guests,” said Ryan Gaspar, Director of Brand Partnerships at Microsoft. “Leveraging Microsoft HoloLens as a means of enhancing the rich stories of ‘Back to the Future’ and ‘Halo’ is an incredibly fitting use of the technology.”

To kick off the exhibit, the Petersen will host an opening reception on the evening of May 4 with live entertainment, and gourmet appetizers and cocktails. VIP ticket holders will be given priority access to the exhibit beginning May 1 with a curator-led hard-hat tour.

“Hollywood Dream Machines” will run through March 15, 2020. To purchase tickets to the exhibit opening reception, please visit http://www.petersen.org/hollywood.

For more information please contact VOCAL or visit www.Petersen.org. 

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About Petersen Automotive Museum

The Petersen Automotive Museum Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charity. The Museum is located at 6060 Wilshire Boulevard (at Fairfax) in Los Angeles, California, 90036. Admission prices are $16 for general admission adults, $14 for seniors, $11 for children ages 4 to 17. Active military with ID, personal care attendants and children under four are admitted free. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For general information, call 323-930-CARS or visit www.Petersen.org.

 

 

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High Performance PR

VOCAL is a full-service promotional agency with a focus on cannabis. From product and paraphernalia to finance and farming, we’re involved with a diverse range of leaders in cannabis, as well as ancillary products and services that do not themselves touch the plant. 

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From product and paraphernalia to finance and farming, we’re involved with a diverse range of leaders in cannabis, as well as ancillary products and services that do not themselves touch the plant.

Creating fame is our game, and to this nascent industry we bring tried and tested amplification expertise that has brought success to brands large and small.

We are a full-service promotional agency with a focus on cannabis. The grass really is greener with VOCAL.

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Future of Fashion Incubator

Through a unique partnership with London College of Fashion, UAL featuring custom co-curriculum, Microsoft is empowering the next generation of talent to transform the fashion industry. LCF’s Future of Fashion Incubator uses cutting-edge Microsoft technology and influential mentorships to create truly collaborative educational environments. The program seeks to spark creativity and meaningful innovation, allowing this select group of students to bring their vision of the future of fashion to life.


The Future of Fashion is Currently Enrolled at London College of Fashion, University of the Arts London

Empowering Tomorrow’s Talent To Transform The Industry With Cutting-Edge Tech

Through a unique partnership with London College of Fashion, UAL featuring custom co-curriculum, Microsoft is empowering the next generation of talent to transform the fashion industry. LCF’s Future of Fashion Incubator uses cutting-edge Microsoft technology and influential mentorships to create truly collaborative educational environments. The program seeks to spark creativity and meaningful innovation, allowing this select group of students to bring their vision of the future of fashion to life.

Microsoft co-created a custom curriculum for a semester-long incubator with LCF’s Fashion Innovation Agency and Digital Learning Lab. Students across multiple majors in both the bachelor’s and master’s programs applied to participate in this advanced course that challenged them to use cutting-edge technology like mixed reality, the Internet of Things, and artificial intelligence to disrupt the fashion industry.

“Collaborating with Microsoft to empower our students with emerging technologies across courses through this project is incredibly exciting.” says Matthew Drinkwater, Head of Fashion Innovation Agency at London College of Fashion. “Fusing business ideas with mixed reality, artificial intelligence and machine learning, ultimately, will allow a pathway to creating the digital designer business of the future.”

The Incubator is a short-term intensive program, where top students from LCF's Fashion Business School, School of Design & Technology, and School of Media & Communication, collaborate in six multi-disciplinary groups. Over the course of the semester, students attend workshops and explore various Microsoft technologies and their impact on the fashion industry – including Mixed Reality/3D, the Internet of Things, and Artificial Intelligence – before selecting one concentration of study.

"It has been amazing to partner with London College of Fashion and their Fashion Innovation Agency, to push the boundaries of how technology can really drive impact and foster alternative creative thinking in fashion. The future of the industry is enrolled here, and we want to empower them to make a purposeful difference — not just now, but also when they enter the industry." - Maruschka Loubser, Senior Global Marketing Manager, Microsoft.

Once their concepts have been established, the teams consult with Incubator Ambassadors Charli Cohen, Hayley Elsaesser, Sofia Barattieri, Natasha Franck and Bia Bezamat, from a range of fashion perspectives to develop ideas into prototypes that will drive digital transformation and forge new frontiers within the industry. The program culminates with an unveiling event alongside the LCF BA18 exhibition in June.

For more information, please contact VOCAL or visit www.microsoft.com/inculture/london-college-fashion.


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Blunt Social

Join us for the first installment of Blunt Social, and ongoing event series. Our first event is in partnership with O.N.S. Clothing who specialize in high-end menswear combining modern classics with bold designs. Light bites and complimentary cocktails will be served.

Blunt Umbrellas

Join us for the first installment of Blunt Social, and ongoing event series. Our first event is in partnership with O.N.S. Clothing who specialize in high-end menswear combining modern classics with bold designs.

Light bites and complimentary cocktails will be served.

Thursday, November 16 7pm–9pm

O.N.S. 71 Greene Street NYC

RSVP: blunt@vocalnyc.com

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Introducing: Moodelizer

Moodelizer has cracked the code for quality soundtracking regardless if your adding instant music to your social videos, soundtracking your Youtube-content or producing video professionally.

Dynamic Playback, the music format of the future.

Moodelizer has cracked the code for quality soundtracking regardless if your adding instant music to your social videos, soundtracking your Youtube-content or producing video professionally.

We eliminate technical and judicial boundaries and on top of that, our technology is filled with high-quality music that you control with your fingertip. With the Moodelizer pad you comfortably control the intensity and variation of your soundtrack.

Moodelizer makes you the conductor of the orchestra so you can soundtrack anything.

Moodelizer.com

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Microsoft Installation at Moogfest

Opening May 19, Realiti - Inside the Music of Grimes is an interactive installation, powered by Microsoft Kinect technology, that allows participants a chance to go inside the music of Canadian electronic musician and producer Claire Boucher (a.k.a. Grimes). The installation will run from May 19-22 at Moogfest, an annual music, art and technology festival inspired by the late inventor of the Moog synthesizer, Robert Moog.

The Microsoft Powered Installation Realiti - Inside the Music of Grimes Opens to Festival Goers at Moogfest 2016

 

Opening May 19, Realiti - Inside the Music of Grimes is an interactive installation, powered by Microsoft Kinect technology, that allows participants a chance to go inside the music of Canadian electronic musician and producer Claire Boucher (a.k.a. Grimes). The installation will run from May 19-22 at Moogfest, an annual music, art and technology festival inspired by the late inventor of the Moog synthesizer, Robert Moog.

Grimes is one of the artists headlining Moogfest, a destination for artists, musicians, inventors, designers, and entrepreneurs.

Microsoft x Grimes Installation, Moogfest

The immersive installation will feature the track Realiti from Grimes’ fourth album Art Angels. Microsoft’s Kinect technology will allow festivalgoers and fans to manipulate the music as they physically interact with the environment. The innovative hardware recognizes and tracks each interaction with the installation, translating data into unique sounds and visuals. The result is a dynamic and immersive environment that blurs the line between creator and audience.

Amy Sorokas, Director of Brand Partnerships at Microsoft Brand Studios stated "Moogfest is a destination for innovative creators to share new ideas, so it felt natural to bring Realiti - Inside the Music of Grimes to the festival. With this installation we're exploring the unexpected ways that technology can enhance the music experience and are hoping to inspire the community with their future endeavors." 

The first project to use the installation’s system was DELQA, an installation at the New Museum in New York City that invited the audience to participate in a collaborative experience by going inside the music of critically acclaimed artist and producer Matthew Dear.

Realiti - Inside the Music of Grimes will be the latest artist collaboration featured as part of the Music x Tech program. Curated by Microsoft, Music x Technology is an initiative that celebrates forward-thinking artists who are using Microsoft technology to transform the way we create and experience music. With monthly artist collaborations, the program seeks to empower artists with unique opportunities to create one-of-a-kind experiences for their fans.

For all media inquires, please contact VOCAL.


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ABOUT MICROSOFT

Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) is the leading platform and productivity company for the mobile-first, cloud-first world, and its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.

ABOUT MOOGFEST

Moogfest is the synthesis of music, art, and technology. Since 2004, Moogfest has brought together artists, futurist thinkers, inventors, entrepreneurs, designers, engineers, scientists, and musicians. By day, Moogfest is a platform for conversation and experimentation. By night, Moogfest presents cutting-edge music in venues throughout the city. This mind-expanding conference attracts creative and technology enthusiasts for three days of participatory programming in Durham, North Carolina. Performing artists include early pioneers in electronic music, alongside pop and avant-garde experimentalists of today.

ABOUT GRIMES

Grimes’ ‘Art Angels’ had prime placement on basically every 2015 End of Year list, with #1 spots from NME, Stereogum, Gorilla Vs. Bear and others. Jon Pareles of the NY Times called the album “a solo tour de force," Stereogum said, "In 2015, nothing sounded better,” and Rolling Stone called it a “triumph.” Time Magazine named “Flesh Without Blood” the #1 song of the year while iTunes named ‘Art Angels’ the #1 Indie Album of 2015 and it finished out the year at #1 most added on CMJ Radio. Within the past year, Grimes graced the covers of The FADER, Nylon, Teen Vogue, AnOther Magazine, Dazed and Confused, NME, London’s ES Magazine, Flare and more. 

ABOUT LISTEN

Listen helps brands + artists grow through creative and culturally relevant applications of music + sound.

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Converse Chuck Hack

Legendary graffiti artist Futura has designed sneakers with Nike in the past, but during SXSW 2014 in Austin, TX he hooked up with fans to help them create their own Converse Chuck Taylors. Making a special appearance at the Fader Fort Presented by Converse, the artist took part in an on-site demonstration of the Converse Chuck Hack, a creative project where anyone can take the iconic silhouette and make it their own. While helping participants personalize their pairs, the OG graffiti pioneer took the time to give us the inside scoop on his sneaker history and artistic evolution, while also customizing a unique Chuck Taylor just for us. Check out our exclusive, in-depth interview with Futura, and also see him in action producing our 1-of-1 Nice Kicks speech bubble Chucks in the video spot above.

ChuckHack.jpg

A series of customization workshops lead by notable creatives in The Fader Fort during SXSW festival in 2014. Esteemed artists such as Futura, OG Slick, Aaron De La Cruz, Mason McPhee, Sterling Bartlett and Sophie Roach headed sessions centered on enabling anyone to take the iconic silhouette and make it their own. The workshops were a festivalgoer favorite as visitors were encouraged to unleash their imagination upon the classic with the guidance of acclaimed artists. Graffiti legend Futura did an exclusive one-on-one interview with sneaker aficionados Nice Kicks while on-site at The Fader Fort, explaining his long history with Converse and his creative process.

Legendary graffiti artist Futura has designed sneakers with Nike in the past, but during SXSW 2014 in Austin, TX he hooked up with fans to help them create their own Converse Chuck Taylors. Making a special appearance at the Fader Fort Presented by Converse, the artist took part in an on-site demonstration of the Converse Chuck Hack, a creative project where anyone can take the iconic silhouette and make it their own. While helping participants personalize their pairs, the OG graffiti pioneer took the time to give us the inside scoop on his sneaker history and artistic evolution, while also customizing a unique Chuck Taylor just for us. Check out our exclusive, in-depth interview with Futura, and also see him in action producing our 1-of-1 Nice Kicks speech bubble Chucks in the video spot above.

For all media inquiries contact VOCAL.  

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Feel the Pride

For the month of June, NYC Pride welcomes WorldPride as it marks the 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising and a half century of LGBTQI+ liberation. To celebrate this moment, The Ally Coalition have created an emotive community-driven sound and light experience featuring a soundscape by St Vincent, and generated by user messages. The experience is powered by Microsoft AI technology that explores powerful feelings of hope, anger, joy and determination.

Accelerating the Future of Fashion

London College of Fashion, University of the Arts London is continuing its collaboration with Microsoft to inspire the next generation to rethink, redesign and revolutionize the future of the fashion industry. Leveraging Microsoft’s cutting-edge Mixed Reality, Artificial Intelligence, and IoT technologies and LCF’s industry-defining mentors, selected students were invited to participate in a semester-long intensive course that culminates in a final showcase of their prototypes this June.

Hollywood Dream Machines: Petersen Automotive Museum x Microsoft

The Petersen Automotive Museum announced today that its upcoming “Hollywood Dream Machines: Vehicles of Science Fiction and Fantasy” exhibit will spotlight a unique and immersive mixed-reality experience powered by Microsoft HoloLens. The display, named “Hollywood Dream Machines: Worlds Reimagined,” will be centered around the iconic Time Machine from “Back to the Future” and the famed Warthog from the “Halo” franchise. Opening May 4, 2019, the experience will offer guests an inside look at these legendary sci-fi machines.

AI Powers Music Mood at Sister City

Sister City, a new, meticulously designed hotel in NYC that embraces technology to offer guests a modern respite, debuts a first-of-its-kind lobby music score. Inherent to Sister City’s founding ethos was the question of its sonic landscape — Sister City asks what new shapes music can take as a site-specific, living extension of the hotel, and looked to Brian Eno’s Music For Airports and John Cage’s concept for “4’33”” as touch points for these conversations.

Chris Cole's Rail Jam Invitational

We’re excited to announce a new action sports music festival Gnarlytown set for June 22 in San Pedro, CA, co-founded by veteran pro skateboarder Chris Cole in partnership with John Reese of SGE and Nitro Circus. Set at the scenic LA Waterfront Berth 46 in San Pedro, CA, Gnarlytown will combine the perfect blend of action sports, punk rock, and craft beer tasting.

NAO Takes Fans Into “Orbit” With Interactive Music Video Powered By Microsoft AI

Microsoft has announced another partnership through their ongoing In Culture program that supports today’s most innovative creatives, this time with English singer-songwriter and rising star NAO. Together they are producing a never-before-seen interactive and personal music video to support the “Orbit” track on her new album Saturn released late in 2018.