legal Mezcal x SoFar Sounds
In the summer of 2014, VOCAL introduced Ilegal Mezcal to the New York City music scene with two things it knows best — eclectic performances and plenty of Mezcal. This buzz-worthy introduction included a music-fueled LGBQT pride brunch, and an intimate musical showcase in collaboration with SoFar Sounds.
legal Mezcal, the finest in Guatemalan handcrafted liquor, has been producing artisanal spirits for nearly a decade. With its origins in music and mischief, Ilegal has always been embraced by musicians and former tequila drinkers the world over.
In the summer of 2014, VOCAL introduced Ilegal Mezcal to the New York City music scene with two things it knows best — eclectic performances and plenty of Mezcal. This buzz-worthy introduction included a music-fueled LGBQT pride brunch, and an intimate musical showcase in collaboration with SoFar Sounds. To further their passion, Ilegal Mezcal now occasionally transforms their stateside HQ into the exclusive, members-only #ILEGALSocialClub.
The Hudson Project
VOCAL is excited to announce the launch of The Hudson Project, a three-day music and arts festival that is set to debut on July 11, 12 and 13 at Winston Farm in Saugerties, New York. A long awaited event for every New Yorker, The Hudson Project will bring music, art and an outdoor experience to the backyard of New York City.
VOCAL is excited to announce the launch of The Hudson Project, a three-day music and arts festival that is set to debut on July 11, 12 and 13 at Winston Farm in Saugerties, New York. A long awaited event for every New Yorker, The Hudson Project will bring music, art and an outdoor experience to the backyard of New York City.
THE HUDSON PROJECT will feature the ultimate fusion of over 85 genre-defying musical acts performing on four stages set against the backdrop of the magical Catskill Mountains. Beyond the music, the inaugural event will feature a fifth interactive performance area at the center of the site highlighting local musical acts and performance artists/troupes; an art village showcasing interactive art exhibitions, regional arts and crafts; a selection of Hudson Valley-area gourmet food, wine, craft beer and specialty cocktail options; a wide range of camping choices from top level luxury accommodations, to pre-set tents with bedding, to DIY choices for the more adventurous attendees; a variety of transportation options: easy-to-use shuttle services from New York City and other nearby major metropolitan areas and local shuttles from nearby train stations.
Additional details--including the line-up and information on tickets--about THE HUDSON PROJECT will be revealed in the coming weeks. THE HUDSON PROJECT is being produced by MCP Presents, a national production, promotion and event management company and SFX Entertainment, a leading producer of live events, media and entertainment content.
WHEN: July 11, 12 and 13
WHERE: Winston Farm in Saugerties, New York
For all media inquiries contact VOCAL.
Hasbeens & Willbees Brings the Finer Things to Upstate New York
Hasbeens & Willbees, the much talked about Catskills restaurant on the serious come-up, is set for another creative burst with the launch of a series of auction events, showcasing the owners’ most treasured findings from overlooked corners of the world.
A Unique Restaurant and Antique Dealer Based in the Andes
Hasbeens & Willbees, the much talked about Catskills pop-up restaurant on the serious come-up, is set for another creative burst with the launch of a series of auction events, showcasing the owners’ most treasured findings from overlooked corners of the world.
Kai Kuhne, former independent fashion designer and leading member of the design group AsFour, and John Mollett, former fine arts representative at the Jan Krugier Gallery, recently partnered to open the Hasbeens & Willbees restaurant in Andes, NY. “Wanting to keep connected to our careers and the worlds we love, we’ve incorporated our experiences and knowledge into a fresh new concept,” said Kuhne, “representing the new luxury and a fair market for the finer things in life.”
The new Hasbeens and Willbees concept embraces a lifestyle of luxury that cherishes the art, design, furniture and fashion of the past, while showcasing the genius and beautiful products of today.
As a preview for their auction house to open in New York City in the Spring of 2014, the Hasbeens & Willbees soft launch will take place at their Catskills restaurant. This new avenue is about giving some of the old freaks a place to shine, and provide a venue of exposure for a younger generation. It references old furniture and art, as well as showcasing wonderful new products. The Hasbeens & Willbees private label soap and olive oil will also be available in the store.
Kuhne and Mollet have been around the world selecting and amassing items for the auction house that is opening in the Spring of next year. “The shopping has been a blast! But now it’s time to get selling and develop a track record so that we can get some great consignments as well,” says Mollet. “We’ve decided to first do a little preview maquette of the auction concept up at our restaurant in the Catskills to get the ball rolling. For the auction we plan to have a few days of preview dinners where guests are surrounded by the auction items, while using the culinary objects on the table during their meal.”
While the auction items will be the focus of the events, the cuisine at Hasbeens & Willbees is something quite special in itself; simple yet refined. Each dish is inspired by inherited recipes from Mollet’s grandmother from New England, thus bringing something fresh and unique to the region. Their crab cake, for example, rivals that to be found anywhere in the state, filled with Jumbo Lump crab freshly picked from the Maryland fish markets and overnighted to the kitchen. Hasbeens & Willbees is an inspiring example of how farm-to-table doesn't have to be rustic.
The main auction event is sure to be active and filled with lively characters. The events will highlight guest chefs, projection screens, topless game show-style girls, a tuxedo-clad auctioneer, live performances, and an early Westwood style fashion show. It’s set to be a Friday night not to be missed.
New York Whiskey Club
The New York Whiskey Club brings together a select group of discerning aficionados to discuss cultural happenings in fashion, film, politics, sex, music, art and all kinds of stuff.
The New York Whiskey Club brings together a select group of discerning aficionados to discuss cultural happenings in fashion, film, politics, sex, music, art and all kinds of stuff.
"When I was a little girl, I remember watching my father – a trumpet player who had a funk, disco and jazz band – sitting around the kitchen table with his friends, sometimes his band mates or his brothers drinking Crown Royal on the rocks," says NYWC founder Sarah Bronilla. “It seems the stage was always set for my love of whiskey…”
“I became fascinated with all types of whiskey through my travels as I couldn't find Canadian Crown Royal. In my time, I discovered the sweet taste of Yamazaki while on business in Tokyo, the honey juice of Monkey Shoulder in Paris, Laphroiag in Berlin, Mekhong in Thailand, Bullet Rye in NYC, Michters in LA and so on. I wanted to share these experiences, these tastes, and the refinement of the people who craft a perfect bottle of liquid. More importantly, talk shit over a few glasses. Hence, The New York Whiskey Club.”
Most Recent:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.