When celebrity event designer Colin Cowie was asked by Jennifer Lopez' to help produce a surprise birthday party for her husband, Latin music superstar Marc Anthony, Colin turned to Empire Entertainment to help with the entertainment for the evening. Working with very short notice and under precautions to keep the surprise concealed, Empire was challenged with the task of providing Latin music that would impress Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony, dance music that would rise to their standards, and production support that would impress the most A-list musicians and top music industry personnel.

Working through its extensive network of contacts in the Latin music community, Empire was able to secure the Jimmy Bosch Band / Oscar Hernandez Orchestra, who have recorded with many of Latin music's biggest stars, along with up-and-coming turntable artist DJ Cassidy, who has spun for Sean "Puffy" Coombs, Ben Affleck and Naomi Campbell among many others.

For the exclusive event, held in a private home on Long Island, Empire provided production management, concert sound system, backline as well as stage management and travel logistics. The Jimmy Bosch Band / Oscar Hernadez Orchestra got people on their feet after the surprise was revealed and DJ Cassidy kept them dancing until early the next morning when the police were called in to shut down the party. Throughout the evening other guests such as Latin Legends Johnny Pacheco & Luis Miguel, hip hop guest artist Fat Joe & The Terror Squad and Little Louie Vega also performed and Empire easily handled their needs in a seamless fashion. The live performance session ended with Mark Anthony & his Orchestra.Empire is a leading producer of high end private events around the world.

From East Hampton and St. Barts, to Gstadt and St. Tropez, Empire is the company to call.

For the sixth year running, Empire secured talent for the new model reveal show for one for of the world's largest and most successful car-manufacturers, and it was a resounding success.This year's program was held at The Arena at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, where Empire-partner Kaleidoscope Productions once again designed a stage and produced a show to rival the Academy Awards. Empire Entertainment outdid its efforts in past years and delivered a program of headline talent the caliber of which are rarely seen at corporate meetings.The relaxed and hilarious Ellen DeGeneres hosted the event and delighted the audience with material tailored specifically to the show. She delivered laughter consistently, whether on- or off-script. The general session featured a stunning performance by top-of-the-charts hip-hoppers, the Black Eyed Peas, which included their smash hits, "Hey Momma" and "Let's Get It Started". The Peas were backed up by the wicked moves of urban dance legends, The Rock Steady Crew.

The show also featured breath-taking, audience-interactive illusions performed by the world famous magician, David Copperfield. The piece de resistance in Mr. Copperfield's performance was a custom-designed illusion in which one of the client's soon-to-be-released vehicles vanished.The show culminated with a roof-raising concert by rock legend Rod Stewart. After taking the audience on an electrifying tour of his greatest hits – Tonight's the Night, Forever Young, Hot Legs, The First Cut is the Deepest, Some Guys Have All the Luck, the list goes on -- Stewart closed the show with a raucous version of "Maggie May", during which he kicked dozens of signed soccer balls out to the adoring audience.The day-long event also showcased a short film starring Danny Glover and actor/comedian Larry Miller, and featuring Saturday Night live stars Seth Meyers and Chris Parnell – all secured by Empire Entertainment.

When it comes to the world's largest corporate entertainment projects, world-class companies turn to Empire Entertainment.

When Huis Ten Bosch, a European style resort located in Nagasaki Japan, needed to find a great central attraction for their Autumn Festival they turned to Empire Japan to deliver contents that were unique to Europe.The client wanted to emphasize the fact that new and exciting things were happening at Huis Ten Bosch, while remaining true to the European romantic theme of the resort. It was important that the attraction generate interest from the media and result in significant PR exposure for the park. It was also important that word-of-mouth be generated from park guests themselves.To meet these challenges Empire Entertainment's Japan office identified Master Painter Kurt Wenner as the answer to Huis Ten Bosch's needs.

Working with Empire and Dentsu, Huis Ten Bosch's agency, Kurt developed ideas for two separate street paintings based on the theme of metamorphosis. He also allowed for the integration of Huis Ten Bosch's Autumn Harvest Festival into the context of the pieces. Both designs prominently featured Huis Ten Bosch's name, allowing for maximum PR and word of mouth exposure (through both PR and guest photos). Kurt's ability to combine extraordinary drawing talent with a perspective technique virtually lost in today's creative process created large scale one of a kind works that dazzled park visitors.Kurt Wenner's works utilize a Baroque era painting technique called Anamorphism. Wenner's unique and innovative use of anamorphic perspective creates unforgettable images that combine the painted surface with its surroundings into a single composition that appears 3-dimensional.Kurt's first work for Huis Ten Bosch, "The Banquet of Circe," was inspired by Homer's Odyssey. The painting features a scene where the sorceress Circe offers a bountiful harvest to the hungry companions of Ulysses, but the magical food transforms them into animals.Kurt's second work "The Triumph of Puck" was inspired by Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, and features Puck, having transformed the farmer "Bottom" into a donkey as the sprites harvest grapes, pumpkins, chestnuts, and mushrooms in the foreground.These paintings were both executed on the floor's flat surface using Kurt's hand made pastel chalks. They represent the first street paintings Kurt has ever created in Japan, and were tremendously well received by Huis Ten Bosch, the media and the park guests.

Four television stations visited the park and filmed Kurt's work in progress, with a total of over twenty minutes of on-air coverage (ten minutes of that being a live broadcast from the park). Five newspapers also covered the event, publishing articles with images of Kurt's artwork.Huis Ten Bosch was thrilled with both the artistic and PR results of the project, and has expressed interest in inviting Kurt back to Japan in 2005 to create new works.For this event Empire identified and contracted the artist, was responsible for all production logistics associated with the performance, and performed as the on-site producer.

Empire is a leading provider of unique talent of every kind from around the world and serves as a one-stop source of talent to a variety of buyers including resorts, theme parks, fairs, festivals, casinos, colleges, and performing arts centers in addition to corporate meetings, events and trade shows.

At the 2004 National Business Travel Association convention, Empire Entertainment was again asked for the 7th year in a row by co-sponsors American Express and American Airlines to secure and manage headline entertainment and provide all of their production requirements. This year the event took place at Orlando's Epcot Center at the World Showplace Pavilion with a special, rare corporate performance by Cyndi Lauper.

From the moment she took the stage, Cyndi Lauper was electric. Her first number, a standard American ballad, featured Cyndi alone in the spotlight with just piano accompaniment. She then exploded into the audience with her own song, "Shine", exuberantly moving above the amazed concert goers from chair to chair. The crowd remained standing for the entire night while she performed her most memorable hits as well as rock standards "Walk On By" and "Stay", performed as a salsa number with her trademark bravado. She held the crowd her hand with a slow acoustic waltz version of her hit "She Bop" and brought the room to complete silence with her moving #1 hit "True Colors." True to form, her inter-song banter was charming and funny, giving the history of each song and what it meant to her. By the end of the evening it appeared Cyndi was enjoying the show as much as the audience, as they rushed the stage for her encore, "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun."Empire Entertainment was asked to not only provide and manage the talent, but to supply all aspects of the production, including sound, backline, staging, lighting and labor.

The challenge this year was not only to accomplish this at the same budget as year's past, but to deliver production at an equal level to one of the world's most prestigious entertainment venues, Walt Disney World. Empire Entertainment brought in its own trusted vendors from the sunshine state and delivered under budget, more than satisfying the needs of client and talent alike.

Dentsu and Dentsu Tec needed to produce a major press event in Tokyo for their client, a leading manufacturer of electronics products. They chose to partner with Empire Entertainment through its newly formed Asian arm to identify, book, and produce a world-class talent for their event.The press conference event was held to introduce the client's new line of flat panel LCD and Plasma televisions - most of which are high-definition. Dentsu and Dentsu Tec determined that it was important that the talent be both energetic and beautiful in order to wow the live audience. It was equally important that the act successfully demonstrate the new televisions' ability to accurately represent the brilliance of color, and also the very spirit of the performance.

Dentsu and Dentsu Tec's plan was to film the act in high-definition in advance of the actual press conference. During the press conference the pre-recorded and edited film would be shown on the new screens. As the pre-recorded sequence came to a close, a massive curtain on the side of the hall would be opened, and the actual performers would be revealed. The artists would then go on to perform a couple of numbers.For this demanding and exciting project, Empire identified the world-renowned Argentine Tango ensemble, Forever Tango, whose show is currently appearing on Broadway, as a perfect fit. The raw energy of Forever Tango's dances, coupled with the beautiful costumes and engaging live music was the ideal subject for this project.Forever Tango delivered 4 dancers and an accompanying band of five musicians(Cello, Violin, Piano, Bass and the Bandoneon) who performed in front of approximately 200 journalists at the popular Tokyo nightclub Ageha.

The event was a great success, and we at Empire are proud to share in the praise Dentsu and Dentsu Tec received from their client.For this event Empire contracted the artists, was responsible for all production logistics associated with the performance, and performed as the on-site producer.Empire Entertainment's new office in Tokyo Japan now enables Empire to better serve it's wide existing base of Japan-based clientele and also to better service the needs of our other clients throughout the world for projects in Japan and elsewhere in Asia.

When British event company Fait Accompli sought to produce a major, private event in rural Canada for one of their top clients, they partnered with Empire Entertainment to secure entertainment & production services. For this event, a North American party for a couple to be married the following week in France, Fait Accompli created an enormous series of tented spaces on a farm in Rural Canada, about 3 hours outside of Toronto. The tented areas included an arrival area, a cocktail lounge, a main dining room a performance space for local talent and family performances, and an after-party nightclub space where a performance by Pat Benatar and DJ dancing took place.

Empire worked with Fait Accompli to secure a headline entertainer that would play the hits from their generation - the 80's - Empire was able to secure Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo to perform a concert of their greatest hits including "Hit Me With Your Best Shot," "Heart Breaker," "We Belong," "Love is a Battlefield" and "Shadows of the Night." The audience loved the performance and danced throughout. At one point, the lead guitarist and Pat Benatar's husband, Neil Giraldo, walked through the tents playing a guitar solo. Immediately after the performance, guests stepped outside the tent for a spectacular fireworks show in the farm fields and a meet & greet with Pat Benatar. For this event, Empire contracted and handled all logistics for Pat Benatar and her band and crew, provided staging, all concert & other area sound systems, all decor and stage lighting, all band gear and onsite stage management of the many performances and components of the evening. Empire also provided a video installation to loop a custom DVD of the bride & groom throughout the event. Empire also handled all cross-border equipment shipping, work permits and taxation issues relating to the performance in Canada.

Empire is a major producer of events throughout North America and the world and is a leading producer of high-end events for private individuals around the world.

When a global technology company sought an internationally known, humorous performer for an awards show, Empire turned to Saturday Night Live veteran Darrell Hammond to reprise his role as President Bill Clinton to fit the bill. Dressed in a Presidential blue suit, with makeup and hair styling provided by the SNL expert who developed the Clinton look, Hammond appeared at a podium with a Presidential seal and delivered a hilarious state-of-the-planet address that drew several references to the host company's business and industry. Shamelessly promoting his book and offering his hotel room number to the women at the convention, Hammond managed to delight the audience of approximately 2,000 technology partners from around the world.

Speaking in his well rehearsed Clinton drawl, Hammond delivered tasteful and appropriate humor that covered the Iraq war, the administration of President Bush, Al Gore, the Monica Lewinsky scandal and his wife, Hillary, dropping famous Clinton-isms like "I feel your Pain" and alluding to his love of women and fast food. The audience howled with laughter as Clinton shamelessly flirted with the women in the audience and gave him thunderous applause as he left the dais with his presidential seal. Hammond returned to the stage for two more segments in the awards show as himself, delivering solid standup material that also included some of his other well-known impressions of Jay leno, Ted Koppel, Jesse Jackson and Sean Connery.

Empire is a leading provider of comedic talent for meetings and events. Contact Empire to book 'Bill Clinton' to appear at your next meeting.

This July, The City of Rochester celebrated it's annual music festival's 10th Anniversary, "Celebrating the Spirit of Rhythm & Blues."Each year, the city has presented the Rochester MusicFest for its community and has grown its promotion into surrounding regions including Buffalo, Syracuse, Toronto and slowly into the national market. Originally conceived and still promoted by Mayor Johnson, who is a great lover and supporter of music and the arts, this festival has financially sustained itself over its history by presenting, along with some very supportive sponsors, such as Eastman Kodak, Excellus and local R&B radio station WDKX, to name a few, a world-class line-up of musical entertainment. The Rochester MusicFest draws interest for local tourism and enriches community spirit & tradition, and while doing so has grown to be the largest R&B festival in the northeast.

In recent years, artists such as Mary J. Blige, The Isley Brothers, The O'Jays, Floetry, Maze featuring Frankie Beverly and Ashanti have played this R&B festival. Prior to specializing in R&B, this annual event has been a world-class presentation of some of the best music compiled from many musical styles and genres. Artists such as Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, BR5-49, Tito Puente, The Derek Trucks Band, Chaka Khan, Little Feat, Taj Mahal, George Clinton, Ziggy Marley and Al Green among dozens of others have appeared at The Rochester MusicFest. This year, the City of Rochester issued its tri-ennial request for proposals for production services for the MusicFest. In response, NYC event marketing company Lead Dog Marketing along with Empire Entertainment and PR firm Eric Mower & Associates won the bid for this position.

Empire's role was to book all of the talent and do all related coordination, logistics, advance and oversee stage production and management, as well as manage all talent on site.The process of booking was a close relationship with the City's Commissioner of Parks & Recreation, Loretta Scott (who has headed up the festival for the Mayor since its inception) for whom Empire presented all talent ideas and availability. This collaboration really helped to bring Empire in as a strong booking partner and served to positively enhance our understanding of the audience, the intent and the mission. In many ways, booking this festival was very similar to booking a corporate event. There were some of the same parameters such as no promiscuity or profanity, a positive message etc., as this festival is a family-oriented event.

A couple of challenges that Empire had to overcome, was trying not to repeat artists, (after 10 years of presenting so many of R&B's top artists) and finding suitable new and older school R&B artists that appealed to the mature and the younger generations of R&B. Artists must also perform with live bands as no track artists, hip-hop or rap is permitted at this community event.Empire secured 14 bands for this years Rochester MusicFest including several local artists. Beginning with Friday nights 'Latin Night', regional local, merengue band La Linea opened the evening, and were followed by Puerto Rico's own local salsa legends, Puerto Rican Power Orchestra. Opening Saturday's line-up at 1PM, was local artist, 15 year-old Damaris Rivera, who performed a short but wonderful set of original songs, that included her current regional radio hit and also a beautuful tribute to Aaliyah. She set a great mood for the rest of the days line-up with a lot of local support and a soulful beginning to a weekend of R&B.Following Damaris, another local group PrimeTime Funk, kicked it up a notch with a full 45-minute set of covers of some of the best funk in the business. They also were very excited to open for one of the legends of funk The Brothers Johnson, who recently came out of the woodwork after 18 years of absenture.

As corporate event audiences grow ever younger and more internationally diverse, Empire is constantly delivering contemporary and internationally known entertainment to meet the needs of these audiences. Such was the case when Empire was called upon to deliver an internationally-recognized, high energy concert act that would appeal to an audience in their 30's and 40's, representing countries from around the world. Using its extensive relationships in the contemporary music field, Empire was able to quickly deliver Smash Mouth who perfectly fit the bill for this major event in the massive Georgia Dome for an audience of over 13,000 people. Smash Mouth absolutely rocked the crowd with a 90 minute set that included their hits like "All Star" and their cover of the Monkees "I'm a Believer" from the motion picture Shrek. They also performed high-energy covers like "Why Can't We Be Friends?" and also material by Van Halen and others. The audience crowded the stage before the concert began, danced incessantly once they took the stage and brought the band back for a thundering three song encore once they finished their set. In addition to having 13,000 people jumping up and down in sync on one song, Smash Mouth's set had this world class company's employees 'body surfing', possibly a first for a corporate event.

Production for this event consisted of a massive stage that had been converted from a meeting set used earlier in the program. Five massive video screens were used to provide image magnification and the lighting was provided by a rig of several hundred intelligent lighting fixtures. A world-class concert sound system made the band sound perfect. For this engagement Empire provided all artist contracting, management of air, room, ground transportation and hospitality logistics, coordination of all production with the client company's technical supplier, and stage management of the concert portions. Empire also provided a custom soundtrack of pre- and post-show music to get the audience into the right mood before the show and to keep them dancing once Smash Mouth left the stage.

Empire is the leading provider of contemporary musical artists for corporate events.

Commerce Bank is one of the New York Region's fastest growing banking Empires and Empire has worked with Commerce Bank for several years to produce high quality entertainment & events for their customers and event marketing initiatives. So it was natural that Commerce Bank would turn to Empire to help them throw a major outdoor event in conjunction with their sponsorship of the Long Island Classic golf tournament. For this special event, Commerce Bank wanted to draw 10,000 or more people to their branches in Long Island and create an all-American program of entertainment to highlight the weekend tournament for which the signature event would be held on July 3, the night before Independence Day.

Empire quickly identified The New York Pops featuring Skitch Henderson as the perfect American family entertainment for this event. The concert was held outdoors in the beautiful Lakeside amphitheater on a perfect July night. As the sun set, the audience enjoyed the powerful sounds of Carnegie Hall's 77 piece house orchestra under the baton of the charismatic and dynamic Skitch Henderson as they played selections from great Hollywood soundtracks in front of a giant American Flag backdrop and Commerce Bank branding. The show concluded with a rousing version of Tchaikovsky's Overture of 1812 that led right into an amazing fireworks display by the world famous Grucci Fireworks family. For this event, Empire contracted the New York Pops, handled all production logistics with the orchestra and the theater, handled transportation in busy holiday traffic to ensure an on-time performance, created an all-American soundtrack to warm up the audience and were onsite to stage manage the magical event. In the end as many as 30,000 people attended the beautiful concert event and the client was ecstatic.

Empire is a major producer of both private and public events.