If you are in need of some entertainment this snowy, cold weekend, checkout the virtual Fab4Con Jam. They said ticket sales ended last night, but I was still able to buy a basic $35 ticket to join in the festivities tomorrow.
Category Archives: Events
(Virtual) Fab4Con Jam – Feb. 20 & 21
If you are in need of some entertainment this snowy, cold weekend, checkout the virtual Fab4Con Jam. They said ticket sales ended last night, but I was still able to buy a basic $35 ticket to join in the festivities tomorrow.Filed under Beatles conference, Events
Free Online Beatles Lecture – Sunday, January 17, 2021 @ 2 pm (et)
Click image for more information…
Filed under Events
LIVE: The Creative Secrets of the Beatles – Guitarist Peter Asher, Author of “The Beatles from A to Zed”
This Friday, January 9, 2021 at 7 am (EST), Marc Silber will interview Peter Asher live on YouTube:
“Marc Silber Interviews Peter Asher, a legendary record producer and performer about his book “The Beatles from A-Zed”. He takes readers on an alphabetical journey of insights into the music of the Beatles and individual reminiscences of John, Paul, George, and Ringo.
Peter Asher met the Beatles in the spring of 1963, the start of a lifelong association with the band and its members. He had a front-row seat as they elevated pop music into an art form, and he was present at the creation of some of the most iconic music of our times. Join Marc as he delves into the A-Zed of this amazing group to find their creative secrets!”
Book Review: “TED Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking” by Chris Anderson
So, your first question is: Why isn’t this listed as a “Bonus Book Review”? Obviously, it has nothing to do with the Beatles! True, but TEDTalks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking
A couple months ago, I noticed that there will be a TEDx event in Delaware. TEDx events (with the x at the end), are off-shoots of the original TEDTalks. I thought I’d throw my hat in the ring and try for a spot to speak at this event in November. I submitted my speech proposal and 1 minute video…and got the rejection email like thousands of others. But one of the things they suggested, should we wish to try again, was to read their book on how to give an official 15-18 minute TED talk.
TED was founded in 1984 by Harry Marks and Richard Sullivan and is an annual conference that is held as a way to spread ideas about Technology, Entertainment and Design. The founders believed that these three fields are actually all intertwined and they wanted a new way for people to help spread the innovative and ground breaking work they were doing. It costs $10,000 a ticket to attend a conference, but you will get to see notable speakers like Bono, Bill Clinton, Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, etc. (It was never my intention to speak at the main conference, but a satellite TEDx would be cool.) There is so much to these events that it would take up too much room here, so if you want to know more about TED, click here.
TED Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking was published in 2016 by Chris Anderson, the new owner of TED. The book is only about 252 pages and a quick read. But it’s filled with a lot of powerful information for anyone that needs or wants to speak in public. It covers just about any topic you can think of, right down to what to wear. Should you stand or sit? Should you use a slide presentation, props or just speak? Rehearse the speech ahead of time or read from a script? Podium or walk the stage? How to fend off stage fright?
Even though I’ve given speeches and lectures before (nothing major or mind-blowing), there was still a lot for me to learn from this book. It really is a must read for anyone who needs to get up in front of a crowd and talk, whether solo or on a panel. Anyone…no matter how confident you are, could learn something new. In fact, I would say that anyone speaking at a Beatles festival, conference or symposium, could enhance their stage presence really quickly. Which brings me to the next reason I read this book…
On Sunday, November 11th, I will be speaking at The Beatles’ White Album Symposium at Monmouth University in Long Branch, NJ. It’s a three day event (four days if you could the concert the night before) and some of the great keynote speakers include: Mark Lewisohn, Ken Mansfield, Mark Lapidos, Scott Frieman, Robert Rodriguez and Bruce Spizer. There are really too many to list, so just go to the website to check it out! It’s hosted by Kenneth Womack, author of the two book series on George Martin. Tickets for the general public cost $75 for each day and includes keynotes, films and meals.
And for that reason…
I rate this book, 4 out of 4 Beetles!
Filed under Book Review, Events
Make Music Day – June 21, 2017
I just read about this on the NAMM.org website and thought all my Beatles Freak readers would be interested to know more about this amazing day. Below is a snip from the Make Music Day website telling all about this 35 year old worldwide celebration of music! Check out their website to see what kind of activities are going on in a city near you! I know I will…
Make Music Day is an annual celebration that occurs each June 21, when people in more than 750 cities around the world make music together on the summer solstice.
In 1982, Jack Lang and the staff of France’s Ministry of Culture created a new kind of musical holiday they called Fête de la Musique, which means both “festival of music” and “make music!” They imagined a day where free, live music would be everywhere: street corners, parks, rooftops, gardens, storefronts, and mountaintops. Everyone was invited to join and play music, or to host performances, wherever they were. The Fête has turned into a national music-making holiday in France every June 21, on the summer solstice. According to surveys, almost 8% of the country—5 million people—have played an instrument or sung in public for the Fête de la Musique.
Today, Make Music Day has become an international phenomenon, with millions of musicians of all styles, all ages, and all skill levels reimagining their cities as stages, and using music to spread joy to their communities. And Make Music Day is spreading quickly in the United States.
Filed under Events
Lecture Review: “The Fifth Beatle: The Untold Story of the Jew Who Made the Beatles”
![WP_20160208_011[1]](https://beatlesfreak.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/wp_20160208_0111-e1455569478317.jpg?w=300)
Vivek J. Tiwary speaking at Monmouth University (Feb 2016)
The lecture was given by Vivek J. Tiwary – a Tony Award-winning Broadway producer, and the founder of Tiwary Entertainment Group. He also just happens to be the author of the graphic novel and #1 New York Times bestseller – The Fifth Beatle: The Brian Epstein Story. I’ve attended events in the past where Vivek was appearing with his book, but I’ve never had the opportunity to actually meet or hear him speak.
Well, it turns out Mr. Tiwary can speak very well…and A LOT! (I don’t know that I’ve ever experienced hearing someone who can digress so far from his original thought and still remember to bring it back around.) His lecture on Brian Epstein was remarkably informative from the angle of Brian being not only gay, but Jewish in 1960’s Liverpool, England. He explained such issues as how Brian worked around his ethnicity by joining forces with other Jews in the music industry at the time, such as Sid Bernstein, when the two connected to bring the Beatles to America.
After a 45 minute presentation, came the audience Q&A. Vivek stepped up again and spent another 45 minutes in an intimate discussion with the audience about Brian, the Beatles and race. I’m glad I finally made the time and effort to see Vivek J. Tiwary speak and I wouldn’t hesitate to go see him again. I’d also recommend any Beatles Freak who hasn’t had the pleasure of seeing him speak should find the time if they are presented with the opportunity! And for that reason…
I give this lecture/Vivek, 4 out of 4 Beatles!
Note: Vivek’s book, The Fifth Beatle: The Brian Epstein Story is being made into a film or possibly a mini series for TV. Which format would you rather see this film made?
Filed under Events
Event Review: Broadcast Pioneers Luncheon – The British Music Invasion
I had the great pleasure of attending this month’s meeting of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia. It was recommended to me by T. Morgan after I read and reviewed his book in November 2015. The meeting was opened to the public and was held at the lovely Bala Golf Club in Bala Cynwyd, PA. There was a small cost of $28 for non-members to cover the cost of the luncheon.
The topic of this month’s luncheon was The British Music Invasion!
MC for the afternoon is Tom Lamaine and the panel was made up of:
Gary Hendler, radio host on WWDB and former record promotion person
Don Hurley, radio personality & host and classic rock expert at the Jersey Shore
Ed Hurst, radio & television personality for three quarters of a century
Tommy McCarthy, current music director for 98.1, WOGL, Philadelphia
Michael Tearson, well-known Philadelphia FM Radio air personality
Bill Wright, Sr., famed WIBG (Radio 99) and WPEN Radio air personality
Prior to the panel discussion, I had the good fortune of sitting down to lunch at table with Tommy McCarthy and Michael Tearson. Tommy is the program director for Oldies 98 (WOGL) in Philadelphia and Michael Tearson is a well-known long-time on-air personality in Philadelphia. Just sitting and listening to these gentlemen talk was amazing. And when they both joined the panel discussion, their knowledge of music and the industry was beyond compare. In fact, the entire panel was something to behold. Just when you thought you knew all the Beatles experts…along comes the Broadcast Pioneers!
I would highly recommend that anyone in the Philly area that is interested in the history of music, whether it’s pop, rock or oldies, sign up for the Broadcast Pioneers mailing list and try to make it out to one of their luncheons. It’s well worth your time and cost to get in.
Here are the dates for their monthly meetings (topics to be announced): Monthly Luncheons
You can also sign up for their mailing list to keep on top if the meetings and happenings here. (they don’t Spam you!)
…and for that reason,
I give this event, 4 out of 4 Beetles!
Filed under Events
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