Hollywood Welcomes “Legends And Prodigies”
Celebrities gather to support new star-search contest with a positive social message
PRWEB

'Legends and Prodigies' is a new star-search contest pairing new talent with music legends. Twenty percent of all proceeds of 'Legends and Prodigies' will be donated to AWARE to benefit alcohol research and education.

The first “Legends and Prodigies” concert featuring Vince Neil (the “Legend”), and Sound and Fury, an emerging rock band from Canada (the “Prodigy”) will take place at the world-famous Key Club on Sunset Blvd. on November 13, 2004. Legends and Prodigies is a new star-search contest that offers young, talented musicians (rock, R&B, hip-hop, Latin) a unique chance to be promoted via live performances and international tours together with legendary artists in their corresponding musical genres.

Unlike American Idol and many other contests, Legends and Prodigies is only open to aspiring professional musicians who have a qualified demo. The concept of Legends and Prodigies also has other elements that clearly set it apart from other contests.

The contest will take place every year and will be conducted as follows. First, Legends and Prodigies Entertainment will secure a legendary artist for each of the featured musical genres and makes an official announcement marking the beginning of the contest. Second, a jury, consisting of established musicians and industry professionals, reviews entries and select the top 3 bands/performers in each musical style. All three winners in each genre will be flown to LA for the contest’s final round, a live audition with the grand jury headed by the Legend.

While the grand jury can and will make suggestions, in the end, it is entirely up to the Legend to choose the top group/performer (Prodigy). The newly crowned Prodigy will get to open for the Legend in the contest’s final event, and will accompany the Legend on an international tour, which will follow the contest.

In addition to an international tour with the Legend, the winner’s package includes attractive promotional items like a 60-foot Billboard and two electronic jumbotrons on Sunset Blvd. for two months (where approximately 3.5 million people pass every month), international media exposure, two top-quality music videos, a Legends and Prodigies CD (studio recording), and professional footage from the event.

Vince Neil, the legendary rock musician, best-known as lead singer of Motley Crue, selected Sound and Fury as this year’s Prodigy because he felt the group was the next big thing coming. “I think Sound and Fury has big future. There’s definitely real talent in there. It’s genuine, you know. It just rocks! Bottom line is, when they get on stage, they electrify the audience.”

Founders of Legends and Prodigies have another goal besides promoting outstanding musical talent. The contest aims to raise awareness, bring renewed public attention and become part of solution to the one of the greatest problems shared by most countries: alcohol abuse and its societal consequences.

“Legends and Prodigies is a brilliant idea, in that it will provide both an outlet for discovery of new musical talent, and an arena for musicians to endorse alcohol responsibility while having a good time. Those messages are especially powerful when they come from a person who can say, ‘been there, done that. It’s not worth it.’ This year’s Legend, Vince Neil, is one such person”, says Mandy Barton, Director of California-based AWARE (Alliance for Worldwide Alcohol Responsibility and Education).

Mr. Neil, who has previously been known as a “hard partier,” has reinvented himself as a model of responsibility, moderation and healthy lifestyle and has an upcoming reality show on VH-1 that focuses on his remarkable lifestyle transformation.

The message seems to resonate with Hollywood, attracting a diverse cache of celebrities, including those who are not particularly huge heavy metal fans. “Alcohol awareness is an important issue and I like the idea of heavy metal doing its part to cure the ills of drinking. Call it Motley Cure. And knowing the organizers, it’s going to be a very cool event to say the least. So, count me in on this one,” says Olympic Gold medalist and former NFL star Willie Gault, who will join NBA star Dennis Rodman and other prominent athletes at the event.

Following the concert, there will be a private celebrity VIP party at one of Hollywood’s most famous mansions. A limited number of VIP passes will be available to AWARE supporters for a donation of $1000 or more. In addition, as a special fundraising promotion, four sets of these passes, which give access to the VIP party at the Key Club and private celebrity after-party, will be auctioned off on Ebay to raise funds for AWARE.

Legends and Prodigies will donate 20% of all proceeds to AWARE. Tickets are $25 and are available through the Key Club box office or at Ticketmaster. A special rate of $12.50 will be made available to college students, 21 years of age and over, who purchase tickets through the Key Club box office with their valid student ID. [PRWEB]

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