Susan von Seggern

Public Relations

Television Composer, David Schwartz Hosts Hunnypot Live – Where Music Lovers Go To Play, as a Release Event for his New Band, Vincent & Theo, at The Mint on June 5,

05/09/2023 by Susan von Seggern

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Los Angeles – May 8, 2023 – Noted television composer David Schwartz (Arrested Development, Northern Exposure++) will co-host the popular bi-weekly Monday night club, Hunnypot Live – Where Music Lovers Go To Play, at West LA’s legendary music room The Mint on June 5. The well-liked event, hosted by music publisher John Anderson in his “Hot Tub Johnnie” persona, is known as a clubhouse for those involved in film and television music. David’s new band project, Vincent & Theo, will headline with a work-friendly set time of 8:15 pm. Before the music, John will interview David about his esteemed Hollywood career, starting at 7:15 pm.

Soul Smell is the unique project that resulted from a COVID file-sharing collaboration between two Los Angeles musical fixtures, Emmy-winning TV composer David Schwartz and singer/songwriter and session/touring guitarist Julian Coryell (Alanis Morissette, Demi Lovato) recording as Vincent & Theo.

Unlike the instrumental and guitar-oriented work they are known for, Soul Smell is a jazzy alt-rap affair that recalls both the spoken word and lyrical grunge of the 90s – Soul Coughing, 311, Cake, but sans guitar, along with a healthy dose of William Burroughs, Tom Waits, and Leonard Cohen’s world-weary slices of life.

In just a few short months, they had 11 songs which they filled out with some of their favorite musicians, some of whom will be joining on this gig: noted film and television singer/songwriter Lucy Schwartz (vocals, vocal arrangements), keyboard legend Larry Goldings (piano, synths), Death Cab for Cutie’s Zac Rae (keyboards, synths), and popular LA session drummer Jake Reed (drums, percussion). Some other top players helped on a few songs, including additional writing on “Bad Porn” by Isaiah Gage, R&B singer Antwaun Stanley, vocals on “Would Be Solar Panel Technician,” bass legend John Patitucci for the electric bass solo on “Junk Food Love,” and Tamir Barzilay gave some additional percussion to “Junk Food Love” as well.

Doors for this free event will open at 7 pm, John will interview David at 7:15 pm, Vincent & Theo will perform at 8:15 pm. They will be followed by André Miguel & The Moment at 9 pm and Fencer at 9:45 pm. Hot Tub Johnnie hits the turntables for the Afterparty at 10:15 pm.

While the event is free, we would love you to RSVP to susan@susanvonseggern.com if you plan to come.

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Filed Under: Entertainment, Events, Music

GOAT Male American Ski Racer Bode Miller Partners with Affordable Natural Homebuilding Startup Geoship

05/09/2023 by Susan von Seggern

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Bode Miller photo: Geoship Create the Futre You Imagine
Nevada City, CA/Big Sky, MT – May 2, 2023 – The most successful American male ski racer of all time, Bode Miller, has become an investor and strategic advisor in Geoship — to address the climate-housing challenge and help people live closer to nature and community — starting in mountain towns.

Miller notes, “I was raised off the grid, in the solitary nature of the woods. So much of who I am today is the direct result of my upbringing. Now as the father of eight, I want my kids to have similar experiences. In 2019 Morgan and I chose to move our family to Montana. Many have expressed a desire to do the same with their own families. Unfortunately for many, this lifestyle is out of reach due to the recent rapid rise in housing prices. Perhaps it is time to start thinking outside of the box to make mountain living more accessible to families. I’m excited to partner with Geoship to address the climate-housing challenge in a way that will help people live closer to nature and community — starting in mountain towns.”

Geoship founder and CEO Morgan Bierschenk adds, “Bode and I are dads on a mission to raise our kids closer to nature and village life. Geoship is more than a new construction technology — we’re building an economic engine for the regenerative village future. Whether winning six Olympic medals or being a father of eight — Bode is a force of nature and puts 100% into what he does. So, it’s an honor to begin this journey with Bode, to remove some of the barriers families face in building homes in harmony with nature.”

Geoship’s ‘first principles’ approach to home manufacturing combines the most efficient geometry and material science with 21st-century manufacturing technology. Nature’s strongest structure, the geodesic dome, is combined with a breakthrough in bioceramic materials — enabling healthy natural homes that cost half as much as conventional homes, have a 90% smaller carbon footprint, and have a design life of 500 years.

Bioceramic domes are combined with a digital space for communities to form and democratize the village design/build process. Villages are distinct from housing developments in that they’re cultural places designed and built with community participation. Geoship is transitioning into a multi-stakeholder cooperative — customers and nature stewards will own up to 50% of the company. This combination of a revolutionary housing product, business model, and ownership structure enables deep impact on a level never before possible.

The company is continuing towards its ‘Earthshot’: To make the best home on earth, the most affordable one, and scale manufacturing to one million ceramic domes per year. The recently revealed prototype is the world’s first ceramic dome.

Bierschenk concludes, “Our Nevada City prototype dome has attracted interest from architects, artists, engineers, developers, and dome lovers from over 60 countries. Thanks to platforms like Republic and Wefunder, the right to invest in world-changing private tech companies is no longer limited to accredited investors. We invite skiers, snowboarders, mountain communities, artists, climate advocates, impact investors, and nature lovers to join Bode Miller and our crew of over 2,000 visionary impact investors in building a more beautiful world.

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About Geoship SPC:
Geoship SPC is a leading innovator in next-generation homes, featuring a unique combination of eco-friendly ceramic materials and geodesic dome structures. The company grew from the vision of its two founders, Morgan Bierschenk and Bas Kools, to address some of the greatest challenges of our time: affordable housing, climate change, chronic disease, and social isolation. Investment information for Geoship’s current funding round can be found at Republic.com/Geoship (see terms and conditions at republic.com) or www.Geoship.is.

About Bode Miller:
Father, Husband, Learner, and Teacher. Winner of six Olympic Alpine skiing medals. Co-Founder @peakskis

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Filed Under: Architecture, Business, Entrepreneurial, Green, Tech

Geoship Unveils Bioceramic Geodesic Dome Prototype, Announces ‘Earthshot’ Mission: To Make the Best Home the Most Affordable Home

04/10/2023 by Susan von Seggern

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Sustainable Housing Vision Powers Community-First Fundraising Campaign

Geoship InteriorMarch 23, 2023 – Nevada City, CA – Geoship, the leader in next-generation affordable homes, announced that it has built an engineering prototype structure on its design and manufacturing testing ground here.

The company is continuing towards its ‘Earthshot’ mission: To make the best home on earth the most affordable one while scaling manufacturing to one million homes per year (faster than Tesla Motors.) The recently revealed world’s first fully bioceramic geodesic home comes as they have launched a community-first funding round on Republic.com. The round is open for a limited time. Since its launch in 2019, Geoship has received over 10,000 dome preorders, including over 500 with paid deposits. The company currently has over 2,000 investors. Prospective partners are invited to learn more at: www.republic.com/geoship.

Geoship’s ‘first principles’ approach to home manufacturing combines the most efficient geometry, materials, and manufacturing methods. The world’s strongest known structure, the geodesic dome, is combined with a breakthrough in chemically bonded ceramic materials developed at US National Labs. The unique, eco-friendly combination uses naturally found materials. It enables homes that cost half as much as traditional structures, have a 90% smaller carbon footprint, and are designed to last up to 500 years.

Using injection molding, a popular manufacturing modality never before used in home building, Ceramic domes can be rapidly manufactured and assembled on-site, maximize material efficiency, and are ultra energy efficient and resistant to earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, and fires.

While the domes can be built as individual units or clusters, Geoship sees villages of the future materializing from the digital space. Geoship domes will be conceived in virtual reality by networked communities, then built with a shared vision for common areas, permaculture, and community self-sufficiency. The domes even benefit from known health benefits related to natural light, curved shapes, and healthy natural materials.

Geoship founder and CEO Morgan Bierschenk stated, “Millions of homebuyers want to leave the city and live closer to nature and community – in affordable, sustainable, ultra-modern, natural homes. Ceramic domes and regenerative villages uniquely serve this emerging market. Our Nevada City prototype dome has attracted interest from architects, artists, engineers, developers, and dome lovers from over 60 countries. Thanks to platforms like Republic, the right to invest in world-changing private tech companies is no longer limited to accredited investors. Through our community-first funding campaign, we’re inviting purpose-aligned individuals worldwide to join our Earthshot. Investment in this round is open to everybody; we encourage prospective customers and investors to join our exciting mission and build the regenerative future of home!”

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About Geoship SPC:
Geoship SPC is a leading innovator in next-generation homes, featuring a unique combination of eco-friendly ceramic materials and geodesic dome structures. The firm grew from the vision of its two founders, Morgan Bierschenk and Bas Kools, to address some of the greatest challenges of our time: affordable housing, climate change, chronic disease, and social isolation. Investment information for Geoship’s current funding round can be found at Republic.com/Geoship (see terms and conditions at republic.com) or www.Geoship.is.

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Filed Under: Architecture, Business, Real Estate

Music Legend Michael Franti Headlines Bhakti Fest, a Transformational Event September 15-17 in Joshua Tree, California

04/10/2023 by Susan von Seggern

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Photo of Michael FrantiJoshua Tree, CA – April 5, 2023 – Bhakti Fest, Southern California’s popular yoga and spiritual music festival, is excited to announce a new headliner for their 2023 edition – socially conscious music legend Michael Franti will appear in a rare solo performance at the event at the beautiful Joshua Lake & Campground over the weekend of September 15-17.

Franti has been a regular performer at transformational festivals in his native California and beyond since forming his band Michael Franti & Spearhead in 1994. He is the creator and lead vocalist of his current independent project, Michael Franti & Spearhead, a band that blends hip-hop with various other styles, including funk, reggae, jazz, folk, and rock. He is also an outspoken supporter of a wide spectrum of peace and social justice issues.

One of the rare artists to use the powerful medium of music to explore social and political issues, Michael Franti has proved to be a musician with a moral conscience. This gifted spoken word artist, composer, poet, and political activist began his musical career with the industrial punk/spoken word band, The Beatnigs. He later formed the American industrial hip-hop band, The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy, a fiery group whose music explored political themes. Seeking further improvement and innovation, Franti founded Spearhead. He pushed boundaries with his music and became pivotal in hip-hop’s renaissance, drawing from soul-driven beats and funk rhythms. With Spearhead, he also explored new ideas and set on to a more provocative tone and style. Their debut album, Home, received critical acclaim. Widely regarded as a master of contemporary protest music, Franti is an innovative songwriter whose skillful songwriting abilities successfully blend rock, hip hop, punk, rock, and jazz.

Throughout his multi-decade career with Spearhead, Franti has earned threeBillboard No. 1’s with triumphantly hopeful hits “Sound of Sunshine,” “Say Hey (I Love You)” and “I Got You,” as well as six Top 30 Hot AC singles, 10 Top 25 AAA Singles and three Billboard Top 5 Rock Albums. Spearhead’s 12th studio album Follow Your Heart, released in June 2022 and debuted at No. 2 on the iTunes Pop Chart behind Harry Styles.

Franti resides in Bali when he is not on tour and owns Soulshine Bali, a 32-room top-rated boutique hotel located in Ubud, Bali that focuses on joy through wellness and music, offering unique retreat opportunities and accommodations, along with special events and celebrations. Soulshine Bali continues to expand and grow with recent renovations, including a second restaurant, day club, panoramic yoga shala, and a new spa. For more information, visit soulshinebali.com.

In January 2019, Franti released his self-directed documentary Stay Human, which won an array of awards at film festivals worldwide and influenced his writing for his album Stay Human Vol II (Thirty Tigers), which debuted at No. 1 on both the Americana and Independent Album charts and received critical acclaim from USA Today, Billboard, Associated Press, and Paste.

Bhakti Fest is a pioneering gathering known for non-stop yoga, kirtan and other spiritual and conscious music, meditation, sound healing, vegetarian cuisine, therapeutic bodywork, spiritual study, conscious community, and transformation that continues to serve as a beacon for spiritual seekers from around the world. After a COVID-driven break since 2019, the festival is excited to welcome its fans home.

Festival producer Bella Silberfein notes, “having Michael Franti appear at a Bhakti Fest event has been a goal of ours since we started in 2009. We are so thrilled he’s headlining our first festival post-COVID and are looking forward to integrating his vibe and fans into our festival.”

The festival returns with all-star yoga instructors, including Yogrishi Vishvketu, Shiva Rea, Kia Miller, Andrew Sealy, Carmen Curtis, Tejal Patel, Tommy Rosen, Govind Das & Jacqueline, Harpinder Kaur Mann, Michael Brian Baker, MC Yogi, Amanda Giacomini, and local favorite, Urban Yoga’s Kristin Olson. From those who have never stepped foot on a yoga mat to those who don’t travel without one, all student levels are welcome and encouraged to attend.

A curator of sacred sound, Bhakti Fest will host non-stop Kirtan and chant, along with other conscious music, across various musical genres, including blues, rock, pop, gospel, traditional, and hip-hop. In addition to Franti, headliners include Grammy nominees Pato Banton, Krishna Das, and MC YOGI. This year’s musicians also include favorites such as Desert Dwellers, Snow Raven, Sol Rising, Kirtaniyas, Satsang, DJ Drez & Marti Nikko, David Starfire, Raghunath, Hanuman Project, Nina Rao, Radhika Das, Gina Sala, Karnamrita, and many more.

Bhakti Fest provides participants the unique opportunity to interact and learn from some of the greatest luminaries of our time. Speakers include Radhanath Swami, Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswatiji, Jai Devi Singh, Nidhi Pandya, Indy Rishi, Scott Blossom, Reginald Hubbard, Zoe Kors, and Tejal Patel. As always, Bhakti Fest will screen digital Satsang with the legendary, dearly departed Ram Dass, whose book Be Here Now helped bring Eastern philosophy west in the 1970s.

No family festival is complete without a Kids’ Village! In the cool shade, fun, physical, creative, musical, and conscious activities provide an opportunity for parents and children to enjoy time together.

Bhaktis will feast on various raw, vegan, and vegetarian food and beverage options. There is an extensive marketplace with eco-friendly, sustainable vendors offering clothing, devotional art, musical instruments, CDs, crafts, jewelry, and more.

Accommodations onsite include glamping, camping, and RV parking. There are also several hotels within a few miles of the campground that offer discounts for attendees.

With a world-class lineup of musicians and yoga instructors, conscious workshops, and artisan vendors, Bhakti Fest offers the most heart-opening, consciousness -raising experience of any festival on the scene today. Attendees describe the festival as “immersed in the greatest conscious party you have ever experienced, filled with music, yoga, dancing, love, light, and heart-centered community.”

Tickets for Bhakti Fest 2023 are available here. The non-profit festival donates a percentage of its funds to charities and other nonprofit groups that provide food, education, and environmental beautification programs worldwide. These include Food for Life Vrindavan, Love Serve Remember Foundation, Ramana’s Garden, Share Your Care, and the Seva Foundation.

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Filed Under: Entertainment, Events, Meditation, Music, Yoga

KOCOWA+ joins Verizon’s +play platform

04/10/2023 by Susan von Seggern

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KOCOWA+ joins Verizon’s new content hub, built for Verizon customers to discover, shop and save on subscriptions – all in one place


[Los Angeles, CA] – The number one 100% Korean entertainment streamer KOCOWA+ today announced that it is now available on Verizon’s +play – the cutting-edge platform built by Verizon for customers to shop for, manage and save on their favorite subscriptions, all in one place.

Verizon’s +play seamlessly integrates a breadth of content services – spanning from the best in entertainment to education, lifestyle to fitness – in a single place so customers can easily search, subscribe, save money on and pay for their subscription services.

“We are pleased that KOCOWA+ is one of Verizon’s +play partners, giving fans another avenue for exploring over 25,000 hours of hit Korean entertainment. For fans of K-pop, there are more than enough idols’ moments to binge on. Viewers can access their favorite K-Pop Idols like BTS, aespa, NCT, and others exclusively on our platform, including weekly music chart shows, and concerts LIVE from Korea. In addition, we offer hit new and classic K-Dramas, critically acclaimed movies, and hilarious K-Variety shows from the top broadcasters, content providers, and studios in Korea. With the increasing popularity of Korean content in the Americas, we are happy to be able to offer Verizon +play’s audience access to the ultimate destination in Korean entertainment starting at the low price of $6.99,” said KunHee Park, CEO & CPO of wavve Americas, Inc.

“We’re thrilled to have KOCOWA+ as a partner +play, giving Verizon customers access to its amazing services and offerings through our platform,” said Erin McPherson, Chief Content Officer of Verizon Consumer Group. “With hundreds of content and subscription services available in the marketplace, customers find themselves challenged to keep up with new services, get attractive promotions, and manage and track what they’re already signed up for. +play is the solution to these pain points.”

Check it out today and take advantage of exclusive savings and offers for Verizon customers: plusplay.verizon.com.

About wA and KOCOWA+:
wA is a global joint company between wavve, SK Square Americas, and the top Korean broadcasters KBS, MBC, & SBS. wA launched KOCOWA+, a subscription video streaming platform in the Americas, in 2017, with primary audiences in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Brazil. KOCOWA+ provides a robust lineup of over 25,000 hours of Korean Dramas, Movies, Reality, and K-Pop content in multi-languages on its direct platform. For more information, please visit www.kocowa.com.

About Verizon Communications:
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) was formed on June 30, 2000 and is one of the world’s leading providers of technology and communications services. Headquartered in New York City and with a presence around the world, Verizon generated revenues of $136.8 billion in 2022. The company offers data, video and voice services and solutions on its award-winning networks and platforms, delivering on customers’ demand for mobility, reliable network connectivity, security and control.

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Filed Under: Business, Entertainment, Products, Tech

First-ever Awards for Paranormal Content Creators Announces Podcast Nominee and Filmmaker Finalists

03/07/2023 by Susan von Seggern

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The ParaPod Awards Spotlight the Podcasters, Filmmakers, and Television Shows That Often Go Unnoticed During Awards Season on Saturday, April 1, at the Hyatt Regency Valencia

Santa Clarita, California – March 7, 2023 – The upcoming ParaPod Festival, taking place Friday, March 31 through Saturday, April 1, 2023, in Santa Clarita, California, is the first of its kind to not only celebrate all things paranormal in one place but to honor the influencers and content creators who work in the paranormal genre. The two-day event will wrap up with a live awards ceremony – the ParaPod Awards – with awards given to podcasts and their hosts, documentary filmmakers, and television shows and personalities.

“As a content producer and host myself, being able to create a platform to celebrate the paranormal genre and those content creators who are working in it has been a long-time goal,” says ParaPod founder Tony Sweet. “Influencers, podcasters, documentary filmmakers, television producers, and hosts who dare to cover topics like UFOs or Bigfoot often get overlooked by mainstream awards shows, and I want to change that.”

Podcasters whose content covered the paranormal were asked to submit their work in various categories via the ParaPod Festival website. A committee of listeners rated the podcasts in their selected categories to create a list of finalists. The finalist podcasts were then listened to and rated by a second committee to determine the nominees. The podcast nominees for the ParaPod Awards are:

In the category of Best UFO Podcast:

  • Strange Darkness Radio
  • UFO Chronicles Podcast
  • Paranormal Almanac

In the category of Best True Crime Podcast:

  • Hollyweird Paranormal
  • Heart Starts Pounding
  • Ghost Town

In the category of Best Ghost Podcast:

  • Ghost Town
  • Mega Strange
  • The Haunted Happy Hour

In the category of Best Spiritual/Psychic Podcast:

  • The Witching Hour
  • The Colby Rebel Show
  • Paranormal Almanac

In the category of Best Podcast Host(s):

  • Jason Horton & Rebecca Leib/li>
  • Derrick Acosta & Johnny Weiss
  • Kaelyn Moore

In the category of Podcast of the Year:

  • Heart Starts Pounding
  • Ghost Town
  • Mega Strange

Documentary filmmakers worldwide submitted their short-form and feature-length paranormal films via FilmFreeway.com to be viewed and rated by a viewing committee, who determined which films would be official selections. Then, a panel of judges rated the films to determine the finalists in each category for the ParaPod Awards.

The finalists for Best Short Paranormal Documentary are:

  • (After)Life, directed by Ben Goldman (USA)
  • Close Encounters Interview with Preston Dennett, directed by Matt Schwartz (USA)
  • The Conspiratologist, directed by Stephen Bradford and Justin Jay Jones (USA)

The finalists for Best Feature Paranormal Documentary are:

  • Contemplation: On the Psychedelic Experience, directed by Julian Austin Palmer (AUS)
  • Accidental Truth – UFO Revelations, directed by Ron James (USA)
  • Black Knight Satellite: Beyond the Signal, directed by Melissa Tittl (USA)

The ParaPod Festival social media team also launched an online series of audience polls to determine the nominees and winners of the ParaPod Audience Favorites Awards for mainstream, paranormal television series. The nominees for the ParaPod Awards are:

In the category of Best UFO Series:

  • A Tear in the Sky
  • Ancient Aliens
  • Truth Declassified

In the category of Best Non-fiction Ghost Series:

  • Ghost Adventures
  • Destination Fear
  • Kindred Spirits

In the category of Best Cryptid Investigation Series:

  • The UnXplained
  • Mountain Monsters
  • Destination Truth

In the category of Best TV Psychic Medium:

  • Chip Coffey
  • Tyler Henry
  • Patti Negri

In the category of Best Paranormal Host:

  • Ben Hansen
  • Zak Bagans
  • Giorgio Tsoukalos

The content of podcast nominees and film festival finalists can be viewed online at www.parapodfestival.com in the Podcast Awards Listening Room and the Film Festival Screening Room.

The winners will all receive a handsome, custom-created ParaPod Award. Podcast and filmmaker winners will be offered a non-exclusive contract to air their content on the ParaPod TV Roku channel. The Best Feature Paranormal Documentary winner will also receive a sponsored one-year subscription to WriterDuet Pro.

In addition to the awards mentioned above, the festival will present a Media Legend Award to Emmy and Peabody-award-winning investigative journalist Linda Moulton Howe, who has covered UFO and disclosure topics for over forty years and has become one of the most recognized names in the paranormal genre. Best-selling author and producer Billy Carson is receiving the Pioneer Award for his work in bringing paranormal content into the mainstream.

The ParaPod Awards will begin after the City of Santa Clarita-sponsored ParaPod Festival events on Saturday, April 1, at 7:00 PM at the Hyatt Regency Valencia. The awards ceremony is only open to speakers, invited guests, and VIP ticket holders. VIP Weekend passes are available online at www.parapodfestival.com.

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Filed Under: Events, Paranormal, Podcast, Podcasts, UFO

Bhakti Fest Welcomes Thousands Home for a Transformational Event September 15-17 in Joshua Tree, California

03/07/2023 by Susan von Seggern

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Joshua Tree, CA – February 15, 2023 – Bhakti Fest, Southern California’s popular yoga and kirtan festival will return to the beautiful Joshua Lake & Campground on September 15-17, 2023.

This pioneering gathering, known for non-stop yoga, kirtan, meditation, sound baths, vegetarian cuisine, healing bodywork, spiritual study, conscious community, and transformation, continues to serve as a beacon for spiritual seekers from around the world. After a COVID-driven break since 2019, the festival is excited to welcome its fans home.

Festival producer Bella Silberfein notes, “while we’ve been doing smaller retreat-style events during the pandemic as a way for yogis to deepen their practice and will continue with those as they are very popular, we are thrilled to be back with a full festival in Joshua Tree in 2023. We look forward to bringing our entire Bhakti family together for another amazing weekend of sun, music, wisdom, and yoga.”

The festival returns with all-star yoga instructors, including Yogrishi Vishvketu, Shiva Rea, Kia Miller, Andrew Sealy, Raghunath, Sujala Roy, Tommy Rosen, Govind Das & Jacqueline Michelle, Harpinder Kaur Mann, MC Yogi & Amanda Giacomini, and local favorite, Urban Yoga’s Kristin Olson. From those who have never stepped foot on a yoga mat to those who don’t travel without one, all student levels are welcome and encouraged to attend.

A curator of sacred sound, Bhakti Fest will host non-stop Kirtan and chant across various musical genres, including blues, rock, pop, gospel, traditional, and hip-hop. Headliners include Grammy nominees Pato Banton, and Krishna Das, and MC YOGI. This year’s musicians include favorites such as Ayla Nereo, Desert Dwellers, Snow Raven, Sol Rising, Kirtaniyas, Satsang, DJ Drez & Marti Nikko, David Starfire, Raghunath, Govind Das & Jacqueline, Amritakripa, Nina Rao, Radhika Das, Gina Sala, and many more.

Bhakti Fest provides participants with the unique opportunity to interact and learn from some of the greatest luminaries of our time. Speakers include Radhanath Swami, Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswatiji, Jai Devi Singh, Krishna Das, Nidhi Pandya, Michael Brian Baker, Nina Rao, Snow Raven, Reginald Hubbard, Marti Nikko, Tommy Rosen, Zoe Kors, Raghunath, and Jacqueline Michelle. As always, Bhakti Fest will screen digital Satsang with the legendary, dearly departed Ram Dass, whose book Be Here Now helped bring Eastern philosophy west in the 1970s.

No family festival is complete without a Kids’ Village! In the cool shade, fun, physical, creative, musical, and conscious activities provide an opportunity to enjoy time together.

Bhaktis will feast on various raw, vegan, and vegetarian food and beverage options. There is an extensive marketplace with eco-friendly, sustainable vendors offering clothing, devotional art, musical instruments, CDs, crafts, jewelry, and more. Bhakti Fest’s own Bhakti Shoppe will feature highly sought-after items from the bazaars of India.

Accommodations onsite include glamping, camping, and RV parking. There are also several hotels within a few miles of the campground that offer discounts for attendees.

With a world-class lineup of musicians and yoga instructors, conscious workshops, and artisan vendors, Bhakti Fest offers the most heart-opening, consciousness-raising experience of any festival on the scene today. Attendees describe the festival as “immersed in the greatest conscious party you have ever experienced, filled with music, yoga, dancing, love, light, and heart-centered community.”

Tickets for Bhakti Fest 2023 are available here. The non-profit festival donates a percentage of its funds to charities and other nonprofit groups that provide food, education, and environmental beautification programs worldwide. These include Food for Life Vrindavan, Love Serve Remember Foundation, Ramana’s Garden, Share Your Care, and the Seva Foundation.

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Filed Under: Events, Meditation, Music, Yoga

Global LA – Bringing International Businesses to Los Angeles

03/07/2023 by Susan von Seggern

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Welcomes New Advisory Board Members from Amazon, City National Bank, and SRI

Los Angeles – February 21, 2023 – Global LA, the public-private partnership established last year by the Office of the Mayor of Los Angeles and supported by LA’s most dynamic businesses, dedicated civic leaders, and economic development organizations, is excited to announce four new advisory board members joining the organization to help attract international companies to Los Angeles in the run-up to the 2028 Olympics.

Global LA is pleased to share that Ron Frierson, Amazon’s Director of Economic Development for the Western US, is joining their board. Ron leads the team that supports Amazon’s investment projects in California, Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington.

“With multiple businesses operating across the Los Angeles area, including in entertainment, gaming, logistics, and fulfillment, Amazon knows that LA is a great place to invest,” said Ron. “We are enthusiastic about supporting Global LA’s mission to attract international business to the region and preparing for the gathering of global athletes and fans for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

Global LA is excited to welcome Steve Bash, a Senior Vice President at City National Bank, the largest bank headquartered in LA. Steve leads their international banking, trade, and supply chain finance businesses. The group is active in global financial advisory services, negotiating and structuring supply chains, receivables purchase and export finance transactions, offshore risk management, processing services, and global correspondent banking.

Steve notes, “It’s a critical time to dedicate resources to attracting new businesses to Los Angeles, and I’m pleased to join Global LA in its effort to create growth. In the lead-up to the 2028 Games, Los Angeles needs new organizations such as Global LA to secure job growth and advance the narrative about why LA is a great place to do business.”

Highly respected Los Angeles attorney Carol Leslie Hamilton is another fantastic advisory board addition. Hamilton’s experience includes extensive international policy work with the United Nations, UNESCO, the Guantanamo Task Force, and the International Committee of Lawyers for Tibet. Closer to home, she was the VP of Legal and Business Affairs at RKO Pictures, a founding partner in the Bourhis & Hamilton law firm, and co-founded the Legal Clinic for Battered Women. In addition to her role with Global LA, she serves on the UC Law San Francisco, Board of Governors, and the boards of the Alliance for Justice and Renewables 100 Policy Institute.

Carol comments, “I’m thrilled to join Global LA in its effort to bring more international investment to our city. A home to diverse talent from all corners of the world, LA is one of the world’s most ethnically-diverse cities. We have a wide range of talent and endless opportunities for companies to thrive. As we look forward to the 2028 Olympics, Global LA is perfectly positioned to share this story with the world business community.”

Jonathan Davies is a Partner leading the U.S. Media & Entertainment Practice for global executive search firm SRI. With more than 25 years of experience in the media and entertainment industry, Jonathan has held a variety of C-suite global leadership positions with U.S.-based media companies, including CNN, Discovery International, and Eurosport, as they have navigated the strategic, operational, and cultural challenges of a marketplace being transformed by digital technologies. Davies brings the added perspective to the Board of leading the LA growth of a British multinational organization.

Jonathan comments, “Given SRI’s focus on senior executive leadership in the media, sports, and entertainment industries, I’m delighted to be able to support Global LA as it uses the drumbeat of multiple prestigious events over the coming years as a platform to attract increased investment and world-class talent.”

The other current Global LA Advisory Board members include Jaime Lee, President of the Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners, former US Ambassador to UNESCO Crystal Nix-Hines, Evite President Jason Woo, SCI-Arc Director Hernan Diaz Alonso, CEO, Director-General, and Dean, Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University Dr. Sanjeev Khagram, Ambassador Michael Lawson, President and CEO of the Los Angeles Urban League, and Partner and Managing Director, Boston Consulting Group Danny Acosta.
Los Angeles’ companies and organizations that have committed to support Global LA as members include The Walt Disney Company, the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, the Annenberg Foundation, City National Bank, East West Bank, Evite, WasteFuel, the Los Angeles Football Club, Goldman Sachs, Neuehouse, The Port of Los Angeles, Los Angeles World Airports, and Edison International.
In preparation for hosting the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Global LA aims to collaborate with a broad network of partners to support new businesses that will help secure LA’s Olympic legacy through economic opportunity.

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Filed Under: Business

World Devotional Music Visionary Jai Uttal Walks in the Footsteps of the Ancients with New Album Dust & Tears

02/13/2023 by Susan von Seggern

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While love and spirituality are still the topics, the album moves away from Hindu chants to a more universal direction


Jai Uttal’s new album, Dust & Tears, is a gem. It is essential Jai but in a new dimension, as beautiful as his many other works, but more available to the (my) western ear. On Dust & Tears prayers are veiled, but ever present. “Psalm” is a spiritual and musical blockbuster of melody, arrangements, vocal, and chorus. I’m happy putting the entire album on repeat, which is exactly where it is while I write this.
– Joan Baez

Fairfax, CA – Grammy-nominated world and spiritual music legend Jai Uttal will release his 22nd album Dust & Tears tomorrow on all platforms, linked from https://ffm.to/dust-and-tears. The album is a departure in that it’s mostly English lyrics, as opposed to the call & response Kirtan chants of much of his previous work.

Dust and Tears is one of the most introspective, profoundly personal albums in the vast catalog of the beloved world and devotional musical innovator Jai Uttal. It is also one of his most boldly adventurous recordings—an inspired synthesis of divine poetry and song from across the ages and around the globe. The musical palette is relatively spare but nonetheless sparkling and spellbinding—weaving together myriad world music flavors to create a wondrous, warm tapestry of devotion and love.

Over the course of nine pristine tracks—gorgeously recorded, as always, by Ben Leinbach—Jai invokes and honors the great singer-saints of India’s Bhakti tradition, the beauty of Old Testament palmistry and the heartfelt songs of America’s wandering, folk-singing storytellers.

In creating Dust and Tears, Jai collaborated closely with his wife of many years, the yoga teacher, dancer, and author Nubia Teixeira. She suggested the idea of transmuting ancient mystical songs into the language and music of our own time and contributed substantially to the album’s richly poetic lyrics. “The reality is that Nubia wrote well over 50 percent of these words,” Jai notes. “Sometimes it was a little bit more me; other times it was a little more her. And sometimes, it was both of us. What a fabulous gift to collaborate with my wife in this way.”

Jai’s 17-year-old son Ezra Uttal also played a key role as the album’s keyboardist, creating sublimely layered orchestrations and earthy synth solos.

Along with these family members and Leinbach (who played bass and percussion as well as co-producing the album), Jai assembled a small but gifted coterie of his frequent musical collaborators, including trombonist Jeff Cressman, accordionist Sunniva Brynnel, percussionists Visvambhar and Vrinda Sheth, and backing vocalists Sandy Cressman, Prajna Vieira, Natalie Cressman, Sandy Griffith, Lakshmi DelSanto and Lucía Lilikoi.

A few more musical guests lent their colors, but the production remained intimate, leaving ample space for each individual talent to shine, not least of all Jai. His vocal performance on Dust and Tears hits new heights of ecstatic bliss and plumbs new depths of despair and longing—the voice of a prophet, crying forlornly in the wilderness yet lovingly swaddled in layers of angelic harmony.

“In my kirtan, mantra, and prayer singing over the years, I’ve felt deeply connected with the men and women of the ancient past,” Jai says. “People who invested their hearts and souls in these words—these mantras—and who connect with us today, and lend us their shakti, their hearts, their emotions, and the power of their prayers, to increase the power and potency of our prayers.”

Jai will be doing his annual Valentine’s event at Berkeley’s Freight & Salvage on Saturday, February 11. Tickets are $15-$30 and are available at https://secure.thefreight.org/12070/jai-uttal.

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Filed Under: Events, Meditation, Music, Yoga

PARAPOD FESTIVAL BRINGS CELEBRATION OF ALL THINGS PARANORMAL TO SANTA CLARITA MARCH 31 AND APRIL 1

02/13/2023 by Susan von Seggern

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The Weekend’s Events Include Paranormal Podcast Awards, Expert Lectures, Metaphysical Workshops, Native American Dance, Ghost Town Tour, Film Screenings, Stargazing

(February 7, 2023 – Santa Clarita, CA) What is paranormal? According to the Oxford dictionary, the paranormal is defined as events or phenomena beyond the scope of common scientific understanding. It is a broad genre encompassing everything from UFOs and aliens to ghosts and hauntings, Bigfoot and other cryptids to psychics, and spiritual studies to ancient mysteries. Paranormal topics lack a definite demographic, as men and women of all ages across all socioeconomic grids show interest in these strange and unusual subjects.

Parapod Festival is excited to bring a two-day celebration of the paranormal to Santa Clarita on March 31 and April 1, with events at Santa Clarita’s Mentryville Park and the Hyatt Regency Valencia.

A surprisingly vast number of YouTube channels, TikTok and Instagram accounts, and websites are devoted to the paranormal genre. The amount of content available is astounding, from documentaries to web series to podcasts. No one knows this more than festival director Tony Sweet, whose paranormal video podcast Truth Be Told Paranormal has been in the top 5% of podcasts worldwide for the past decade.

“Although paranormal content is abundant with hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of views, we never really see these creators –podcasters, investigators, filmmakers– being honored,” states Sweet. “That is why I wanted to develop a platform where all forms of paranormal content could be celebrated.”

Tony Sweet’s Parapod Festival will take place Friday, March 31, and Saturday, April 1, 2023, in the Santa Clarita Valley, just North of Los Angeles, featuring the one-of-a-kind ParaPod Awards Ceremony to honor podcasters and other paranormal content creators as well as the FilmFreeway Gold film festival for paranormal documentaries.

On Friday the festivities will begin with the daytime film festival screenings of paranormal documentary feature finalists in the Mentryville School House, sponsored by WriterDuet; evening activities include a tour of the haunted Mentryville Mansion with white witch and medium Patti Negri (Ghost Adventures) and spirit circle and star gazing led by Ben Hansen (Fact or Faked Paranormal Files) .

Saturday will be a full day at the Hyatt Regency Valencia in Santa Clarita, featuring expert lectures, workshops, and activities, including Native American ceremonial dance, a seance, meditation, sound bath, breathwork, and shamanism. The vendor marketplace, with crystals, books, tarot cards and other collectibles, is also available for shopping on Saturday. The festival’s ParaPod Awards, celebrating all genres of paranormal podcasts and pioneers in the field of paranormal studies, will close out the event on Saturday evening.

Former Santa Clarita mayor and city council member Marsha McLean will officiate the ribbon-cutting for the grand opening of ParaPod Fest, presenting certificates from the city to all event speakers.

The master of ceremonies for the ParaPod Festival will be Jimmy Church, host of the popular Fade to Black podcast. Best-selling author, research scientist, producer, and entrepreneurial impresario Billy Carson (4biddenknowledge with Billy Carson) will receive the festival’s Pioneer Award, and Emmy and Peabody Award-winning investigative journalist Linda Moulton Howe (Ancient Aliens, Truth Hunter) will be receiving the festival’s Media Legend Award.

Sweet has drawn a roster of internationally recognized paranormal experts for the conference, including ancient Egypt theorist and geologist Dr. Robert M. Schoch (Ancient Aliens), white witch Patti Negri (Ghost Adventures), Ben Hansen (Fact or Faked Paranormal Files), author and great-great-grandson of Hunkpapa Lakota Chief Sitting Bull Ernie Lapointe, celebrity psychic Char Margolis (RuPaul’s Drag Race), Ronny LeBlanc (Expedition Bigfoot), psychic crime solvers Colby Rebel and Jennifer Shaffer, numerologist Glynis McCants, vampire impresario Father Sebastian, documentarian Caroline Corey, author Craig Campobasso, radio host and spiritualist Sheena Metal, breathwork specialist Bryant Wood (The Circle), social media influencers Jason Horton and Rebecca Leib (Ghost Town podcast), and host of Heart Starts Pounding podcast Kaelyn Moore. More details at https://parapodfestival.com/schedule

“My goal is to spotlight the content creators working in the non-fiction paranormal genre,” says Sweet. “It is a dream come true to give awards to podcasters, filmmakers and investigators who continue to move the paranormal genre closer to the mainstream.”

Tickets to ParaPod Festival start at $25 for individual events at Mentryville; Saturday’s General Admission is $35, and the VIP Weekend Pass includes all events on both days for $175. Parking at both locations is free. For more information about the festival and to purchase tickets, please visit www.parapodfestival.com.

Documentary and short films for the film festival awards can be submitted online via FilmFreeway through February 24, 2023. Podcasts can be submitted for the podcast awards via the secure link on the festival website.

Sponsors and Vendor spots are available; contact info@parapodfestival.com

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Filed Under: Events, Paranormal, Podcast, Television, UFO

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