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Following their successful 30-city North American tour, Alter Bridge are currently now venturing on their summer 2023 leg of the “Pawns & Kings” tour: with support acts of long-time friends SEVENDUST and recent tour-mates MAMMOTH WVH. The Stone Pony Summer Stage was the second date of the month-long tour, and it was such a pleasure to capture some of the magic and write-up a report on my experience and takeaways.
Read moreBy Greg Ludwig
By Greg Ludwig
By Greg Ludwig
Photo Credit: Gregory Burrus Productions
On Saturday night, September 24th, Maplewood, NJ was treated to an incredible performance by one of the most sought-after musicians in all of jazz. Thanks to Smooth Jazz NJ run by Maplewood resident Rich Engel, The Woodland in Maplewood hosted a…
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Jazzy On The Lawn - In celebration of Fall, the Elmwood Church lawn will come alive with the explosive sounds of jazzy live music as Elmwood Culture Club welcomes acclaimed composer, saxophonist Lee Odom and her Quintet. Kicking off this Jazzy Afternoon on the Lawn live music experience will be one of North Jersey’s dynamic bands led by the swinging vocalist Stephen Fuller…
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During the COVID-19 pandemic, Newark Working Kitchens (NWK) was launched in an effort to keep Newark’s local restaurants open and Brick City residents fed. This initiative was powered by Audible, the major online audiobook and podcast service, which has its headquarters in Newark. Just last month, Audible launched a new meal delivery service app, called “NWK Delivers (NWKD).” The app was created to continue and expand the work of Newark Working Kitchens. Aisha Glover, VP of Urban Innovation at Audible…
Read moreOn September 16th, Nebraska band 311 performed at Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, NJ. 311 was started by Nick Hexum, Jim Watson, Aaron "P-Nut" Wills, and Chad Sexton in 1988 and is known for its mix of alternative rock, rap rock, reggae rock, funk rock, and alternative metal. Lead singer Nick Hexum was featured on the newest studio album of reggae/hip hop/funk band Tropidelic, which 311 shared the stage with on September 16th. Photographer Greg Ludwig was on the scene to capture the show…
Read moreOn September 16th, Ohio band Tropidelic performed at Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, NJ. Tropidelic was started by Matthew Roads and Kyle "Chevontez" Cheuvront in 2005 and embraces a mix of high-energy reggae, hip hop, and funk. Just last month, the band released their newest studio album, entitled All The Colors, which features vocals by Nick Hexum of the band 311…
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By Patricia Rogers | Posted Saturday, May 1, 2021
WELCOME BACK!
I am back for the 2nd edition, and guess what? It will only get better! I have gotten such amazing feedback, and am excited to keep going.
This edition is dedicated to the memory of DMX. I grew up listening to his music and his tragic story always had an effect on me, and I always prayed that he would eventually overcome his demons. We love you X, thank you for what you brought to the world. He was such a talented artist who touched many.
And congratulations to the University of Orange and HUUB for getting the grant for the Ben Jones Community Garden.
Welcome back to Words with PR! Powered by Jersey Indie.
Words with PR is a bi-monthly lifestyle blog where I share a short interview, recommendations, marketing tips, and everything in between!
Some of you may already know Krista B. She is my co host for our women’s wrestling podcast Those Wrestling Girls. But like myself, she has a lot more going on than that. I met Krista when we were both writing for and was featured on a bloggers panel.
We soon found out we both loved wrestling, and the rest was history. She is also a writer, video producer, media specialist at Hot 97, and so much more.
She owns the brand Unapologetically Eclectic (UE) “a website created as an outlet to let readers know who I am and things that I love. It includes news and entertainment from all aspects and genres as well as interviews from people from all walks of life.” says Krista.
Earlier this month, Krista hosted the very first event powered by UE. A female driven brunch and panel called, “Take Up Your Space, Sis”.
The brunch event was “inspired by all of the dope women that I know who are really taking up their spaces without being afraid to do so.”
The phrase ‘taking up space’ means commanding the metaphorical room you are in and being unapologetic about the value you are bringing to the table. A powerful message, and one that black women are taking seriously.
“The brunch was amazing. It was very informative and inspiring to everyone who attended.” says Krista B. She hosted a panel of women featuring brand manager Asia Golden and Avery Watson who works as an entrepreneur in public relations. The two women spoke on what it is commanding spaces in your respective fields, what advice they would give to others who are trying to make it and what motivates them to keep going.
Krista B. is known for living unapologetically and always supporting Black women. In addition to UE she is a media specialist at Hot 97. She often writes about black culture and even the Black Girl Magic in WWE.
How she describes herself: “I am a very eclectic person. I try to be real and honest not only to other people but also to myself. I’m passionate about what I do and I wear many hats. I am a journalist, a podcast host, producer, and so much more.”
Check out the video recap from the “Take Up Your Space, Sis” brunch and pictures. Also follow Unapologetically Eclectic!
Staycations!
I have had reasons in the past to take Staycations, booking a hotel room in New York City or New Jersey and getting away for a couple days.
I sort of abandoned them once I moved back into my own apartment in 2019, but due to the pandemic and new people in my life, Staycations have returned.
Not sure what anyone’s budget is, but I do know that the quarantine has not been easy on any of us. Some of us were forced to stay home with family,or people they normally would not have but had to comply with government regulations.
And let’s just face it, after a while you need to just get away. New scenery, walls, and just waking up in a room that is not the same room you have grown used to over the past year. So I say, plan ahead in the next three months, the sooner ahead you book a hotel room, (the cheaper it is).
It can be in your same city to a nearby city to cut transportation costs, and just spend a night or two away. I promise, you will not regret it. Just make sure that you and the hotel are practicing all the right protocols to protect guests from COVID.
The WeWork Story!
I am obsessed with the rise and fall stories of business and industries. And one story has caught my attention over the past few months and that is the extraordinary tale of the co-working company WeWork and its founder Adam Newman.
My fascination with this story is layered, and has a lot more to do than just my love of business stories. I worked at a startup and very close to its founder for two years. And it was one of the most bizarre experiences I have ever been a part of.
I could not help but watch the recent Hulu documentary, and feel triggered by a few things. One, is knowing the feeling of working at a growing company and believing the hype and the kool aid. Believing that you are being underpaid to work overtime hours for this shared goal. And us all reaching that goal meant having equity and making millions of dollars.
Needless to say, I did not make millions, and I am not sure what ended up happening to that company. But the story of the founder Adam Newman, his wife, the blank check given to Newman from one of the prominent investors in the world, the roller coaster that was WeWork’s rise and fall is one you just have to watch.
Streaming from Hulu, and let me know if you want me to write about my experience working at a wellness start up company.
I read somewhere that it is possible for people’s personality to change after being in quarantine.
I found that interesting and it caused me to reflect.
Just like everyone in the world the pandemic was not easy one me.
However, it did put me in a position to grow as a person, which in turn grew the brands that I work with.
Being a podcaster, and having an online presence is important. The more you put yourself out there, usually the greater the return.
Most people don’t know that I am actually a shy and introverted person, so sometimes believe it or not, this is not easy for me.
I remember how nervous I would get before we recorded every episode, or how terrifying it was to go live on social media.
When everything closed down here in New York City, including our podcast studio, it forced us to find new ways to record and engage our audience.
During last summer the ‘don't rush’ challenge went viral, which saw women look bad, and then are thrown a makeup brush and their look turns glamorous.
A lot of these viral challenges happened in 2020 because people were bored at home with not much to do.
The one that caught my eye was one that was done by a group of female wrestling influencers, and suddenly I got FOMO.
That is when I realized, I need to put myself out there more. I already have people who listen to the podcast and support me,
Get out of your comfort zone...learned during quarantine
Sometimes social media can be toxic but sometimes it can connect you to some amazing people. One of those people is Shanitra, who is a women’s wrestling fan but also a basketball coach who enjoys basketball.
She is currently a writer/reporter for Queen Ballers. When talking to Shanitra about her new gig.
Queen Ballers is “a club founded to grow the love for lady hoopers and invested in lifting up women, by giving our queens the spotlight they deserve.”
Her and team over at QB are preparing to create tons of content as they join WNBA in celebrating the organization’s 25th anniversary. “I look forward to writing more articles about WNBA players and providing information about them on and off the court. Basketball is not all they do!”
Similar to my brand Those Wrestling Girls, QB is also “a platform to showcase female athletes” and it is “very important because for some reason the media does not feel that women athletes generate any revenue and no one cares about female athletes.” says Shanitra.
She went on to talk about her own background with basketball, “My history with basketball runs deep since I was a kid, I would play with my older cousins and that is when I fell in love.” She
played the sport in middle school, high school, and college. She became a coach after abandoning her dream of being in the WNBA.
Say hi to Shanitra on Twitter and make sure you check out the Queen Ballers website.
Hashtags! I can not think of an easier way to market yourself and your brand on social media. I can not even begin to tell you how much growth my partner and I have seen using them. It is a way to get people out there who are searching for what your brand offers to find you.
I suggest you use 5-10 relevant hashtags. Everything from super general, all the way to specific words. Put the block of hashtags in the comments on Instagram, or underneath the text on Twitter.
Look on TWG Instagram for an example:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CNgXQk7pu6d/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Stay tuned for the next edition of Words with P.R. powered by Jersey Indie!
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