August 10, 2020  

hollywoodsoapbox.com – In California, Enjoy Concerts from the Comfort of Your Car

With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to disrupt the live-entertainment industry, individual promoters and producers have started to think outside the box. Leading the way in Southern California is CBF Productions, the company behind such beloved events as the Boots & Brews Country Music Festival and Tequila & Taco Music Festival.

Their new concept is called “Concerts in Your Cars,” which takes places in the Ventura County Fairgrounds parking lot in Ventura, California.

“It’s been quite the journey, but we’re really excited how it’s turning out,” said Vincenzo Giammanco, founder and CEO of CBF Productions. “My company has been around since 2009, and we normally produce 12 large-scale events a year that range anywhere from 15,000 to 30,000 people. … And March hit, and basically I came to the realization that potentially the whole year could be squashed and done.”

Giammanco and his team needed to pivot in order to keep offering entertainment to their many fans. As the CEO put it: they needed to do something. There were no alternatives.

Full article here: https://www.hollywoodsoapbox.com/interview-in-california-enjoy-concerts-from-the-comfort-of-your-car/

August 10, 2020  

abc7.com – Hollywood non-profit helps homeless youth navigate distanced learning

HOLLYWOOD (KABC) — While many LAUSD students will attend classes virtually from home this upcoming school year, what about those students who don’t have a home?

An organization called My Friend’s Place in Hollywood is helping students experiencing homelessness navigate distanced learning.

“We are a drop-in resource center for homeless youth in Hollywood. We see age range 12 to 25,” said Transformative Education Manager Camilla Duarte-Brannstrom.

Full article here: https://abc7.com/homeless-homelessness-youth-my-friends-place/6364507/

August 9, 2020  

thehypemagazine.com – Breakout Trap-Soul Artist Felipe Luciano Talks His Musical Journey, Financial Literacy and More

Breakout trap-soul artist, Felipe Luciano went from hustling and using music as an outlet for expression, to now turning it into his career and becoming a successful entrepreneur. Luciano’s convention-smashing lines in expectation-pulverizing timbres are changing the way we interpret gangster rap.

His personal journey is inspiring within itself – from homelessness to teaching inner-city youth about financial literacy and ownership today, Luciano is on a mission to bring his audience to a different level of thinking and consciousness.

Full article here: https://www.thehypemagazine.com/2020/08/breakout-trap-soul-artist-felipe-luciano-talks-his-musical-journey-financial-literacy-and-more/

August 9, 2020  

etcanada.com – ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Star Giacomo Gianniotti Talks Quarantine Life & Helping the Homeless Through The Pandemic (Exclusive)

Picking out furniture, barbecuing, painting walls, cheering on the Toronto Raptors via Instagram and now virtual wine-tasting and drag queen bingo – “Grey’s Anatomy” star Giacomo Gianniotti is making the best of quarantine! The Italian-born, Toronto-raised actor has spent recent months settling into a new home in Los Angeles, California, with his wife, Nichole, but as his “Grey’s” downtime nears an end, he’s focused on giving back to those in need.

The couple were in New York helping launch Gianniotti’s campaign with Canadian outerwear brand Nobis when the coronavirus pandemic halted normality and shut down “Grey’s Anatomy” production in March.

“We landed back in Los Angeles right as everything was happening,” Gianniotti tells ET Canada ahead of his latest quarantine project – the My Friend’s Place Summer Festival, which launches on Sunday evening with an online concert featuring JoJo, Mario and Kenzie Ziegler. “We just escaped New York then with lockdown regulations on both sides, we quickly realized it would be incredibly difficult to go back to Canada – or Italy where all my other family is.”

Full article here: https://etcanada.com/news/677767/greys-anatomy-star-giacomo-gianniotti-talks-quarantine-life-helping-the-homeless-through-the-pandemic-exclusive/

August 8, 2020  

spokenent.com – Giacomo Gianniotti Talks “Grey’s Anatomy”, Black Lives Matter and My Friend’s Place Benefit Concert

Giacomo Gianniotti talks life during the pandemic, Black Lives Matter, marriage and My Friend’s Place organization. Grey’s Anatomy trending super star is no stranger to our screens, fans has been begging and pleading for a complete season. Due to the pandemic caused by COVID-19 production was shut down. Gianniotti stated that originally the filming was scheduled to be on hold for 2 weeks, then the rates of the coroavirus raised which lead them to take time off to master precaution.

Gianniotti mentions in on “Sessions with Steven” that he’s excited to be getting back to filming with his cast mates. Gianniotti stated that this will be an adjustmen for him and the whole production due to the social distancing restrictions. No dates yet on when “Grey’s Anatomy” will be back on our screens, however, they will start fairly soon.

Full article here: https://spokenent.com/?p=284

August 7, 2020  

abc7.com – ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ star teams up with homeless outreach agency My Friend’s Place for virtual fundraiser

LOS ANGELES — “Grey’s Anatomy” actor Giacomo Gianniotti is joining forces with a long-standing organization that works to help homeless youth in Los Angeles.

The organization My Friend’s Place was forced to pivot away from its annual fundraising event due to the coronavirus pandemic and came up with something different to raise some much-needed money.

“It’s been five years I’ve been working with them and I couldn’t be more proud,” Gianniotti said.

On the show, Gianniotti plays a doctor who works to save lives. In a different way, he’s tried to do the same thing in real life outside of a hospital.

For 32 years now, the staff and volunteers with My Friend’s Place have helped people between the ages of 12 and 25 who are experiencing homeless. The goal is to get them on the right path to wellness, self-sufficiency, and ultimately, their own places to call home.

Full article here: https://abc7.com/entertainment/my-friends-place-plans-all-star-virtual-fundraiser/6360644/