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April, 2006 Overland Wins Two Prestigeous Awards: Best Staging/Set Design and Best Content/Program For more, please click here
Rock’s Million Dollar Bash "Anyone can be bought; anyone is available for a price," Jonathan Scharer says flatly. He ought to know. His Overland Entertainment Company has booked everyone from Beck to Bob Dylan for private parties and corporate gigs. Although Scharer will not discuss specific fees, he characterizes prices as "outrageous"-and rising. Just two years ago, the Eagles received a reported $500,000 to play for the financial firm Nomura Asset Capital Corp.; now superstars can command more than $1 million for about an hour’s work.
They Rock Hard for the Money On corporate dates 20 years ago, you booked Don Rickles or maybe the Everly Brothers. "That’s changed dramatically. The counterculture element of rock has disappeared into the woodwork." And good riddance, said Jonathan Scharer, president of the Overland Entertainment Company, a New York promotion firm that deals primarily in private parties. When he first formed the company, Scharer said, performers who agreed to play private parties were not sure what kind of commitment they would get from the producers. "They were playing in airplane hangers and hotel ballrooms. They were singing on hotel risers. We got sophisticated" Scharer said the private party niche was unexplored territory when he started. "I identified a need in the corporate sector for rock ‘n roll. Corporate executives were getting younger and younger. They wanted to boogie." Scharer’s success landing big name acts — the Eagles, the Allman Brothers, Elton John, Jimmy Buffet — has led to a wide range of entertainment production, including theater, TV and awards shows, such as GQ Man of the Year. "I’ve booked private shows in Rome, Paris, Monte Carlo. I just did one in a castle in Switzerland with Charlotte Church," the 13 year old classical singing sensation.
Times Are a-Changin’; Rockers Do Industry Gigs Interestingly, rockers are learning not to write off corporate audiences. "Some bands think by doing the shows they are losing the alternative image," says Jonathan Scharer, president of Overland Entertainment, a producer of corporate shows. "But as time goes on, more and more will be willing to do it, once they realize the audience ia a great audience and not a bunch of stiffs." Rock stars also like the growing sophistication of the corporate shows themselves. Rather than use a dreary hotel ballroom, Overland pulled out all the stops for a Nomura conference in March, renting out a Phoenix water park. In the mammoth drained wave pool, Overland laid down a carpet and built an outdoor stage. Nomura kept the entertainment a secret from its client guests. But after a buffet dinner of shrimp, champagne and rare wines, Sting took the stage with his full touring entouage and played for nearly two hours. His final number was capped by fireworks and parachutists descending into the Water Park.
Ali’s still The Greatest; this time it’s Laila Laila Ali really is a chip off the old block. The 22-year-old daughter of Muhammed Ali thanked God for giving her the strength to knock people out, when she accepted a Women’s Sports & Fitness Award at The Hammerstein Tuesday. Surely no one in the crowd doubted her, from the evening’s host, Gabrielle Reece, to the assortment of A-List guests, including Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell, Melissa Etheridge, Chevy Chase, Katie Couric, Mia Hamm, Jason Sehorn, Tyra Banks, Jackie Joyner Kersee and Iman, who did the honors by presenting the award to Ali. - Courtesy of Overland’s Celebrity & Production Division |
