OC Music Awards Acquired by PR Agency

ACE AGENCY ACQUIRES OC MUSIC AWARDS
On Oct. 31, the ACE Agency announced it had acquired the OC Music Awards. The Santa Ana PR/events company is taking over for producer Luke Allen (who owns rehearsal studio Gemini Studios) and his father, OC Music Awards executive producer Warren Allen.

The Allens bought the Orange County Music Awards from event producer Martin Brown in 2008 and renamed it the OC Music Awards. Back then, they hired ACE Agency and its CEO, Ashley Eckenweiler, to assist in the strategy, direction and production of the event.

Eckenweiler says nothing will change for the show. "It's just going from being owned by individuals to an agency," she says. "It's going to remain as it is—about the community and the musicians."

Luke Allen will serve as an active adviser for the 2012 event, and he will remain a member of the Awards Academy in years to come. In a statement, he said, "We can't think of a better company to acquire the event than the ACE Agency. Ashley has had such an integral role in the success of the event since we took it over. I can't wait to see how it continues to grow under the Agency's direction." The 2012 OC Music Awards will be held at City National Grove of Anaheim on March 3, with the Showcase Series kicking off Jan. 3 at Costa Mesa's Detroit Bar. From an Oct. 31 Heard Mentality blog post.

AVENGED SEVENFOLD HEADLINE X1039'S VERY MERRY XMAS PARTY
Avenged Sevenfold will headline X1039's Very Merry Xmas Party on Dec. 17 at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario. The Huntington Beach locals will be supported by Hollywood Undead, Asking Alexandria and Black Veil Brides. This will be the band's last stop in Southern California in support of their gold album Nightmare.From an Oct. 28 post.

JUGGALOS CALLED A THREAT BY FBI
The FBI recently called Juggalos "a loosely organized hybrid gang" in the 2011 National Gang Threat Assessment, meaning we should be afraid of more than the Insane Clown Posse (ICP) fans' bad taste in music, aesthetic sense and Faygo-spraying ways. Juggalos are already recognized as gangs in Arizona, California, Pennsylvania and Utah! According to the report, "Juggalo gangs are expanding in New Mexico primarily because they are attracted to the tribal and cultural traditions of the Native Americans residing nearby." Really? I thought they just turned up wherever ICP were touring. From an Oct. 28 post.