The John Lennon Education Tour Bus

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THE JOHN LENNON EDUCATIONAL TOUR BUS @ THE JUPITER HOTEL OPEN FOR PUBLIC TOURS, BATTLE OF THE BANDS

THE JOHN LENNON EDUCATIONAL TOUR BUS @ THE JUPITER HOTEL OPEN FOR PUBLIC TOURS, BATTLE OF THE BANDS COMPETITION AND JOHN LENNON APPRECIATION NIGHT
Visitors can tour the John Lennon Bus for creative glimpse of the recording music and video experiences; Battle of the Bands competition to feature 6-8 local bands with grand prize a live recording session in the mobile studio with on-board engineers
 
PORTLAND, Oregon (August 9, 2007) — Visitors to the Jupiter Hotel will have a behind-the-scenes look at the recording experience when the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus rolls into Portland from August 20-25, 2007. Portland Mayor Tom Potter, Multnomah County Commissioner Maria Rojo de Steffey, State Superintendent of Schools Susan Castillio and the Jupiter Hotel have collaborated to bring this nationally acclaimed audio and video studio on wheels to Portland.

“Portland’s thriving indie music scene is the perfect backdrop for the John Lennon Bus Tour,” said Tod Breslau, co-owner of the Jupiter Hotel. “We have reached out to musicians and artists since we opened and are looking forward to making this hands-on musical experience available to both children and adults.”

John Lennon Educational Tour Bus @ The Jupiter Hotel
Schedule of Events
(all events take place at the Jupiter Hotel)

Monday, August 20
10:00 a.m.
Opening VIP event for members of the media and special guest Susan Castillio, State Superintendent of Schools.

Tuesday and Wednesday, August 21 and 22nd
Public Tours of Bus
11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Free
During its first visit to the Portland metro area, the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus will be stationed at the Jupiter Hotel and open free to the public. Visitors can tour the bus and view recording studios which illustrate how both audio and video recordings are made from beginning to end. The rear studio is a more traditional set-up for bands and artists to record and produce their work and features a full range of instruments including guitars and basses from Godin. Guitars, keyboards and drums are from Roland.

Thursday and Friday, August 23 and 24th
Public Tours of Bus
4 p.m. to 7 p.m.; Free

Thursday, August 23
John Lennon Appreciation Night @ Doug Fir Lounge
Doors Open 8 p.m.; Show at 9 p.m.; Free but must be over 21
This free evening at the Doug Fir features the music of Ben Barnett, Southerly, Loch Lomond, Sean Crogan, Matt Sheehy, Meyercord, Daily Howl and Blue Skies for Black Hearts.

Friday, August 24th
Battle of the Bands is an event for Amnesty International’s Rock4Rights presented by the John Lennon Songwriting Contest
8:00 p.m.; Tickets $7 available at http://www.ticketswest.com
The Jupiter Hotel’s courtyard and stage will be transformed into a live concert venue throughout the week with interactive booths and live performances by local bands. The Jupiter Hotel/John Lennon Educational Tour Bus Battle of the Bands will showcase local bands competing for a chance to record a song and music video in the mobile recording studio.

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About the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus (http://www.lennonbus.org)
The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus is a non-profit state-of-the-art mobile recording and multimedia studio that provides music and video education programs for young people. In its 10th year of touring, the endeavor is an offshoot of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, which is dedicated to providing opportunities for both professional and amateur songwriters around the world. The Bus travels across America year-round, providing visitors with free, hands-on experiences using the latest audio and video technology, gear and products. The Bus, a 501 © (3) venture, is made possible through the generosity of sponsors including Maxell Corporation, Apple Computer, NAMM, Roland, Godin Guitars, Sibelius, Ableton, Elixir Strings, Edirol by Roland, Full Sail, Virb.com, Audio-Technica, Disc Makers, Sonicbirds, Ultrasone, Propellerhead, Digidesign, Antares, Bogen Imaging, Spectrasonics, Music Player Network, Neutrik, Aphex Systems, Glyph Technologies, JVC Professional, Musiciansfriend.com, Stanton, IK Multimedia, McDSP, SKB, Native Instruments and Gretsch Drums. The John Lennon Songwriting Contest and Educational Tour Bus are made possible by an agreement with Yoko Ono Lennon.

About The Jupiter Hotel
With 80 contemporary and affordable guestrooms, the dreamSuite with kitchenette, Wack Hair Salon, Mana Massage; dreamBOX studio, iPod and MP3 platforms, and Wi Fi access, the Jupiter is a destination for travelers looking for a unique experience in urban hospitality. Co-owners Kelsey Bunker and Tod Breslau have received national recognition for the hotels transformation. The Jupiter was recently included in the New York Times travel section, Food and Wine’s “Go List’ of the best restaurants and hotels in the world and Condé Nast Traveler’s annual “Hot List” of the world’s best new hotels. GQ chose the Jupiter as one of 4 best “new-old hotels” in its September 2005 issue. The Jupiter Hotel also received the Portland Business Alliance’s Top Ten Growth Awards in 2006.The adjacent Doug Fir Restaurant, Bar and Lounge is open daily until 4 a.m. and offers cutting edge musical acts every night in the underground nightclub. The Jupiter Hotel is located at 800 E. Burnside, Portland, OR. For further information or to make a reservation, visit http://www.jupiterhotel.com or call 503-230-9200 or 877-800-0004.

“This is precisely the kind of project John Lennon would have loved.”

- Yoko Ono Lennon

The Headlines

Video aboard the Bus

The increasing accessibility of digital technology has led to an amazing expansion of opportunity in the art of digital storytelling. The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus has been at the forefront of this new media explosion, having produced daily video projects with students since January of 2001. The Lennon Bus puts state-of-the-art digital video equipment into the hands of workshop participants and teaches the entire digital workflow from story-boarding to DVD burning. Students leave the experience having shot, chopped, scored, and (most importantly) finished an entire digital video production. Using the latest cameras and professional hardware/software solutions including Apple's Final Cut Studio and Bogen Imaging's complete line of grip equipment, tripods, filters, and accessories, participants are exposed to the exciting world of digital videography and learn hot techniques of the trade. The accessibility of professional-quality technology is making it possible for millions of new voices to be heard and the John Lennon Bus is putting these tools into the hands of tomorrow's great digital producers.