SHEPARD FAIREY AND FRANK ZUMMO UNVEIL ONE-OF-A-KIND DRUM KIT AND ART DISPLAY AT HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO LAS VEGAS, FEB. 16
Photo credit: © Jeff Ragazzo/Kabik Photo Group
On Friday, Feb. 16, artist and activist Shepard Fairey known for his OBEY art campaign, alongside co-founder of Street Drum Corps and drummer for Sum 41, Frank Zummo, unveiled their original SJC Custom Drums titled “Rise Above” at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas. Fairey, who is well-known for his Barack Obama “Hope” poster during the 2008 U.S. presidential election, also debuted eight hand-painted wooden panels that surround the “Rise Above” drum kit. Fairey and Zummo were joined by Sum 41 band members including Deryck Whibley, Cone McCaslin and Dave “Brownsound” Baksh; as well as friends, family and fans.
The event kicked off when Beau Dobney, artist relations & exhibits coordinator at Hard Rock Hotel, welcomed the crowd and introduced Fairey, Zummo and Mike Ciprari with SJC Drums. The trio each took turns discussing the background on the drums and how they came to life, before lifting off a black sheet and exposing the drum kit. The unveiling concluded with the group mingling with fans, posing for photos and signing autographs.
Finished by Shepard Fairey and titled “Rise Above,” the one-of-a-kind drum kit at Hard Rock Hotel, has been printed with a dark organic patterns and three-dimensional woodgrain mandalas on each shell. The drum kit was used by Frank Zummo from 2016-2017 during Sum 41’s U.S. and Canada tours, festivals and the 2017 Alternative Press Music Awards. The drum kit will remain at Hard Rock Hotel for the next three years.
“The Rise Above art piece deconstructs guns and repurposes them from weapons into components of a mandala. There is a power in making something beautiful out of ingredients that are cold and threatening. I hope the Rise Above gun mandala can be a metaphor for spiritual transformation toward peace and harmony,” said Shepard Fairey.
About Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is Las Vegas’ off-strip playground, just minutes and less than three miles from McCarran International Airport. Hard Rock Hotel & Casino offers an energetic entertainment and gaming experience with the services and amenities associated with a boutique luxury resort hotel. The property is known for its innovative nightlife and music scene where acts such as The Rolling Stones, Bon Jovi, Paul McCartney, Incubus, Foo Fighters, Carlos Santana, Mötley Crüe, Guns N’ Roses and KISS have all performed. Features of the property include the newly-remodeled 11-story Casino Tower with 640 rooms and suites, 17-story Paradise Tower with 490 rooms and suites; the 15-story HRH All-Suite Tower with 359 suites, eight spa villas and seven penthouse suites, which has received the AAA Four Diamond Award; 60,000 square feet of casino space featuring High-Limit gaming and Asian gaming amenities; 110,000 square feet of flexible meeting and convention space, which was named a Smart Meetings 2016 Platinum Choice Award winner; more than $4 million in rare music memorabilia; Reliquary Spa; Kelly Cardenas Salon – a Paul Mitchell® Focus Salon; 4.8 acres of tropical pool paradise, which was voted as the No. 1 “Best Hotel Pool” in the 2015 USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice contest; the world-famous pool party Rehab Beach Club; live music/entertainment venues The Joint, Vinyl, Club Domina, the home of Magic Mike Live Las Vegas, and coming in 2018, The Voice: Neon Dreams; restaurants Culinary Dropout, Nobu, Pink Taco, Mr. Lucky’s Café, Goose Island Pub, 福Fú Asian Kitchen, Oyster Bar, Pizza Forte, Dunkin’ Donuts and MB Steak; a fitness center; trendsetting retailers John Varvatos, Affliction, Hart & Huntington Tattoo Co., Chill by Hudson, Hootenanny, Bezel, Day + Night and Shine. For room availability and additional information call 800.HRD.ROCK (800.473.7625) or visit hardrockhotel.com. Follow Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest news and updates.
About Hard Rock International
With venues in 75 countries, including 180 cafes, 24 hotels and 11 casinos, Hard Rock International (HRI) is one of the most globally recognized companies. Beginning with an Eric Clapton guitar, Hard Rock owns the world’s greatest collection of music memorabilia, which is displayed at its locations around the globe. Hard Rock is also known for its collectible fashion and music-related merchandise, Hard Rock Live performance venues and an award-winning website. HRI owns the global trademark for all Hard Rock brands. The company owns, operates and franchises Cafes in iconic cities including London, New York, San Francisco, Sydney and Dubai. HRI also owns, licenses and/or manages hotel/casino properties worldwide. Destinations include the company’s two most successful Hotel and Casino properties in Tampa and Hollywood, FL., both owned and operated by HRI parent company The Seminole Tribe of Florida, as well as other exciting locations including Bali, Cancun, Ibiza, Las Vegas, and San Diego. Upcoming new Hard Rock Cafe locations include St. Petersburg, Cairo, Wroclaw and Chengdu. New Hard Rock hotel, casino or hotel-casino projects include Atlanta, Atlantic City, Berlin, Budapest, London, Los Cabos, Maldives, New York City, Ottawa, Dalian and Haikou in China. For more information on Hard Rock International, visit www.hardrock.com.