YouTube users have been gathering informally for years, but this is the first time that YouTube is officially leaping off screens with a live community celebration. Part concert, part variety show and part party, YouTube Live will be held on November 22 in San Francisco at the Herbst Pavilion in Fort Mason Center. The two-hour event will begin at 5:00 pm (PT) and will be streamed for a worldwide audience of millions through YouTube at http://youtube.com/live.
"For nearly three years the YouTube community has been defining pop-culture and in the process has made the site both a place to find and be found," said YouTube co-founder Chad Hurley. "YouTube at its core is a platform where everyone from the famous to the seemingly unknown shares a single stage and YouTube Live is a physical manifestation of this idea."
With live performances, celebrity guests, original videos, surprise collaborations and much more, this event will be a celebration of all things YouTube. Expect to see Internet-born stars like Soulja Boy Tell‘em, Esmée Denters (viewed more than 111 million times on YouTube), and "Canon Rock" virtuoso Funtwo dazzling the crowd, along with mainstream acts like Akon who has the #12 Most Viewed YouTube Video of all time. There will also be a global b-boy showcase featuring dancers from the movie Planet B-boy; Discovery Channel’s MythBusters will add their signature style of explosive experimentation; that humble little instrument, the ukulele (itself a giant YouTube trend), taking center stage; and perhaps a free hug or two. The Black Eyed Peas' Will.i.am, three-time Grammy Award winner and Emmy winner for his groundbreaking video "Yes We Can," will unveil a brand new awareness raising video consisting entirely of user generated videos.
In addition, the "Vlog Squad," a group of long-time YouTube community members, will offer exclusive, behind-the-scenes access from different areas of the venue; WilliamSledd, Michael Buckley (What the Buck), LisaNova, and TayZonday have already been named as part of this ace reporting team. Tay Zonday will also put his unique pipes to work as the announcer for the show and Mike Relm will serve as house video jockey.
YouTube Live's sponsors, Activision, Lionsgate and Virgin America will seize the YouTube spirit. Activision will immerse the YouTube Live audience into the Guitar Hero® World Tour experience with gameplay kiosks, live demos, and other attractions to promote the Guitar Hero World Tour launch this fall. Lionsgate will leverage YouTube Live as a platform to build buzz and excitement around four of their major Q3 and Q4 film releases, including Saw V. The Saw franchise has not only sparked fan reviews and discussion on the site, but several trailers and a spoof have together generated millions of views. As the official Airline Sponsor of YouTube Live, Virgin America will be flying in YouTube celebrities from all over the country on new planes that feature a host of innovative, tech-savvy amenities. Virgin America will also bring the excitement of YouTube Live to 35,000 feet, through a unique in-flight event and exclusive YouTube video premieres on the airline’s touch-screen in-flight entertainment system.
Tickets for YouTube Live will be extended to hundreds of users who can sign up through the site (http://youtube.com/live) or who will get special invitations due to their status as partners. Other YouTube partners, clients and advertisers will also be in attendance.
Further YouTube Live details will be announced in the coming weeks.