Author: Ben Yurcisin
We sent two of our ParlayMe Tech Reporters to LA to experience first hand NFTLA and interview some of the most curious and creative minds in the Web 3.0 space!
Hear first hand from our reporter Ben Yurcisin about his experience.
It is difficult to put the magic that was NFT LA into words, but we will try!
It was truly one of the most epic weeks of our whole lives, and certainly one of the coolest business conferences we’ve attended.
ParlayMe Reporters Ben Yurcisin and Robert Galos
The energy felt throughout the community for the duration of the week just went to show that the power of blockchain is beyond the metaverse, it is real.
Although many of us never met or were known by online pseudonyms - it felt as if the room was full of old friends, with connections, laughs and friendship being shared left and right.
Aside from all of the education on web3 throughout the week, the amount of business relationships built and projects inspired is just a testament to the growth and scalability of the space. In short: NFTs aren’t going anywhere - and it is still early.
As we arrived in LA from the east coast, we naturally spent Day 1 chilling poolside in the sun to enjoy that Cali warmth after a long NJ winter! As we soaked in the rays (and caught some awkward looking sunburn), we mapped out what would become a week of epic proportions.
But before we kicked off the week, we had two orders of business: hit up In N Out Burger immediately and get some sweet wheels for transportation. We looked into renting bikes for the week, but in the spirit of entrepreneurship and Web 3, we instead bought used bikes off of Facebook Marketplace, with the intention of selling them for a profit at the end of the week. So we found two perfect bikes a few blocks from where we were staying, took them for a test ride and then rode off into the sunset to conclude our first night.
—
The first official event we attended was hosted by the official partner of NFT LA: Superchief Gallery in collaboration with Rarible and Unicorn DAO.
“Superchief Gallery is an independent artist-run galler founded in 2012 by Edward Zipco & Bill Dunleavy in Brooklyn, NY - Superchief has a history of supporting artists from disparate scenes & collectives, enabling them to participate in the larger community. As a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary platform, Superchief Gallery is an extension of the cultural landscape in its most raw and honest form.”
The night kicked off with a DJ, a breakdancing pit, and networking with awesome creators in the web3 space. This energy really set the pace for the week with everyone super excited to chat with everyone about what they’re building in the space and potential opportunities for collaboration. We built a friendship with ChrisWood.eth, who we later found out is pioneering new forms of poetry and gave us an incredible performance during the conference. The night progressed into an insightful panel discussion featuring NFT enthusiast, Head of Community Programming at NFT protocol ZORA, and musical artist Latashá and other key heads from Rarible, Unicorn DAO and Superchief, followed by an awesome performance by Latasha! The week was already off to an amazing start - even before the conference kicked off! Needless to say, we were ready to dive into the week firing on all cylinders.
DAY 0
We kicked off with an awesome luncheon at Superchief celebrating the OnChainMonkeys project.
Ed the Superchief founder
including the amazing causes they’ve donated to and their upcoming Karma collection
The Food Network & Lisa Vanderpump's chef, Chef Penny Davidi prepared a beautiful display of meats, cheeses, fruits and more in a display that was a work of art in itself.
ParlayMe Tech Reporters Ben & Robert
From there we hopped on Lime scooters and zipped over to the LA Convention Center for a smooth registration experience and the start of some awesome networking.
We got a chance to chat with Blockchain Boy and Michael Sessa about the upcoming launch of their crypto signaling bot with CryptoKnight
Everyone in the conference hall was super excited for the opening night ceremony hosted by Magic Eden.
The night kicked off with some out of this world performances by Flosstradomus, Sir Mix a Lot, Wacka Flacka Flame. Not to mention futuristic circus entertainers keeping attendees on their toes throughout the venue!
The venue was surrounded with digital displays showcasing some groundbreaking projects and art in the space, not only promoting creators, but also showing attendees how NFTs can be displayed in a modern way, not replacing but complementing traditional art.
We also had the chance to connect with Gabe Weis and Sabet - both artists who have created some incredible pieces of work and have been extremely successful in NFT sales over the last year. This just goes to show that the NFT movement creates tremendous opportunity not only for businesses, but for artists who may not otherwise have had the opportunity to connect with fans on a global scale.
Not bad for a Monday.
DAY 1
The first day of official programming had a stacked lineup of speakers and exhibitors that we couldn’t wait to explore. The first major discussion we saw featured billionaire Mark Cuban, where he shared how NFTs create utility for fans that attend his Dallas Mavericks games and he shared info on Fireside: his interactive platform that is helping creators share their stories with audiences through live and virtual shows.
We also had a surprise guest appearance from Charlie Sheen, who is working on a new show that will be featured on the Fireside platform. To showcase the innovation of web3, Fireside will be selling NFTs that serve as membership access for fans to get a behind the scenes look into the production of the new show.
We then took some time to explore the exhibitor section - and snag some sweet swag from the booths! Some of the companies showcasing their web3 innovation (among many more) were CyberKongs, Yellowheart, Hypernet, Ripple, Consensys, and Quoth.
We then found our way over to one of our favorite exhibits of the conference - the WB Batman exhibit
Holy NFT, Batman! My inner child was screaming with joy as the nostalgia kicked it, and we immersed ourselves in a room of all of the masks, batman costumes, and Batmobiles from every Batman movie ranging from Batman (1989) to The Batman (2022) which incorporated unique NFTs with movie ticket sales , showcasing an opportunity for Hollywood to enter the space in an awesome way.
We then made our way to THINK:NFT with our new friends in Blockchain Miners Club for a LIVE 360 immersive exploration of the music of the legendary art rock band Pink Floyd.
To say that this night was an out of body experience is an understatement; it was truly one of the most epic nights any of us have experienced. The Wisdome featured multiple domes filled with interactive immersive art for guests to explore, followed by an insane performance of Pink Floyd songs inside of a fully visually immersive dome theater, taking you to a different dimension ALL WHILE an artist created a live NFT behind the performing band. As we mentioned, it’s nearly impossible to put this experience into words, so you’ll have to see the pictures and videos for yourself
This feels like what an NFT event - and the experience - is all about.
“The launch of the NFT collaboration between renowned artist Arthur J. Williams Jr., Pink Floyd sax player and THINK:NFT founder Scott Page and artist photographer Jamie Weiland, features never before seen vintage rock photography like Mick Jagger, Scott Weiland and Pink Floyd, combined with Arthur J. Williams Jr.’s signature stamp, the One Hundred Dollar Bill.
Guests will get to experience a special LIVE performance by an All Star group of legendary musicians, plus have access to the fully immersive NFT Art exhibit featuring a gallery of a variety of notable NFT Artists and celebrities.
Guests will enjoy cocktails featuring new ultra premium tequila El Cristiano Blanco and Reposado, plus Caviar by Imperia. The immersive night set to the music of Pink Floyd will be rocking until midnight, with the band performance scheduled for 9:30pm.
Follow Arthur J. Williams on Instagram @Arthurjwilliamsjr “
Check out our exclusive interview with Josh Katz the founder and CEO of the innovative NFT music ticketing platform Yellowheart
DAY 2
The next day of the conference featured more insightful discussions, this time with 6 smaller breakout rooms of more intimate panel discussions prior to the main stage opening up in the afternoon. We had a chance to learn from Mariana Danilovic of Infiom and more in a panel discussion tiled Web3 Convergence: The Revolution Happening Beneath our Feet moderated by Skidrow Crypto, an NFT Journalist who just one year prior lived in a tent in Skidrow - just goes to show the insane opportunities that NFTs present for everyone, regardless of your background or history!
As we progressed to the main stage for the remainder of the day, we saw something we’ve never seen before in the space: Spinema (spoken word film) as an NFT. Creators David Bianchi and Chriswood.Eth gave the crowd chills as they performed the powerful message of their spoken word live while the NFT film played behind them in real time.
The possibilities are truly endless in the world of NFTs, and NFT LA did an amazing job of showcasing these opportunities!
Our day wrapped up with a fireside chat between Nicole Benham and Tom Bilyeu around his involvement in the space and his upcoming NFT drop with Impact Theory Studios, where he gave the audience the first ever sneak peak of the art as well as the name and website for the project: projectkyzen.io
Another day of innovation, education, entertainment, and art. This was certainly panning out to be a week for the record books!
DAY 3
It was the last day of the conference, and we had already made connections and friendships that would last a lifetime, not to mention some insane immersive experiences and education on what’s up and coming in the NFT space. We were already completely fulfilled with memories that would last a lifetime, and we had further solidified that we are still EARLY in this NFT space, and they aren’t going anywhere.
But in true ParlayMe fashion - we had to end the week in style. So we concluded the week by hopping around a number of incredible Web3 parties, eventually finding our way into a mansion in Beverly Hills filled with an immersive light show, NFT displays, open bar and DJ blasting tunes until the wee hours of the morning. Oh LA - you truly never disappoint.
We finally made our way home late at night and requested that our uber driver take a detour through the drive through of In N Out for one final west coast dining experience.
We got back to the hotel to find that the second bike we had purchased for the week had been stolen from us - perhaps a gift to the universe after it had gifted us with an insanely epic week. It’s a sacrifice we were willing to make in exchange for the glory we had experienced.
Maybe we’ll see that bike one day in the metaverse…
Until then, see you next year at NFT LA v2!
About the Author
Ben Yurcisin - ParlayMe Tech Reporter -
I am a serial entrepreneur with a background in engineering and a passion for creating community through fun and value-packed events. As founder of BeYu Labs - a web3 startup focused on empowering web3 entrepreneurship through connections and events - I aim to explore the unique opportunities and potential presented by the rise of NFT culture and future of the internet as we know it. I spend my free time playing guitar, skateboarding, traveling and researching overpriced JPEGs. Join the Discord: bit.ly/beyulabsdiscord
hi