May 16, 2013

The first Converse Rubber Tracks pop-up studio and special concert series launch in Bay Area.

Today, Converse Inc. announced its first-ever Converse Rubber Tracks pop-up studio in San Francisco from May 20 - June 16, offering local musicians the opportunity to record for free. Converse will also present Converse Rubber Tracks Live in San Francisco, a free bi-monthly concert series debuting in August. Coinciding with the launch of the new Converse retail store in San Francisco, the upcoming music initiatives support creative expression and provide great opportunities for emerging Bay Area artists to create and showcase their music.

"Converse is committed to inspire the Bay Area community to unleash their creative spirit and be useful to artists of all types," said Karen Riley-Grant, Converse Senior Director of North America Marketing. "The city draws people from all over the world and we look forward to celebrating and representing the culture that makes San Francisco unique."  

The Converse Rubber Tracks pop-up studio will take place at Different Fur Studio located in the vibrant Mission District of San Francisco. This will be the first of four pop-up studios happening over the next year with next one taking place in August. In the last two years, Converse has brought the Converse Rubber Tracks experience to great music cities including Toronto, Austin, Montreal and Los Angeles, giving musicians valuable studio time. 

Converse Rubber Tracks Live is a concert series that originally launched in 2012 in Brooklyn and has since expanded to support cities with vibrant music communities including Los Angeles and Boston. The lineup for these shows include headliners who hand pick emerging artists that have recorded at Converse Rubber Tracks, the community based recording studio in Brooklyn that allows artists to record for free.  Since launching, the Converse Rubber Tracks Live series has featured a diverse range of headlining artists including White Rabbits, Action Bronson, Ghostface Killah, A-Trak, King Tuff and Vivian Girls, as well as Converse Rubber Tracks artists We Barbarians, Flatbush Zombies, Heliotropes and more.

Also, in celebration of the new San Francisco retail store opening on Friday, June 28, Converse will launch Converse Represent, a five night free concert series beginning Sunday, June 23 that leads up to the grand opening. 

To find out more about Converse Rubber Tracks and to apply for studio time, please visit www.converse.com. 

ABOUT CONVERSE
Converse Inc., based in N. Andover, Massachusetts, is a wholly owned subsidiary of NIKE, Inc. Established in 1908, the Converse brand has built a reputation as "America's Original Sports Company"™ and has been associated with a rich heritage of legendary sneaker such as the Chuck Taylor® All Star® sneaker, the Jack Purcell® sneaker and the One Star® sneaker. Today, Converse offers a diverse portfolio including men's, women's and children's footwear, apparel and accessories. Converse product is sold globally by retailers in over 160 countries and through 78 company-owned retail locations in the U.S. For more information, visit Converse on the web at media.converse.com.

ABOUT CONVERSE RUBBER TRACKS
Converse Rubber Tracks is a state-of-the-art recording studio that is located in the Williamsburg neighborhood in Brooklyn, NY. The 5,200 square-foot, full-service recording space aims to support emerging artists by providing them access to a top-level recording studio at no cost. Artists and bands of all genres and ages from around the world are encouraged to apply and, upon acceptance, may reserve time in the studio to work alongside a team of experienced engineers. Fully equipped with the best instruments and equipment supplied by Converse Rubber Tracks partner Guitar Center, artists will spend time creating their work and in the end retain all the rights to their music. Through Converse Rubber Tracks, Converse is giving back to the creative community that has embraced the brand throughout its over 100 year history. Converse Rubber Tracks provides a platform for artists to unleash their creative spirit that will change the world.

Press Contacts:

Keith Gullla
Converse
646.563.7381 / keith.gulla@converse.com

Allison Elbl
ID
323.822.4800 / aelbl@id-pr.com

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