Kaenon

Brittany Howard and Alabama Shakes recently performed at the White House for the President and other prominent members of his staff. It’s amazing to see how far the band has come as they continue to remain true to their roots.

“In Performance at the White House: Memphis Soul” (on PBS) honored the memorable soul sounds from the mid- to late-1960s that came from Memphis, Tennessee and legendary labels like Stax-Volt Records, featuring artists such as Al Green, Mavis Staples, Ben Harper, Alabama Shakes and many more. The evening payed homage to Memphis, a segregated city in the 1960s where many whites and blacks nonetheless came together to make soulful music, a mix of gospel and potent rhythmic grooves – known today as “Memphis Soul.”

See Albama Shakes perform below, just after the 22 minute mark.

Brittany Howard wears the Kaenon 405 Optical Frame in Olive Cream.

From RollingStone.com:

“A breakthrough 2012 has given way to an even bigger year for both the Alabama Shakes and Rodriguez: the Shakes picked up three Grammy nominations for their debut album, Boys and Girls, and the documentary on Rodriguez, Searching for Sugar Man, won an Oscar. Now, Alabama Shakes’ Brittany Howard has linked with singer-songwriter Ruby Amanfu and Jack White’s Third Man Records for a rowdy cover of Rodriguez’s “I Wonder.” With cheerful piano tickles, rambling guitars and a beautiful back-and-forth between Howard and Amanfu, “I Wonder” rocks out with a toothy grin.”

Hear the full track and read more over at RollingStone.com.

Brittany Howard wears Kaenon 405 Optical Frames.

Wearing her favorite 405 optical frame in Olive Cream, Alabama Shakes lead singer Brittany Howard and the band are profiled heavily in the March 14th issue of Rolling Stone – out now!

With a personal look into how the band has come from their humble beginnings to their quick rise to three Grammy nominations, Will Hermes captures the soul power of one of the South’s emerging bands to keep and eye on.

Brittany Howard, lead singer of Alabama Shakes, continues to rock Kaenon’s optical frame, 405 Olive Cream, as was seen on the band’s live performance on Saturday Night Live on February 16th. The Grammy-nominated band gave two solid performances during the show as the musical guests for the evening.

As Rolling Stone put it, “Alabama Shakes took the stage on Saturday Night Live last night with a relatively calm physical presence standing in marked contrast to front-woman Brittany Howard’s fierce and howling vocals. The Grammy-nominated band started the night off with a relaxed take on ‘Hold On,’ the opening track of their debut album, Boys & Girls. For their second set, they returned to the stage with the gently rollicking rockabilly grooves of “Always Alright,” giving Howard a chance to get a little wild with her Gibson.”

Read more and view their performance at Rolling Stone.

While Alabama Shakes didn’t walk away with any gramaphones this year, they did have the time of their lives at the 2013 Grammys.

The band, who was nominated for three Grammy awards, including Best New Artist, has been wearing Kaenon for the better part of the last two years and lead vocalist with a powerful, soulful voice, Brittany Howard has been wearing Kaenon optical frames since inception. First 401 Tortoise Clear and now her ultimate fav, 405 in Olive Cream. The versatility and comfort of these frames was on display all week – on stage performing, on the red carpet, at the parties and lounges, proving the versatility of our range – and hers!

Besides the absolute validation Alabama Shakes received from the industry, it had to be a huge highlight for lead singer, Brittany Howard to be asked to perform in one of the night’s on-stage collaborations. Elton John, Mumford & Sons, Mavis Staples, Zac Brown, Brittany Howard, and others gave a rousing performance as a tribute to the late Levon Helm at the Grammy Awards on Sunday night.

Images shown above of Brittany wearing 405 Olive Cream.

Southern, chart-climbing rockers, Alabama Shakes was recently featured in Rolling Stone magazine as one of the top 10 bands with a Big Future. With a full spread dedicated to their recent buzz and relationship with Jack White, the band dawns Kaenon styles Burnet and Sequence. Check out the latest issue and be sure to catch Alabama Shakes as they rock around the globe.

See Brittany Howard wearing 401 Crystal Tortoise while performing live on Jules Holland:

We’re proud to announce that we’ve teamed up with Medal of Honor Warfighter as the official sunglasses of the new video game, available around the globe on October 23.

From the Medal of Honor website:

“The new Medal of Honor Warfighter game is inspired by and has been developed with Tier 1 Operators from this elite, international community. This personal story was written by actual Tier 1 Operators while deployed overseas. In it, players will step into the boots of these elite warfighters and apply their unique skill sets to track down a real global threat, in real international locations, sponsored by real enemies. It doesn’t get any more authentic then Medal of Honor Warfighter…”

As one of the few exclusive, authentic brands integrated into the game, we are proud to join with the others in giving back to associated charities, within the military community.

“During the past ten years, one of the most personally moving experiences I’ve enjoyed resulted from encounters I’ve had with former Navy SEALs who explained to me that they selected Kaenon as part of their required equipment because of the superior lens clarity, durability, and overall superior product performance,” says Darren Rosenberg, co-founder of Kaenon. “It is an honor for our brand to be part of this elite group of warriors and it is a unique privilege to be able to align with the Medal Of Honor franchise and to be able give back to the Tier 1 community and the families of these incredible individuals.”

As we approach the launch of Medal of Honor Warfighter, later this year, we’ll continue to keep you updated on game updates and opportunities to contribute to the cause.

To shop the full line of Kaenon Polarized Sunglasses, visit our website.
Individuals in the military or law enforcement can browse at GovX:

Last year Jamie Mitchell made history as he won his tenth consecutive Molokai 2 Oahu Paddleboard World Championship. This summer, at the Newport Film Festival in Newport Beach, CA, a documentary about this incredible feat will debut, chronicling Jamie’s unprecedented accomplishment. Check out the trailer below and grab your tickets before it sells out!

When – 6:15pm, Saturday April 28
Where – Lido Theatre 3459 Via Lido, Newport Beach
Tickets available at Newport Beach Film Festival web site:
www.newportbeachfilmfest.com

New Orleans based funk band Galactic recently appeared Conan to promote the debut of their new album. Drummer Stanton Moore, a well respected percussionist, can be seen wearing the new Kaenon Optical frame 602 in Black. He has been enjoying our Kaenon sun Rx in Arlo, Basis, and Beacon for years and now, with Kaenon Optical frames, he has shelved his old frames for something fresh!

Other members of the Galactic band have been loyal Kaenon supporters for more than five years. Galactic has been one of our longest and most consistent relationships in the music world. See their soulful performance with new front man Corey Glove, below:

As the debut of his new movie, “Dolphin Tale” in Hollywood, CA, actor and singer Harry Connick Jr. was spotted wearing his favorite fishing sunglasses, Kaenon’s Spindle S3 C12.

The Kaenon Polarized donning, Philadelphia musician G. Love has just announced his “Fixin’ to Die” 2011 Fall tour. Watch the video below for details straight from the musicians-mouth, and eyes covered by Calais:

For a full list of tour dates, visit G. Love’s Tour page.

Returning for its 5th consecutive year, Kaenon Polarized was proud to help celebrate Bonnaroo’s 10th year as America’s most exciting and most eclectic summer music festival. This year’s lineup featured wide selection from today’s music scene ranging from Eminem to Arcade Fire, The Strokes to Mumford & Sons, Florence and The Machine to Preservation Hall Jazz Band, along with strong DJ representation including Pretty Lights, Girl Talk, Bassnectar…and everything in between.

Fuse TV returned to document the entire event over the 4 days on the 700 acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee. Their on-air hosts Allison Hagendorf and Juliya Chernetsky were two of the first Kaenon fans to visit the backstage booth just as we opened for business and they proudly wore Delite and Leila sunglasses while interviewing the artists throughout the festival. Artists and industry insiders also flocked to the exclusive Kaenon fitting tent, including: G Love and Special Sauce, The String Cheese Incident, Mumford & Sons, My Morning Jacket, Galactic, Gogol Bordello, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Primus’ Les Claypool and Ivan Neville…along with Comedy Central’s Adam Devine from “Workaholics,” Lewis Black and Bill Bailey.

Juliya of Fuse TV, wearing Delite, interviews Florence Welch, of Florence and the Machine:

Alison of Fuse TV, wearing Leila, interviews Neon Trees:

Opening July 1st, the new film “Monte Carlo,” staring Selena Gomez and Katie Cassidy, features both stars wearing Kaenon Polarized’s women’s sunglasses in various scenes set in the swanky, exclusive playground of the rich, Monte Carlo. Selena Gomez will be seen wearing the glamorous Delite sunglass style, as she plays a wealthy, high-fashion heiress (in her dual role), and her co-star, the gorgeous Katie Cassidy is wearing Kaenon’s beach-chic Georgia sunglass in White while lounging on the exclusive pebble lined beaches of Monte Carlo. Haute couture and beach culture; no wonder the hottest new women’s sunglass styles by Kaenon Polarized were used in this new film from Regency and 20th Century Fox. See Gomez wearing Delite and Katie Cassidy in Georgia in the trailer below:

For the fifth year, Kaenon Polarized is an official sponsor of the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival to be held June 9-12 in Manchester, TN. Kaenon will be on-site at the 700-acre, multi-stage festival in both the VIP and Artist Hospitality areas to outfit those performing at the festival. Performances will include Eminem, Arcade Fire, Widespread Panic, The Black Keys, Mumford & Sons, String Cheese Incident and more.

Be sure to follow us on Twitter and Facebook for live updates including photos, video and more from the festival!

Check out our friends of the Gaslight Anthem in a sweet behind the scenes video shot for an upcoming Levis campaign. Singer Brian Fallon rocks Baton (set off by some amazing tatts) and bassist Alex Levine is in Pino. The band’s rootsy, Springsteen-esque rock albums have earned them consistent praise, including accolades on their most recent and well-received release American Slang.

We connected with these guys at this year’s Bonnaroo festival and are stoked to see them still loving their Kaenons. Two more converts made. Peek the video here.

Melbourne, Australia — Wearing Delite Black G12, INXS lead singer JD Fortune opened the biggest live telecast in the Southern Hemisphere to over 100million people (shown live around the world). Like the US’ NFL, this is Australian Rules Football’s version of their own Super Bowl and a HUGE event that centers all of Australia and surrounding Footie fans.

Check out the 3-song, 10 minute set INXS played to open the Grand Finale.

Appearing in the March 18, 2010 issue of Rolling Stone Magazine, Sublime With Rome discussed the upcoming tour, which launches April 20th in Los Angeles. “This is a fresh canvas,” says drummer Bud Gaugh, who wears Gauge. To read the full article, pick up Rolling Stone, Issue 1100.

21-year-old Rome Ramirez, showcases his talent and ability to be the frontman who can hold his own. Below he performs live in the KROQ studio with The Dirty Heads, singing the chart climbing song, Lay Me Down. Rome is wearing Arlo with Rx lenses

MUSIC / ENTERTAINMENT

Last week in Vancouver, British Columbia, special guest lead singer JD Fortune and INXS rocked the BC Place Stadium Wednesday evening during the band’s sold out Vancouver Olympic Victory Ceremony concert.

Fortune, wearing Delite sunglasses by Kaenon Polarized delivered a gold medal-worthy performance, ending with the enthusiastic crowd’s demand for an encore, the first and only time of the Olympic concert series. From the moment he hit the stage, JD mesmerized the audience with his larger than life stage presence and vocal performance. Highlights of the night were Canadian #1 single “Pretty Vegas,” which Fortune co-wrote, and a heartfelt version of the ballad “Beautiful Girl.” The concert was the first time Fortune performed with INXS since their “Switch” world tour in 2007.

“I was so honored to perform at the Olympics with INXS here in my home country, and I am overwhelmed by the fan support pouring in from all over the globe,” Fortune said.

Fortune also wrote and recorded The Death of a Motivational Speaker–a collection of songs that began as an idea for a solo concept album. Instead, it evolved into an ongoing artistic event of audio, video and interaction shared directly with his fans via his website. This new entertainment business model has proven an overwhelming success as evidenced by the millions of hits on the site.

One of Fortune’s songs, One More Day, (Election Day) will be featured in promotional spots for the new CBS prime time drama from producer Jerry Bruckheimer, Miami Medical, which premiers Friday, April 2 at 10/9c.

MUSIC/ENTERTAINMENT

Last Saturday night, Sublime with lead singer Rome took the stage at 8:00pm at the 20th KROQ Acoustic Christmas concert as a surprise guest.  No introduction.  Just 30 minutes of Sublime’s past hits along with a new song sprinkled in for good measure.  The band includes 2 of the 3 founding Sublime members along with new lead singer Rome Ramirez (Arlo Matte Black Rx clear lens) and Todd Forman on horns and keyboards (Burnet Havana Rx clear lens).  KROQ’s blog may have summed it up best:  8:19 PM: Never thought you’d see the day Sublime would take the stage again?  We never lost faith.  “Love’s what I got, Don’t start a riot, you’ll feel it when the dance gets hot… We’re burnin up in here.”

ENTERTAINMENT

Nice Surprise! We just noticed ads for the new Alvin and the Chipmunks movie, The Squeakquel, featuring Kaenon Polarized’ semi-rimless metal sunglass frame – Spindle S3 – in their huge national print and outdoor promotion campaign! Opening nationwide on December 23rd just in time for the hoards of holiday movie-goers, you’ll see the film promoted everywhere over the coming week “on billboards, bus wraps, print and film promotions across the country with Simon sporting S3. Click here to view the trailer: http://www.munkyourself.com/

MUSIC/ENTERTAINMENT

Sublime (re)introduced themselves to the public on Saturday, Oct 24, in front of more than 15,000 at the Smokeout Festival in Southern California. The 2 remaining founding members, Bud Gaugh and Eric Wilson, reunited during the festival with new lead singer, 22-yr old Rome Ramirez, supported on horns and keyboards by Todd Forman where they performed together live under the Sublime moniker for the first time in 13 years. While controversy stirs and legal proceedings press on, the crowd loved it, singing along to their favorite Sublime hits. Not allowing the band to quietly exit after their set was done, the crowd demanded an encore, and they did not disappoint!

Drummer, Bud Gaugh, took his place on stage wearing Gauge Black G12. Lead singer, Rome, lead the crowd through the Sublime set while wearing clear lenses in Beacon Black. Read the full article in Rolling Stone Magazine.

Below are links to live recordings at the World Famous KROQ studios in Los Angeles. Bud in Jetty Matte Black and Rome in his clear lens Beacons.

VIDEO
Umphrey’s McGee and Kaenon share a mutual love for great music and the outdoors. While in between tour dates, the band took advantage of their surroundings and made a stop at the Grand Canyon for a little rest and relaxation. In their own words, “It’s hard to believe that after almost 12 years of touring we have never managed to get ourselves to the Grand Canyon. Until yesterday. We were fortunate enough to get the bus fixed in time (yes, we had more travel difficulties) to make it to the giant hole with a few hours of day light to spare. The team headed to the Kaibab trail head and descended into the canyon for a few hours of hiking. Here is a little slideshow so you can join us on our glorious day off in the desert.”

LIFESTYLE / MUSIC
Golden Gate Park provides a unique venue for mixing music, style, and fun

Golden Gate Park, in the heart of San Francisco, hosted the Outside Lands music and arts festival for the second year which drew over 100,000 spectators to enjoy 70 bands on seven stages over 2 ½ days between August 28– 30. This event blends the best of music, wining and dining with stellar lineup, Wine Haven and over 40 local restaurants providing the best of the best in the Taste of Bay Area.

In and amongst the music fans, celebrities and paparazzi, Kaenon Polarized was actively reaching out to introduce the brand’s premium polarized eyewear to new customers and to reinforce the brand’s relationship with a loyal and rapidly growing clientele.

At this year’s Outside Lands, Kaenon Polarized eyewear adorned diverse talent including members of headliners Dave Matthews Band, Incubus, Pearl Jam, Tenacious D, Modest Mouse and M.I.A., as well as other artists such as Zee Avi, Brett Dennen, West Indian Girl, Cage the Elephant, JJ Grey and Mofro, Mastodon, Robert Randolph and the Family Band, The Duke Spirit, Dengue Fever and many more. While some musicians were all about the fashion and style and what would look best on stage, others couldn’t wait to try them out in their sports of interest. Artists like JJ Grey (Jetty C12) and Brett Dennen (Burny C12) selected Kaenon styles with our SR-91 lenses in Copper to better enhance their love for fly fishing. Regardless of motivation, one common theme resonated with festival goers and musicians alike and that was the clarity and comfort provided by their Kaenon sunglasses.

Moreover, the positive outreach enjoyed at the event lingers with festival goers and Kaenon consumers long after the music has stopped. Stay tuned for upcoming announcements regarding where and when Kaenon Polarized can be seen at the next music celebration.

Another great write up featured on MTV.com