Live
at
Sunset
Marquis
A curated music series that let the rock-and-roll hotel prove it still knew what was next.
00 / Overview
Live music worthy of a hotel filled with musicians.
Sunset Marquis had the guests, history, recording studio, and credibility to do more than place background music in a lobby. Agency689 and the hotel team created Live at Sunset Marquis as a curated showcase for emerging artists, industry guests, partners, and hotel visitors. The program ran for nearly a decade, ending when the pandemic halted live events.
Role Co-Creator / Brand and Event Partner
Client Sunset Marquis
Services Event Strategy / Naming / Logo Design / Annual Identity Refresh / Program Development / Artist Support / Stage and Backdrop Design / Lighting Direction / Flyers / Website Content / Sponsorship Support / Content Strategy
01 / Creation
A showcase, not hotel background music.
Agency689 worked with Sunset Marquis sales and marketing director Chris Cope to define the format and bring artists into the series. The event was designed to feel personal, credible, and useful to emerging talent while giving guests a direct connection to the hotel’s living music culture.
02 / Identity and Environment
A brand that could change with every season.
Agency689 named the series, created its logo, refreshed the identity over successive years, and designed stage backdrops, lighting gels, flyers, and digital material. One annual mark eventually became the master identity.
03 / Content
Every performance became a lasting brand asset.
Agency689 made documentation part of the plan from the beginning. Filmmaker Mark Burnadue recorded performances and backstage interviews, creating an archive of artists, guests, and moments the hotel could continue using long after each show.
04 / Sponsorship and Revenue
The series grew from hotel-funded program to sponsored platform.
The first season drove room, restaurant, and bar activity on event nights. From the second year forward, partners including Jack Daniel’s, John Varvatos, and Blue Microphones helped turn the series into a direct revenue source, with client-reported sponsorship typically reaching approximately $35,000 to $45,000 per year.
05 / Legacy
A near-decade of proof that the hotel’s music story was alive.
The archive includes early performances by artists including Gary Clark Jr., who earned his first Grammy within months of appearing, and Vintage Trouble. The resulting photography and film gave Sunset Marquis enduring evidence of its connection to artists at an important point in their careers.