CVX Live at UVU provides fan interaction with internet stars

CVX Live presenter poses with fans at 2015 conference.

Lee Thomas | Lifestyle Editor | @leenis85
Photo credit: Collin Cooper | Photo Senior Staff | @coop.97

The UCCU Center at UVU was the location for a conference on Friday and Saturday, Aug 8-9, that brought together no less than thirty internet acts to perform live on stage, host Q&As, and participate in meet and greets with over 15,000 devotees.
From musical performers to parody acts, vloggers to beauty experts, this event lasted from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and both days were jam packed with multiple performers and meet and greet booths scheduled throughout.
The gathering resembled a Comic-Con event, but the crowd skewed a bit younger as the audience for internet-based entertainment tends to do. Throngs of young girls and boys, with their mothers in tow, camped out in line to meet their favorites, often hours before the scheduled time approached.
There were a few cosplayers dressed as different characters, as well as a group called the “Utah Mermaids” that laid around their booth in sexy mermaid garb, taking pictures with passersby’s.
Acts that performed/worked booths include The Hillywood Show, Freakin Rad, Ellie & Jared, KFace TV, Cute Girls Hairstyles, Michelle Money, Stuart Edge, and local favorite, the BYU-produced sketch show Studio C.
A contest was held for the “Next Big YouTuber,” that had hundreds of entrants and crowned local The Voice contestant Madilyn Paige as the winner. Although the event was not officially affiliated with YouTube, the established performers predominantly all found their fame on the video streaming site.
Event Manager AJ Clayson explained how this event differs from other Internet content creator conventions. “Rather than having the goal of educating aspiring YouTubers like some of the other conferences, ours is to provide a connection between the content creators and their fans,” said Clayson.
Just how huge the positive reaction some of these acts received was unexpectedly moving.
“One act, Ellie & Jared, who document their daily life for their audience, had a huge turnout and it was touching how humbled and appreciative they were,” said Clayson.
The event was also a venue for many local and national vendors from summer sales recruiters, to local costume shop Taylor Maid. With several different areas to explore, there was never a lack of activities to participate in.
This was the first CVX Live event, but after this year’s huge success, it likely won’t be the last. With Internet stardom as the new frontier for many talented acts and creative types to gain a following, we should be seeing events like this continue to grow in popularity in years to come.