The New "Live" Event

A few weeks ago, I touched base on the changing face of the music industry. Today, I'm going to discuss a little more about how concerts are changing. Fans no longer have to buy tickets to see their favorite band live.  More and more, it is becoming common to see live broadcasts of concert events being streamed online for fans world-wide to view. I'm once again going to use my go-to guys, the Foo Fighters, as my example. Dave and the crew have been known to frequent the European music festival scene, and a few years ago, it was just tough luck for the U.S. based fans who had to miss these epic performances.  On their last touring cycle, many of their performances were streamed live online, and suddenly, those of us in the U.S. had the best seat in the house. Their full performance at Reading Festival 2012 served as a major treat for fans who missed their short U.S. run in 2011. My blog is seriously going to suffer for examples now that these guys are going on hiatus.

Now, what does this approach mean for traditional concert promoters?  Is this going to hurt us? Absolutely not.  I feel that this new channel is going to become an invaluable tool for marketing future performances.  By streaming shows live online, you give fans who couldn't afford a ticket, or didn't get to the ticket booth fast enough a second chance to see their favorite band.  When they know that you are there to help them out, they will be more loyal to you in the future. You also give fans who are skeptic about an artist a chance to check things out before they go pay their hard earned money for a ticket to see them live.  You're providing families with children a chance to watch a show that may not be suitable for smaller fans up close and personal, so that the kids can enjoy the performance without being trampled in a mosh pit.  Live streams also provide a preview of the venue for someone who has never attended an event there before.  The Rave in Milwaukee, WI live streams many of their shows, helping to promote both themselves, and the artists the book.  They keep these shows posted to their Youtube Account which provides a chance for those in attendance to relive the events of the night.
Their live stream of rock veterans Sevendust provided a chance for many fans to catch their performance on a very short tour they did just before going back into the recording studio.

One final perk to the ever-prevailing digital method of concert promotion is the fact that you can get any information you want out to your target market for FREE.  With a simple Youtube account, you can record any message and post it online, where it can be viral with a few days, spreading your news world wide.  Of course, you want that message to be interesting, in order for it to have maximum impact.  This tour announcement from the Foo Fighters may leave you with a few ideas on how to accomplish this.