Event discovery platforms rally for live music

Event discovery platforms Resident Advisor and Bandsintown are spearheading initiatives to support the live music community through difficult times.

Direct-to-fan platform Bandsintown is launching the Bandsintown Live channel on live streaming platform Twitch, showcasing live performances from around the world from 5 p.m. (GMT) today (20 March).

The channel, which launches with a live show by DJ and producer Black Coffee, wil next week feature a multi-day live music marathon to raise money for the MusiCares Fund to help musicians.

Bandsintown is also implementing a new Watch Live feature, allowing the 530,000 artists registered on its platform to promote their live-streamed shows at no cost to fans using the Bandsintown platform.

“Artists and fans are already missing the tribal experience that live shows create,” says Bandsintown managing partner Fabrice Sergent. “We all must do whatever we can to keep that feeling alive as well as help artists in these difficult times.”

“Artists and fans are already missing the tribal experience that live shows create – we all must do whatever we can to keep that feeling alive”

Electronic music-focused platform Resident Advisor has initiated the #SaveOurScene campaign, encouraging collective action to encourage fans to buy music and merchandise, forego ticket refunds, support petitions, attend virtual events and donate through its platform.

The campaign launched with an open letter signed by over 150 key music industry figures including festivals like Melt! In Germany, Unsound in Poland and Houghton in the UK, as well as live streaming platform Boiler Room, Nike and artists such as Dixon, Richie Hawtin and The Black Madonna.

“The events caused by the Covid-19 pandemic have dire consequences for the hundreds of thousands of people who give so much to keep our culture alive,” reads a Resident Advisor statement.

“There is hope, however, that we, the dance music community, can work together to find the ideas that positively impact the future of independent music for decades to come. We can seize on this moment to make something that works better for everyone.”

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