By Jacqueline Rosokoff
Who said you need a stage to perform for screaming fans? And who said all those fans have to be in the same place at the same time? StageIt allows artists to broadcast live performances, while fans can purchase tickets and experience the interactive and intimate shows all through the company’s website.
So here’s how it works:
Artists can create shows through the site, and they set a price for a ticket (a limited amount of tickets can be set as free). Once the show is booked, artists can invite fans to buy tickets. (StageIt currency is called “notes”, which can be used to purchase tickets and tip artists during shows. One note costs 10 cents.)
When the concert date arrives, fans sign on, plug in, and enjoy the show, while chatting with the other viewers and the artists themselves. The artist plays a set, entertains fans, and makes money doing it (tips range from $0.50 to over $100). The best part? There’s no waiting in line.
Artists who’ve broadcasted concerts from the site include Korn, Debbie Gibson, and Jaron and the Long Road to Love (Jaron’s brother Evan, a nearly 20-year veteran recording artist, is StageIt’s founder and CEO).
Last weekend I checked out a StageIt show: Bess Rogers with special guest Allie Moss. StageIt was described to me as a musical experience where you’re hanging out in your living room, and it was exactly that. Rogers and Moss sat in the living room of an apartment, while I sat watching in mine. An active chat carried on through the whole performance, beginning with all guests posting their viewing location. Fans tuned in from a handful of states and a few even logged in from Europe.
Throughout the show people typed requests, many of which the performers honored. You can also tip the artist at any point, and as the little yellow “tip notices” appeared in the chat, the performers expressed their thanks.
I got to enjoy some wonderful music on an intimate level, and the artists were able to interact with their fans, some of whom were watching several time zones away. Not a bad way to spend a Sunday…
Check out www.stageit.com for more info on getting involved, either as an artist or as a fan.