Going to a concert may sound like a fun and leisurely experience (and for the most part, it is), but there is actually a lot of planning that goes into attending a show. The majority of people who buy tickets to a show do so far in advance, from several weeks to several months. There is a lot to figure out when going to a show, including who you’ll attend with, how to get to the venue, parking, drinks and dinner beforehand, and so on. There isn’t a whole lot of spontaneity left in going to a live show is there? Think about it—when was the last time you decided at the last minute to buy tickets to a concert?
Tech and music startups Citymaps and Songkick want to change this and give people the option of seeing live music whenever they want, wherever they are. The two have joined forces to make the Citymaps app that much more geared towards really finding the best of what’s around you.
It works like this: say it’s a Friday night and you and a friend have just finished dinner. It’s too early to call it a night, and you’re in the mood to do something fun, but have no idea what’s going on. Open the newly-redesigned Citymaps app wherever you are, and the new Songkick feature will tell you what live shows are around you, as well as details about who is playing, how much tickets cost, and when the show begins. The app works in real time, so you’re able to purchase tickets up to the last minute, and once a show has started and it’s too late, the listing will disappear, so you don’t need to worry about buying passes to something you’ve already missed.
Citymaps and Songkick are both rather extensive in what they do. The former has over 80 million points of interest, and can show you everything near where you are, from grocery stores to speakeasies. The latter has a register of around one hundred thousands current and upcoming concerts to peruse around the globe. Combining the two makes for a unique experience that otherwise wasn’t available.
One of the big issues that the live music industry faces is awareness of shows. Plenty of concerts come and go without selling as many tickets as possible, simply because fans don’t even know that the event is taking place. While a only a small percentage of those people are likely to decide to buy a ticket last minute, every little bit helps in ensuring that everyone who wants to see live music has the opportunity to. [Forbes]
