Live music has always been the driving force of the industry. After the rise of online music sharing and, subsequently, streaming platforms, many artists eventually got on board with the new state of play because of how lucrative live gigs were. Some bands went from pop culture icons to legends because of their specialist live shows, as is the case with the unplugged instrumental performance put on by Nirvana for MTV in 1993.
However, bands don’t have to play a series of massive stadiums to reach their fans. You’ll hear anecdotally from all kinds of fans that their favourite gigs have been smaller-scale affairs, impromptu performances in bars, and just more intimate occasions.
Given that one of the big issues of the music industry right now is linked to massive popular live events, scaling it back might just be what the fans want and deserve.
A Return to Intimate Gigs
Some of the greatest musicians of all time came up through smaller venues, and they were happy to return to them from time to time. Jimi Hendrix famously played the Saville Theatre with his swift rendition of The Beatles’ new “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” in 1967, as well as at the Bag O’Nails Club in London, but was also the highest-paid of all the artists who performed at Woodstock in 1969.
While more work needs to go into preparing the stage, screen, pyrotechnics, rehearsals, sound checks, and the like, generally speaking, artists get more money for their time on stage. Still, since the turn of the decade, many studies point to fans preferring and being drawn to smaller shows to get a more personal connection to their favourite artists.
This has only increased with the dynamic pricing issues. Ticket sellers like Ticketmaster offer bands a platinum pricing model that lets the prices of tickets increase as demand rises. They phrase it as giving “fans an opportunity” to get in-demand tickets at “a market-driven price,” which generally means higher prices for major stadium events that can cater to tens of thousands of fans. So, with the drive to see bands live still going very strong, more people are turning to ways to see performances in smaller, more price-controlled venues that offer a more intimate experience without costing an arm and a leg.
Taking Small-Scale Gigs Online
If there’s one area of music that’s become more accepted and accessible, it’s live performances. Throughout 2020, we saw a whole host of artists take to live streaming to put on shows. Post Malone, who accounts for two of the top ten most streamed songs on Spotify, put on a very popular live-streamed show with Travis Barker. The 1hr 17min show collected 19 million views with cameras switching between the performers.
Live streaming offers much more potential for real-time and live engagement now, though. While it was available at the turn of the decade, the way in which the technology has become mainstream in its most two-way form has raised the standards for users. Prime examples of the cutting edge of live streaming entertainment can be found in online live roulette, blackjack, and other game shows. Across these, people log in, place bets, and see the games play out in real time, offering both convenience and immersion.
The key to the effect of these live-streamed products is the real-time interactions. The croupiers running the games like Live Power Up Roulette, Live Cash Collect Roulette, and Live Bellagio Roulette all chat with the players and respond to comments in the chat. Plus, when players win on bets, the wins immediately go into their balances. It’s this real-time action and these two-way interactions that could elevate live online performances.
As live music evolves toward smaller, more exclusive venues and hybrid online formats, fans are increasingly drawn to personalized experiences—both in music and entertainment. Similarly, a casino 1 euro deposit offers a low-cost entry into the world of online gaming, providing accessibility without compromising on excitement or engagement.
Working out a way to improve the immersion through sight, sound, and interactions will be key going forward. If it can be achieved, it’d allow for artists to set up private online rooms, only allow for so many fans at set ticket prices, and then perform from a special studio or their homes.
The next step for this might just be in the metaverse, which the BBC has invested quite heavily in via British firm Condense. With these immersive live gigs, accessed through virtual reality headsets, large gigs will feel more intimate, and small gigs will be easier to find.
Increasingly, fans are gravitating to smaller, more intimate gigs put on by artists big and small. Live streaming technology could tap into this desire in all new ways, especially if metaverse technologies pick up steam.
