Live Gig Engine NuevoStage Wins Rethink Prize
NuevoStage, a service that helps fans and bands work together to book live gigs, has won the $50,000 top prize at the Rethink Music business plan competition sponsored by Berklee College and Harvard Business School. The startup brings group buying to live music. After a band and their fans prove demand through advance ticket sales, NuevoStage works with a venue to confirm performances.
Sonicbids and OurStage also help artist get gigs, but both have mostly worked to find the best artist(s) for an existing, often high profile event or showcase. NuevoStage creates gigs from the ground up by tapping into fan demand.
Two other finalists, picked from hundreds of entries, presented at Rethink Music. Eliot Hunt, a Berklee alumnus whose BigLife Labs facilitates the online collaboration of music performances, was awarded the first runner-up prize of $5,000. Ian Kwon's Fanatic.fm also presented his single and album publishing platform which connects bands at all levels of their career with brand sponsorships.
MORE: fanatic.fm's Platform To Monetize Music By Connecting Artists With Brands & Charities
This is a novel idea but it doesn’t solve a pain point for the venue owners. Mix in, “NuevoStage ensures you a packed house for your events and books the nights your empty” then you might get venues to pay attention to the product.
Groupon style discounts for traditionally slow nights, Obritz style discounted tickets to ensure full seating… It’s all about the venue, not the musician. Sure musicians will benefit, but why should a venue owner consider NuevoStage if you are pitching it as a musician tool?
That actually is precisely one of the pain points that nuevoStage is addressing.
They’re allowing the venues to set the minimum number of tickets they require to be open for any particular night. Therefor, once an artist reaches that magic number and the contract is awarded, the venue is guaranteed a certain amount of foot traffic and revenue through drinks and food purchases.
I really see the model as win,win and win, for artists, venues and fans…
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i agree that this is a tough sell for venues, as they really have no incentive to reserve a night for a show that may or may not happen. we use ticketometer.com for concerts like this and it has worked really well.