New Aussie app to connect bands with promoters

Tech

New Aussie app to connect bands with promoters

Words by Barlow Redfearn January 27, 2016

A Perth based startup has launched a new online gig booking app that helps bands connect with promoters and venues.

Over the years Perth has produced some of the biggest names in Australian music. From Tame Impala to the John Butler Trio, the Western Australian capital has long been known as breeding ground for musical talent, as well as a mecca for live music. But Perth as a mecca for app development? Who would’ve thought?

As reported by WAM (Western Australian Music), the new online gig platform, Gigger, was created by musician and studio manager, Anthony Manning-Franklin, app designer, Kristy Davis and long-time band manager, Laith Tierney.

First conceived in mid 2015, Gigger has been touted as ‘live music’s Airbnb’ and aims to bridge the divide between musicians, promoters and venue owners by providing everyone in the WA music industry with a central database.

“Typically, bands have to reach out to their network to find out who is booking shows in their city, meanwhile promoters have no central database of available bands,” Manning-Franklin told WAM. “It might take them hours to hunt around on Facebook, digging up links to Bandcamp or Soundcloud, trying to find out what the band sounds like. With Gigger this process goes from taking a few hours to taking a few seconds.”

While Gigger may not be the first gig booking app to come online in recent years it’s the only one that doesn’t try and take a commission off performance fees. Instead Gigger’s monetisation strategy is subscription based. For venues subscription is free, while bands and promoters can pick from a range of subscription types. Subscription plans range from $5.95 per month for five offers to $19.95 per month for unlimited offers.

With 200 bands already signed on, the Gigger team are looking to get at least 500 using the app over the coming months. The company’s initial launch is designed as a comprehensive Perth-based beta test in preparation for an Australia wide expansion later in the year.

It will be interesting to see how the app catches on nationally.