Music / music tech
New app designed to bolster Bristol’s music community
An app has been designed with Bristol’s music community in mind, and shaped by exploring the experiences of musicians on the ground.
BandBox hopes to help musicians connect and collaborate, as well as making the lives of promoters, event organisers and venues easier.
“The idea came from a problem I kept running into – finding the right musicians nearby is harder than it should be, especially for someone who isn’t fully immersed in the scene,” said Harvey Castree who has designed the app alongside his fellow engineer Dan Norris.
Bands will be able to use the platform to meet other musicians in the city, organiser their schedules and apply for gig opportunities, and it will enable promoters to find acts, fill last minute lineup slots, post performances and manage events, all in one place.
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“Our goal is simple, make life easier for musicians and bands in Bristol, so they can focus on what matters: the music. A connected music community enables more creativity, more collaboration, and ultimately a stronger, louder Bristol,” said Castree.
“We are trying to solve the problem that finding bandmates relies on word of mouth and scattered social media groups. Bands facing lineup gaps have no fast way or go-to place to find a replacement. Musicians have little visibility into local gig opportunities, especially new or less experienced, and no direct way to apply without sending a load of emails to multiple places/people.
“Bands need somewhere to organise their rehearsal and gig schedule in a shared way. Venues and event organisers have no centralised tool to post, receive applications, and manage bookings as well as find talent and see their full portfolio in a single place.
“We are aiming this at musicians and solo artists looking for one-time collaborations, bandmates or gig opportunities, bands needing to fill permanent or last-minute lineup gaps, venues (pubs, bars or music venues) or promoters wanting to discover and book local talent directly, and event organisers such as wedding planners managing multiple performances who need a single place to post, browse, and coordinate bookings.”
The pair are at the testing stage and keen for musicians to help shape the app, in return for a year’s Pro subscription. Sign up is via the BandBox website.
They are also inviting artists to submit their ‘craziest or best’ gig photo for a competition, the winner of which each month will be featured on the front page image of the app. Find out more here.
Main image: BandBox
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