Bandcamp adds ticketed live streams for virtual concerts

Bandcamp launched a ticketed live stream service for virtual concerts yesterday referred to as Bandcamp Live. The streaming service lets artists earn a living from live performances on-line, and should assist a few of the unbiased musicians who favor Bandcamp recoup cash misplaced in canceled excursions.

Artists will be capable of set costs for tickets, notify followers once they go on sale, and provide a virtual merch desk. There’s additionally an elective chat for followers whereas they watch the present. Any time a purchase order is made, will probably be introduced within the chat.

Artists have shifted to live streams to recoup misplaced ticket gross sales in the course of the pandemic. Bandcamp is utilizing its current retailer as a jumping-off level, by making it simpler for artists to arrange exhibits someplace they’re already promoting their music.

This isn’t an entire streaming resolution — any artist will nonetheless want broadcasting software program akin to OBS in keeping with Live’s help pages. And that may be the hurdle for artists: live streaming requires technical information they may not have; Bandcamp hasn’t executed a lot to resolve this apart from provide an intensive help information. There’s additionally the issue of moderating the chats — Bandcamp hasn’t supplied virtual bouncers for them.

Bandcamp Live is obtainable now as a restricted launch, with the plan to convey it to extra artists over the subsequent few months. Bandcamp says the service is free till March thirty first, 2021. After that, it would take a ten % reduce from every sale.