Striking the Right Chord: How Our Live Music Show Inspired a Revolutionary Music Service

We all know that long road trips often lead to epiphanic ideas. For our founders, Brad and Paul, a return trip from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina was the birthplace of an innovative solution that will change the live music industry as we know it. This is where the vision for Band Groupeez emerged—a service designed to connect independent artists, live music venues, and live music fans (Groupeez) within one harmonious ecosystem.

This story really begins with Salty’s Live Music, an initiative we launched earlier this year that introduced us to many, many talented artists trying to make it big. Episode after episode, artists mentioned the same struggles in their interviews. Eventually, we began to identify a common thread of difficulties faced by these musicians, ranging from promotional challenges and finding the right audience online to the complexities of self-management and scheduling. Venues, believe it or not, face a lot of the same difficulties as the artists with the added layer of event management.

From the fan’s perspective, the process of finding out about live music events and staying updated on their favorite artists’ and venue’s schedules is a disjointed and outdated experience. Even with great care and effort, the complexities musicians and venues deal with often result in an under-informed and disengaged fan base. 

Both of our founders, although not musicians themselves, are die-hard music fans who quickly understood the frustrations faced by artists, venues and audiences. They recognized an opportunity to utilize their tech industry experience to create a cohesive platform that centralizes and simplifies the live music experience for everyone involved. The vision was not just to connect fans with music but also to support independent artists and venues who struggle to promote their work and events. 

We all are aware that independent artists are the keystone of the music industry, yet promoting their own music is a daunting task for most of them. In fact, a survey performed by VideoBolt reports that “a significant 79% of surveyed musicians reported finding it difficult or tiring to handle marketing tasks alongside their music work.”

Promoting music effectively is no simple task. Social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok, while useful, require constant attention, and the desire to connect with local fans often gets lost in the shuffle of digital noise and algorithm complexities. 

For independent artists who are limited by other priorities like regular jobs and family commitments, wearing so many different hats can be overwhelming. Musicians are creative people meant to do creative things and, while necessary, building out a schedule, posting to social media, and administrative tasks are mostly uncreative endeavors. In today’s tech-reliant world, having a strong online presence is crucial for building a fan base and gaining exposure. This, though, is only one piece of the puzzle.

Music venues come in all shapes and sizes. From music halls and amphitheaters to local bars and downtown clubs, even restaurants, all serve as crucial spaces for musicians to perform and showcase their talents. For these venues, the struggle is two-fold. On one hand, they are responsible for creating unforgettable experiences for their patrons; on the other hand, they must constantly book new talents to keep the momentum going and their crowds engaged. 

With a finite amount of resources and time, coordinating these events, managing bookings, and promoting shows can quickly become overwhelming. This often requires a team of employees, or the cash to outsource the production, which not all venues have at their disposal. As a result, many venues struggle with low turnout rates despite featuring talented acts.

Now, if musicians and venues are having this hard of a time, one might ask, “what is the trickle-down effect?”

The answer? Well, It’s the fans who are losing out in the end. Left to rely on days old social media posts and otherwise scattered information, fans find it difficult to stay informed about who’s playing where, and when. 

We all know how inconvenient it is to have to jog your memory and search social media scour Google to see what’s happening in your area. Even more disappointing is finding out about an event you would have loved to attend, then noticing that the date has already passed.

When performers and venues struggle to book and promote shows, ultimately it is the fans bear the brunt of it. They miss out on experiencing new music, performances from their favorite artists, or events at their favorite spots. Locals may even start to view the live music scene in their town as “dead” and lose interest in attending shows altogether. This can have a negative impact on the music industry as a whole, as ticket sales and attendance at live events are crucial for artists and venues to stay afloat.

With a fuller understanding of the massive gaps in the space, the team at SaltyMF began brainstorming how to deliver on the Band Groupeez idea. The task? To build a simple yet powerful tool connecting every party of the live music experience. One that will make music marketing less of a chore and more of an opportunity. After extended research and conversations with those in the space, we began building the framework of a dynamic, personalized music service that makes discovering local artists and music events as easy as pressing play. Easier said than done!

First things first, there was a massive need for centralized scheduling. For both musicians and venues, managing and updating your schedule is about to get way easier. Long gone are the days of email newsletters, repeated posts to social, and contact lists.

Instead of managing your schedule across multiple platforms, artists and venues can upload and update their schedule within Band Groupeez. Then, whenever you need to update your fans of your schedule, you can blast the update to all of your socials with just one-click. Artists and venues can notify their audience wherever they are online, maximizing awareness and engagement without the extra work. The tool even auto-generates a pretty snazzy graphic to accompany the post, an added bonus in a time where standing out online is increasingly important.

For fans, no more scrolling social media struggling to find and remember show dates. When you register as a 'Groupee,' you select your favorite genre(s) and follow your favorite musicians and venues. Now, you can come to one place to see everything happening in your area. By visiting your personalized page, you will see the schedules of the artists/venues you follow. You can also explore upcoming events for local musicians and venues by genre, making your local music community more accessible than ever before.

This ability for fans to explore not only enhances their own live music experience, but also offers musicians increased visibility among local audiences, helping to grow their fanbase in whatever city they may be performing in. Likewise, venues are able to generate new customers by broadcasting their events to attendees who may have never visited their establishment before. Most of all, Band Groupeez is a place where musicians and venues can share their events without the traditional hurdles of promotion, knowing that, by design, their content will always deliver to their target audience.

Venues can also explore in the same way that fans can, which is a huge plus for both the venue and the musicians. This feature allows venues to find, vet and contact musicians, simplifying event management and ensuring their spaces remain vibrant hubs for live music. Venues and musicians will also benefit from an in-app booking feature that will centralize the entire booking process. This is still being cooked up by our dev team, though! More on that feature to come.

For music fans, or Groupeez, the tool sends personalized weekly updates via SMS, keeping them informed about the latest happenings within a 30-mile radius. By following specific artists or venues, fans are always in the loop about upcoming gigs, events and pop-ups.

Even when traveling, Band Groupeez ensures music lovers know exactly where to go to get jiggy. Imagine landing in a new city and instantly accessing a curated list of live performances that match your musical taste. That exists now. No, for real! Upon arriving in a new city, you will receive a freshly personalized update that's specific to your new location. It’s like having a personal guide to the city’s music scene in your pocket, really.

The launch of Band Groupeez marks a pivotal moment in the music industry. For independent artists seeking an audience, venues in search of talent and crowds, and fans searching for live performances, we promise to bridge the gap. By addressing the core challenges that have long hindered the industry, SaltyMF Enterprises has built a platform it believes will enrich the way the we all experience live music.

For artists and venues ready to expand their reach, now is the time to join the Band Groupeez movement. Music fans, too, are invited to enrich their lives with new rhythms and beats. By signing up, users gain access to a platform that celebrates the power and creativity of local music scenes.

The stage is set, and it's time for you to take your place. Visit bandgroupeez.com today to sign up and stay connected to the heartbeat of your local music scene.

As Band Groupeez continues to evolve and expand its horizons, keep your eyes and ears open for updates. Welcome to the future of live music—where every note counts, and every fan matters.

*Band Groupeez is a registered trademark of SaltyMF Enterprises