Hi there! My name is Andy, Co-Founder and Grand Poobah of GigTown. My Dad and I started this company because we thought it was too difficult to discover and book local music. Turns out, we were right. Since we launched the app last January, local musicians have made over $300,000 in bookings, and $40,000 in Tips. We don’t charge artists and the app is completely free.
Here’s how the booking works…
Artists can browse and submit for available gigs in their area with Post-a-Gig. It’s kind of amazing. Think of it as like Craigslist and Uber, but specifically for professional musicians. When a venue, event planner or user posts their gigs, you have the ability to submit. The user will see a list of applicants, can chat with the artists, and can confirm straight from the app. You get a direct deposit when the gig has been completed–the same payment processor as Uber.
$5 For Every Check In
We made a decision in the beginning that our marketing budget should go straight to the musicians. So, we started the Tipping Program. It’s pretty straightforward. When someone ‘Checks In’ at your show listed on the GigTown app, you’ll make $5. This is not limited to shows booked through GigTown, any of your public shows work. Some artists are making over $100 in tips a night. How does it make sense for us? Well, since we started the tip campaign, we’ve gotten a ton of new musicians signed up, lots of downloads and it’s a win-win for everyone. It won’t last forever, but we’re keeping it going for now and we hope you break our bank!
That’s all I’ve got for now. Sign up here and feel free to hit us up anytime at contact@gigtown.com. We’re a small team but we take pride in responding to everyone and doing our best to make artists like you our biggest fans.
Cheers,
Andy
[We added this to the Buyer Beware column since we don’t know how it works or even IF it works! If anyone has had experience with GigTown, please let us know your thoughts.]