CCB Magazine

Marcus Fitzgerald runs Gigmit, one of the most well-known mediation platforms for music gigs and similar events. In the middle of the Corona crisis, he has developed a tool that aims to bring artists and bands together in a perfectly fitting way to better position themselves for the post-Corona period. How does it work?
 

INTERVIEW   Jens Thomas 

CCB Magazine: Hallo Marcus. Gigmit is one of the best-known mediation platforms for music gigs and similar events. You bring musicians and organizers together. Both groups are currently suffering from the Corona crisis. Do you have a suggestion what to do now?

Marcus Fitzgerald:Yes, I do. Use this time to professionalize! Because there will be a time after Corona. This is where we come in: as a mediation platform and interface between artist and organizer, we are in the same crisis boat. We can't change anything about the Corona crisis, but: We have developed a tool that allows clubs and promoters to book artists and bands that fit their local audience perfectly and thus position themselves more strongly economically. Essentially, this is about more efficient data use for upcoming events.

CCB Magazine:Can you explain to us exactly how this tool works? Is this an app?

Marcus Fitzgerald:No, it's not an app, but integrated on our homepage. With this tool I can see who is performing and if he or she fits to my club or program. This data is provided by Spotify, YouTube and Facebook. They are visible in the artist profiles at Gigmit for the respective artists. The tool then evaluates who might be suitable for me according to certain parameters. It's as simple as it is efficient: It brings musicians together with the right club. Because clubs have to start thinking about how they're going to plan their program in the future when they reopen.

CCB Magazine:But that doesn't solve the existential problems of clubs and musicians who cannot play at the moment. The music industry associations are expecting a drop in turnover of around 5.5 billion euros for the entire industry. Concert and tour organizers will be affected the most with just under 3.7 billion euros, followed by large and smaller festivals with up to 451 million and 233 million euros respectively.

Marcus Fitzgerald:That's right. But this is a completely different construction site, which also affects us. That's why I say: Make the most of this time! As a mediation platform, we must assume that clubs will survive the crisis and reopen, that they will continue to plan and look ahead. The tragedy is that 80 percent of a musician's income today depends on the live business. Pre-crisis studies have also shown that many clubs are often underutilized at concerts. They attract only 40 percent of their potential audience. The tool is intended to help remedy this situation. Because every club needs a suitable artist act, so you are better prepared for the next crisis.

Now it says: Use this time! Because after the Corona crisis, the music event business will be about one thing: the exact matching. We can work on that right now. We have to prepare for what comes after Corona

CCB Magazine:Currently, many are discovering a new world of online consumption: Gigs are streamed, and not only free of charge. Platforms like Caffeine, Crowdcast, Moment House, StageIt or Streamlabs offer completely new possibilities of monetization for musicians. How will this change the music industry in the future? Is it conceivable that clubs and musicians will offer more streaming services than before and that live concerts will be on the defensive?

Marcus Fitzgerald:No, I don't think so. I rather think that we can gain something from the crisis: There are already streamed concerts that attract more people than the live version. Take Ed Sheeran as an example, who only reaches 100,000 people live on stage and now attracts an additional two million to the screens through streams. The streaming offers are not quite new either, but they have been given a big boost by the crisis. When there are live events again, they will certainly go back, that's for sure, but something will get stuck. And already now artists can establish new forms of fan relations via stream. Because that's what it will be all about after the crisis: the exact matching. We can work on that right now, when we have the time.

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