A new London-based music startup called GigRealm has launched today (September 30), with an online platform that gives artists direct access to venues, independent promoters and one-off event organizers across the UK.
GigRealm, described by its founders as an “end-to-end solution for organizing gigs”, is free to use for artists, and aims to work with existing grassroots music venues.
It also aims to engage the wider hospitality industry, including pub operators, to promote live music at their venues.
GigRealm was founded by cousins Tom Brady and Reuben Narey, and has already agreed partnerships and collaborations with several music industry bodies and companies including CD Baby, Kycker, The Ivors Academy, and music colleges ICMP and BIMM.
GigRealm has also unveiled its three person advisory board, which includes Alison Wenham OBE (former Chair & CEO of the Association of Independent Music) Emma McClarkin (CEO of The British Beer & Pub Association) and Andy Saunders (Managing Director, Velocity Communications).
The company has also secured an agreement with British pub operator Greene King, which will trial the platform across the UK.
GigRealm claims to simplify the staging and promotion of live music by matching artists with the right gigs.
The platform also features an automated contract, or ‘GigContract’ that is attached to each gig.
GigRealm also features an integrated payment system and provides marketing tools and an extensive toolkit and knowledge base.
GigRealm was named as part of the UK’s Creative Industries Council’s ‘Ones To Watch 2021’ awards earlier this month.
“It’s all about helping increase footfall and revenue for venues, making the workload more time efficient for independent promoters and demystifying the booking process for those new to live music.”
Tom Brady
Tom Brady, said: “We spent a number of years developing the concept for GigRealm and were preparing to launch the platform just before the pandemic struck.
“Seeing the havoc that COVID wrought on the live music industry over the last 18 months or so has sharpened our resolve to provide a seamless solution for any venue – either a traditional music venue or one from the wider hospitality sector – to engage with great artists, effortlessly promote live music and, of course, for artists to find shows and get fairly remunerated.
“We know live music plays an integral role in bringing people together with research showing 28% of customers would be encouraged into visiting a pub or bar if live music was on offer compared to just 7% who said they go to watch live sports on TV.
“We also know live music has been found to increase wet sales by 60%. It’s all about helping increase footfall and revenue for venues, making the workload more time efficient for independent promoters and demystifying the booking process for those new to live music.
“If we can do that while making it easier for artists to play live, we’ll be heading in the right direction!”
“I think GigRealm will be a hugely significant innovation for the live music and hospitality industries.”
Alison Wenham, GigRealm
Alison Wenham, GigRealm advisory board member, added: “There has been a need for some time to make it easier for grassroots venues and artists to find each other and interact more efficiently while also helping the wider hospitality industry find ways of staging live music at their venues.
“Tom and Reuben have developed a platform that does all that in a seamless, elegant and intuitive way.
“I think GigRealm will be a hugely significant innovation for the live music and hospitality industries.”Music Business Worldwide
