Bridging the gap for talented musicians

MUSICIANS STRUGGLE FOR VISIBILITY.  It’s a common issue, even though we have more access to media than in the history of mankind.

But that’s the problem.  There’s SO much talent, and SO many media channels, and everyone is SO over-stimulated with information.

We still have limited attention to give to the things in our lives.

I was excited to find out about a new service, FRX Live, which launched this week. It’s dedicated to bringing the live front row experience to subscribers – a way to find out about great talent all across the nation and enjoy their shows wherever you are.

I had a chance to sit down with Mari Wolf this week to hear more of the story behind this venture.  I first met Mari and her partner Brian several years ago, and worked with them for my professional headshots that I’ve used ever since.  So I know they have the photographic talent, but this is video.

Great video of music performances, playing in another window on my computer right now.

Awesome!

Their mission with this new business is to provide a powerful new venue for talented musicians to be seen and heard.  You’ve probably run across great groups playing in the background at a coffee house or bar – or here, in a brewery – but those aren’t great venues.  It’s frustrating for artists to play for a group of thirty people, most of whom aren’t even paying attention.

And consumers like you and me often have a hunger to connect with great new groups.  But relying on Facebook for that doesn’t work very well – the diversity is limited by what your friends are talking about.  You can search for videos on YouTube, but that only helps if you have a specific name you’re searching for.  And the quality is, well, erratic.  It’s rarely a concert-quality experience.

FRX Live just launched in April 2016, so you’ll be seeing rapid progress in the coming weeks and months.  The immediate goals are to film and produce the acts they already have in the queue, and to build their subscriber base.

My favorite act so far: Heartstring Hunters

The idea is to develop this as a revenue stream back to the performers, the ones who are struggling to find their audience.  That might be in the form of subscription royalties, merchandise sales, or … other ideas emerging daily.

Launching a new business like this is extremely dynamic.  Brian and Mari are listening intently to the musicians and subscribers, understanding where they need the service to move next.

Mari will be a featured speaker at Quid Novi Spring of Innovation on April 29, 2016.  I hope you’ll be able to come and hear more of the story.  You’ll be able to ask her about the challenges and joys of a highly creative startup!