Halfway through drinking my morning coffee, I see I have an email in from billboard.biz. 1 out of 5 emails from Billboard contains something interesting that I haven’t previously read, so I usually at least open the email to see what the headlines say. One of today’s headlines read, “Lotus Asks Fans To Name Price For Select Concerts“; it struck my attention since they’re one of the few “jambands” I still listen to.
Note: Live version of Behind Midwestern Storefronts from CD Release Party at Mercury Lounge last fall.
I got thinking, “is this just a rip off of Radiohead’s pay what you want model of digital downloading or a clever application?”
My buddy Gabe had this to say after I tweeted the link: “I think it’s a natural progression. Real fans will pay at least $15 for the free MP3s…dynamic pricing for shows makes sense.”
Reading the full article, you get the sense that these guys “get it”. Fans who spend $15 or more on tickets, get a free download of upcoming EP’s, which are outtakes, B-sides, and remixes from their most recent album, Hammerstrike (produced by Bill Moriarty whose also worked Philly brotheren Man Man and Dr. Dog). You don’t need to necessarily have “new” music because they’re repackaging music into two EP’s which is equally as clever as their tour concept.
HOWEVER, I would have taken that premium incentive to even further heights:
- $25 for a download and signed tour poster
- $50 for all of the above and a shirt
- $75 for all of the above and post-show meet and greet
- $150 enters you to win a private concert plus a free download of the EP’s and a tour shirt
I’m not saying that these should be the price breakdowns or the exact premium goods & services they offer because they should be pendant upon what the fans would want and how much they’d reasonable want to pay for it. That is up to the band and their team to decide. So use your imagination, play with numbers and ideas, and figure out a creative way to hit the road…we’ll see how this upcoming Lotus pans out.
so i read this entire article and have not been to your blog in a long time. i hear ya and believe this is a good idea. my real opinion is meant to speak about the phillies and how much brad lidge sucks. i understand this is a music and business blog, but i am livid about lidge blowing games for the phightin’s who continually show why they are the defending champs and then lidge goes out there and blows a game.