Bandaidz was an app built with a singular purpose; to get people to shows. Something we can all get behind, you know? Freshly launched and already causing a stir, it’s shaping up to be a dynamite network within the music scene, both for those inside the biz and out.
Justin Stephenson is the man behind the Bandaidz machine. With an industry background and the drive to make his idea a reality, he’s spent the last 18 months ensuring Bandaidz finds it’s way onto the home screens of every music lover in the world.
Last week, we caught up for a chat.
Whether you’re a band who’s sick of playing to empty rooms or a punter looking for the next big thing, Bandaidz has you covered.
HAPPY: Hey, what’s up? What are you up to at the moment?
JUSTIN: Hey, well having released the app in the last couple weeks we’re just trying to keep up to date with user questions, and working on the iOS release which had taken longer than expected. But all good now.
HAPPY: So for those who don’t know, what’s the Bandaidz elevator pitch?
JUSTIN: Well, it’s main focus is to attract more people to live gigs using proximity based notifications relative to the gig’s venue. And to solve the common issues artists have with reaching an audience who doesn’t know who they are or making sure the audience in front of them doesn’t easily forget who they are. The main reason the general community would be interested is because it can be used as a 100% free music, social and (optionally) dating app.
HAPPY: How long has it been in production? Were you nervous about the launch?
JUSTIN: It’s been in the making for about 18 months now. It’s actually changed a bit since its first inception, but we finally ended up with a final product after tonnes and tonnes of tweaking. Nervous isn’t the word! We’ve put so much into this app, but its success really relies on people being patient and adopting it over time. It’s a chicken before the egg scenario. We need artists to make gigs, but also need people to receive invites.
HAPPY: Are there any left-field or weirder features that the app has? Or at least, something users probably haven’t seen before.
JUSTIN: Oh yeah! That’s the whole app! Someone’s playing onstage and you want that song, you can get it no problems! Or if you’re an artist, mid-set you can send a push message into the crowd with all your social media stuff so they won’t forget you the hungover day after. I wouldn’t say any weird features, but definitely new and exciting!
HAPPY: When did the decision to factor in the industry side come in? Involving promoters, managers and so forth.
JUSTIN: So many times I’ve seen in music connection forums or anywhere that allows musos to connect “looking for X genre to play X gig at X venue on X date” and then they (or me in some cases) will have to sift through the million responses for an artist that will likely attract the local crowd, which is essentially what promoters want.
HAPPY: Where did the inspiration come from? Do you have a background in music?
JUSTIN: Well, there’s a problem in the market for promoting gigs. Technology and social media have allowed people to reach a greater audience, but not without significant restriction and cost! I just felt it could be improved to reach a much larger audience for a fraction of the cost. Not just that, I want people to have even more reasons to go to gigs. And that’s where it started! I have a background in music yes, and so many times I’ve played to an empty room, so that’s a problem I wanted to solve.
HAPPY: I assume you’re a regular gig-goer. Anyone you’ve seen lately that blew your mind?
JUSTIN: There is actually. A couple of bands. Red Bee and Kold Creature. They’re hard rock/metal bands.
HAPPY: Did any other apps influence your decisions for Bandaidz? As in ‘we should do that’ or ‘we should absolutely not do that’?
JUSTIN: Not really, to be honest. There was just the feeling that there’s got to be a way to attract more people to gigs! And if not, make one!
HAPPY: What’s the response been like so far?
JUSTIN: Not too bad. People who have taken the time to know how it works and its purpose, they love it! We just need people to be patient and keep in mind we’re a start-up so it’ll take a little time before seeing the kind of results we are hoping for.
HAPPY: And what’s the dream? The whole world using Bandaidz in five years?
JUSTIN: Yeah for sure! Well we are aiming to release in America within 12 months, but that will depend on how Australia is adopting it.
Click here for more info on how Bandaidz can change your life, or check out their Facebook page.
Bandaidz is now available to download on iOS or Android.
