Typically, the technology for professional-sounding recordings of live performances is only available to acts of the highest tier. However, Lively is a Seattle-based music startup that gives all artists an easy way to capture and distribute audio and video content from their live performances. Fans can then find these recordings in the app’s marketplace to download, either for purchase or for free. Available free in the Android, Windows and iOS marketplaces, Lively can capture audio from any live show by connecting with any stereo audio interface, which then uploads that content directly to Lively’s marketplace. The company, founded by Dean Graziano, recently raised an additional $2 million in venture capital funding. Lively aims to bring fans closer to bands in their local areas. By taking advantage of location tracking and push notifications, the app lets users know when recordings of a show they have just watched in person are available in the app’s marketplace the second they leave the venue. Users will find navigating the app’s interface to be fairly intuitive. Swiping on the edge of the app reveals the menu, which contains different categories of shows to choose from (music, comedy, talk). By clicking the headphone icon in the top right corner, users can build their own live sets by creating a playlist of their favorite content within the app. Artists and venues promote their events on Lively through the use of promo codes, which users can enter through a button in the upper right-hand corner of the app. And, as with any music app that hopes to survive in today’s marketplace, it features a full suite of social sharing options that can post tracks to Facebook and Twitter. Lively hits the marketplace at a time when audio and video production costs are falling. As up-and-coming musicians demand more inexpensive ways to promote and market their material, Lively creates the potential to open up new revenue streams and add a great value to both artists and fans alike.
