New virtual promoter Driift has revealed plans for several ticketed livestream shows following its success with Laura Marling and other artists during lockdown.
The UK-based firm, which was formed by ATC Management’s Ric Salmon and Brian Message in June, has announced upcoming virtual gigs from Biffy Clyro on August 15 from an iconic Glasgow venue and Sleaford Mods at the 100 club on September 12.
The two concerts by Marling at an empty Union Chapel in London in June marked Driift’s first trial for the pay-per-view livestream model and sold 6,500 tickets, grossing more than $70,000.
The company then hosted other shows for Lianne La Havas at the Roundhouse and Dermot Kennedy at the Natural History Museum.
Kennedy’s virtual concert, which featured Normal People actor Paul Mescal, shifted more than 30,000 tickets worldwide and was broadcast live over four different time zones.
La Havas sold a few hundred tickets more than Marling, while Nick Cave’s show in the West Hall of Alexandra Palace shifted 36,000 tickets at $20, grossing $720,000.
Salmon said: “Ticketed livestreaming is currently a space that no one controls, and we believe there is a long-term and commercially viable business here. It’s incredibly exciting. However, the ultimate goal of Driift is empowerment. We’ve created a truly agnostic service that will enable artists and their teams to recreate the unique magic of live performance, and to curate an experience worth paying for.”
Salmon also noted that it’s a different process to ticket buying for a normal concert with most tickets sold in the 48 hours leading up to the show.
Message added: “It strikes me that this is just the beginning of an exciting opportunity for artists and their teams to create new art that many will choose to pay for.
“If we get this right, ticketed livestream productions, whether live shows or something not yet dreamt of, can comfortably sit alongside promotional videos, traditional live shows and other ways fans and artists relate.”
Image: Paul Hudson / CC BY 2.0 / Edited for size