Bandcamp has launched a new ticketed live streaming service called Bandcamp Live. It’s designed so that artists can perform virtually to their fans across the world, in a time when the future of physical concerts remains uncertain.
What Is Bandcamp Live?
The coronavirus pandemic has put pay to mass gatherings, which means that the live music industry has suffered massively.
As a result, many performers have turned online to connect with their fans, staging live performances that are streamed worldwide. Many platforms exist to help artists achieve this, but now Bandcamp has launched its own in the form of Bandcamp Live.
Bandcamp Live is a live streaming platform that integrates with the rest of Bandcamp. It aims to make things simple for the performer to sell tickets (at whatever price they choose).
Tickets are also transparent for the audience. There are no secret fees that pop up on checkout. The price you see for the event is the price you pay.
Ordinarily, Bandcamp would take 10% of this cost, but it’s waiving that fee entirely until March 31, 2021.
Fans will be notified when their favorite artists announce a show and can buy a ticket through their Bandcamp account. If someone is new to Bandcamp, they will automatically follow the artist on purchase.
Once ticket holders are inside the virtual gig, they can browse the merch table beneath the stream.
There’s also a live chat, for attendees to chat with one another and engage with the performer. Bandcamp don’t provide moderation, though, so artists will need to recruit others if they want the chat to remain a safe space.
Bandcamp Live is rolling out now for select users. You will be notified if that group includes you. If not, the feature will be available to more artists in the coming months.
A list of some upcoming ticketed live streams can be found on the Bandcamp blog, with performers such as Frente Cumbiero and Demae taking the virtual stage in December 2020.
Stream on Bandcamp Live Using OBS
Bandcamp Live is not a full end-to-end solution, so anyone wishing to use the platform will need to have some knowledge of how to set up a live stream. Some help can be obtained through the Bandcamp Help Center.
Most will likely opt for free software like OBS Studio. This open source software is well respected in the streaming community and is a great way to not only stream to Bandcamp Live, but also other platforms like Twitch and YouTube.