Owen

In this project we identified opportunities for small venues to enhance the concert experience after observing three different concerts in two venues. We began by creating a detailed experience map of the concert going experience with highlighted pain points. For example, many fans try to skip unknown opening acts and just see the headliner. This experience seemed to mirror going to the Kentucky Derby in which fans go to a single brief event once a year for a risky outcome. For concert goers there is no guarantee that the show will meet their expectations. This situation, in which fans minimize the time spent at the venue, is problematic for a concert venue looking for frequent and sustained patronage. Reversing the experience metaphor, we asked, what could a venue do to encourage life long dedication like that associated with baseball fans? Using this new metaphor, we identified several changes venues could make to build and benefit from this kind of relationship between bands and fans. For example, a venue could simulcast shows from cities earlier in the tour to build excitement about upcoming acts including openers in much the same way that sports bars do for athletic teams, thus attracting music lovers more often and engaging them for longer.