New online platform means artists will have direct access to venues, independent promoters and one-off event organisers across the UK

Music company GigRealm has announced the launch of a groundbreaking new online platform that provides an end-to-end solution for organising gigs. Artists will have direct access to venues, independent promoters and one-off event organisers across the UK.

Free to use for artists, GigRealm aims to work with existing grassroots music venues while helping the wider hospitality industry promote live music at its venues as a way of increasing footfall and driving wet sales.

By offering an easy-to-use, one-stop solution, the GigRealm platform simplifies the staging and promotion of live music by matching artists with the right gigs.

The platform also boasts an automated GigContract™ that is attached to each gig, and an integrated payment system which both help to ensure artists are paid.

A key focus for GigRealm is to ensure fair pay for artists and tackling the issues of ‘pay-to-play’ and ‘free-play’ head on. The platform also provides marketing tools and an extensive toolkit and knowledge base to help make the staging of live music events as seamless and efficient as possible.

GigRealm was founded by cousins Tom Brady and Reuben Narey who believe in the commercial & cultural value of grassroots music and are passionate about supporting this vital part of the music industry.

They have already agreed partnerships and collaborations with several music industry bodies and companies including CD Baby, Kycker, The Ivors Academy, ICMP and BIMM.

They have also secured an agreement with national ‘pubco’ operator Greene King, who will trial the platform across the UK and are in discussion with several other national pub & bar chains and hospitality organisations.

GigRealm has also unveiled its three person advisory board, which features high profile names from across the music and hospitality industries including: Alison Wenham OBE (former Chair & CEO of the Association of Independent Music) Emma McClarkin (CEO of The British Beer & Pub Association) and Andy Saunders (Managing Director, Velocity Communications).

GigRealm was also named as part of the Creative Industries Council’s ‘Ones To Watch 2021’ awards earlier this month. Selected by a group of industry leaders, experts and funding bodies, this list highlights outstanding businesses focusing on creativity and technology from all over the UK. The full list was launched at London Tech Week on September 21st.

In addition, GigRealm co-founder Tom Brady was honoured in the SheSaid.So ‘Alternative Power 100 Music List in 2020’, the theme of which was ‘Resilience & Adaptability’. It celebrated those who, in facing extreme challenges brought by the 2020 pandemic not only succeeded in overcoming them but have also brought positivity and change to their community when they needed it the most.

Tom Brady said: “We spent a number of years developing the concept for GigRealm and were preparing to launch the platform just before the pandemic struck. Seeing the havoc that COVID wrought on the live music industry over the last 18 months or so has sharpened our resolve to provide a seamless solution for any venue - either a traditional music venue or one from the wider hospitality sector - to engage with great artists, effortlessly promote live music and, of course, for artists to find shows and get fairly remunerated.

“We know live music plays an integral role in bringing people together with research showing 28% of customers would be encouraged into visiting a pub or bar if live music was on offer compared to just 7% who said they go to watch live sports on TV. We also know live music has been found to increase wet sales by 60%. It’s all about helping increase footfall and revenue for venues, making the workload more time efficient for independent promoters and demystifying the booking process for those new to live music. If we can do that while making it easier for artists to play live, we’ll be heading in the right direction!”