The technology and the music industries are colliding at full force in New Orleans. According to one local app development company, music has gone mobile.
Marquee Mobile is a location-based, incentive-driven mobile application that allows music professionals to connect with fans. The app launched in private beta, just before Jazz Fest began last week. It’s geared towards artists, management teams, venues, and promoters so they can see who is attending the shows to help better engage the fans.
Founders Brandon Chiat and Ethan Rosenberg attend hundreds of shows per year. “People spend their money on a lot of crazy things, we decided to spend our disposable income on the experience of seeing live music, and like so many other fans, we felt we should be getting something more for our money than just the concert itself,” said Chiat.
Marquee hopes to let music professionals engage with fans and deliver new experiences for consuming music. Both founders are excited to be tapping into an estimated $450 million – $2.68 billion annual market, including the New Orleans music scene with Jazz Fest, French Quarter Fest and other events throughout the year.
“Our team is inspired to be a part of not only New Orleans’ passionate musical community, but a new generation of business and civic leaders. A culture of meaningful collaboration exists here and New Orleans’ entrepreneurial ecosystem is thriving. For that reason, launching at Jazz Fest – our hometown festival – is a perfect fit for us,” said Ethan Rosenberg, Co-Founder of Marquee.
Both founders have a self-proclaimed voracious appetite for live music. “I don’t think we’d be able to build an app like Marquee without having such a passion for live music,” said Chiat. “This is an app built for fans. Every feature we build into Marquee is designed with the goal of improving each fan’s live music experience.”
Whether you want to track show history, share experiences, or check out trends in the industry, the widely accessible app will always be free for fans. Fans are able to view and utilize incentives provided by the artists or venues, such as a music lesson or dinner before a show. In general, Marquee believes the music industry is oversaturated and fans would rather see live music. The app is the perfect solution to both issues and New Orleans might just be the perfect place to launch.
Chiat said, “The Big Easy is now a place for Big Ideas and our team is inspired to be a part of it. A culture of meaningful collaboration exists here. Born out of the close-knit ties of a true musical community, New Orleans’ entrepreneurial ecosystem is thriving because a generation of young business leaders has realized that as one company rises, we all rise. Because of that, there is a commitment to the success of every venture. It’s a welcomed product of a city in transition, attempting – and succeeding – to redefine itself.”
“The cultural vibrancy of this city creates opportunities for its budding tech community… There are innovators here that are developing technologies that have a direct social impact on their communities.”
To sign up for Marquee’s beta, visit marquee-mobile.com.
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