Did you ever wish you could have your favorite bands come and play private parties in your basement? Do512‘s founder, Jimmy Stewart did. But the difference between you and Jimmy is that his came true.
In this week’s LiveFromStubbs video podcast, Kyle Flaherty and I had the pleasure of talking to Jimmy Stewart and General Manager Kristin Owen. For anyone who hasn’t experienced it, Do512 is all about what to do in Austin. Jimmy describes it as “an event calendar on steroids.”
There are other event sites that spring up from time to time, but Do512 has something they don’t. Do512 is quintessentially Austin. They “buy local” as it were by forming real relationships with local bands and venues. And they embrace technology, but they’re not about technology … they’re about Austin. And they’re modest, because their technology is terrific. All of their events are voted up and down by users, but they’e also created an “all-star algorithm” to make sure that only the best events make it to the top.
They’ve also created a “track your band” feature so that you always know what your favorites are up to – and you’ll be the first to know when they’re coming to town and when you’ll be able to snag some discounted tickets.
Another thing that separates Do512 from the pack is that they have a very blue collar approach to what they do, and they’re all about the personal touch. In other words, when Do512 throws a party, they all actually go to the party! They want to meet you! It was true in the early days when they’d get excited about getting 240 RSVPs and it’s true now they get 30,000.
So back to Jimmy’s dream: Do512 has its own lounge, where they’ve hosted 70 free private shows in the first 11 months of the lounge’s existence. What bands have begun to realize is that playing a gig at the Do512 lounge on the day of a big show blows away local radio appearances. In the latter, you may get a few people who happen to be listening at the right time who’ll come to your show. At the Do512 Lounge, you’ll get a ton of rabid fans who’ll not only come see the free show, but they’ll help you promote the great video generated from it to drive lots more people out to see you.
Here’s to keeping Austin weird and living out your dreams!
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