The Live Music Industry Podcast

What does the future of payments at live events look like? In this episode of The Live Music Industry Podcast, Matt Ford sits down with Stas Chijik, co-founder of Billfold, to talk about reshaping the point-of-sale experience for venues with tens of thousands of attendees.From RFID wristbands and AI-powered operations to biometric “Look to Pay” systems, this episode offers a fascinating glimpse into how technology is streamlining transactions and changing the way fans experience live events.Inside the Episode:Introduction to Billfold: A look at how Billfold serves large-scale events with a focus on transaction speed and vendor integration.Client Reach: Billfold’s success with approximately 150 clients handling massive venues with up to 100,000 attendees.Technology & Products: How Billfold embraces RFID technology and the transition to biometric payments to enhance customer experiences.Industry Insights: Discussion on current consumer trends such as the rise in non-alcoholic beverage popularity and its effect on spending behaviors.Challenges of Inflation: How rising costs impact pricing strategies for concessionaires.Biometric Payment System: An inside look into the potential of "Look to Pay" technology in the event industry.The Impact of AI: How AI is being used in product development and its role in enhancing operational efficiency.Privacy and Biometrics: A critical look at privacy concerns surrounding biometric data use and the philosophy of trust within technology.If you’re looking to stay ahead of the tech curve, you won’t want to miss this one.Episode Timestamps:(00:00:14) Overview of Billfold & The Founding Story - Stas discusses what Billfold is, their client base, and the benefits it brings to large events.(00:03:56) Evolution of Billfold & RFID POS Technology - Details about the evolution of Billfold's technology and the integration of RFID.(00:05:02) Market Focus, Customer Base & Competitors - A look into Billfold's target market and client demographics.(00:19:15) Downwards Alcoholic Purchase Trends & Inflation -  Examination of current trends in non-alcoholic beverages and the impact of inflation.(00:39:29) The Future: Innovations, Biometric Checkout, & Future Developments - Stas shares Billfold's plans for future innovations, including biometric payment solutions.(00:52:13) Conclusion and Final Thoughts - Wrap-up of the conversation and closing remarks from Matt Ford and Stas Chijik.Please share this with anyone that might be interested in the topics, links below to subscribe and stay in the loop with the podcast and Prism:Subscribe ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Prism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on Instagram (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@prismfm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠)Follow us on LinkedIn (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠)Meet the Podcast Host/CEO of Prism -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Matt Ford⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Opening Music -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Banana Bread - Layton.rx⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (Prism engineer!)

Veteran promoter Jen Lyon, Founder of MeanRed Productions, shares a candid, inspiring conversation around how independents can stand their ground in a Live Nation world—plus why she’s urging promoters to join Insights now.Inside the episode:Jen’s personal journey from NYC bottle service clubs to building a values-driven venue in DetroitWhy Insights is a game-changer, and her urgent plea to fellow independents to join the movementThe power of transparency in booking, artist development, and leveling the playing fieldHow a data-sharing culture can create equity—and why withholding data hurts the whole industryThe real risks independent promoters take—and how tools like Prism help make it sustainableWhy she’s launching a nonprofit venue with community curators (and a unique for-profit/F&B model)What the future of live music could look like, if we choose to build it togetherWhether you’re new to the game or a seasoned vet, Jen drops truth bombs, challenges the status quo, and brings hope for a more collaborative, independent future.Episode Timestamps:(00:01:01): Evolution of Live Music Booking Technology (00:01:49): Early Career Challenges (00:02:58): Transition to Prism(00:04:04): Transparency in the Industry - Insights deep dive (00:06:14): Industry Diversity and Inclusion(00:08:05): Tech and the Next Generation (00:09:18): Prism's Potential (00:10:02): Sustaining an Independent Approach (00:11:03): Different Perspectives on Industry Challenges (00:13:30): Dynamics Between Large Promoters Versus Independent Venues(00:15:40): Insights and Data Sharing (00:17:32): Independent Promoters' Struggles(00:19:03): Looking to the Future (00:21:01): Jen's Journey into Live Music(00:25:28): Building Community(00:28:21): Finding Sustainability and PurposePlease share this with anyone that might be interested in the topics, links below to subscribe and stay in the loop with the podcast and Prism:Subscribe ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Prism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on Instagram (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@prismfm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠)Follow us on LinkedIn (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠)Meet the Podcast Host/CEO of Prism -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Matt Ford⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Opening Music -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Banana Bread - Layton.rx⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (Prism engineer!)

Randy Nichols, a music industry advocate, dives into the broken ticketing system with a critical lens. He discusses his activism with NITO, pushing for fair pricing and transparency in ticket sales. The conversation reveals how Ticketmaster maintains its dominance and exposes the dark realities of scalping and lobbying. Randy shares insights on potential reforms like ID-based ticketing and the need for stricter legislation to protect both artists and fans from exploitative practices, all while encouraging a fan-first approach to pricing.

Matt Barringer, COO of Pabst Theatre Group, brings over two decades of experience in live music to the table. He discusses how adopting Prism's platform has revolutionized their operations, from artist discovery to financial reporting. The conversation dives into the transformative role of AI in the industry, highlighting its potential to give promoters unprecedented power. They also tackle the complexities of all-in ticket pricing, weighing its pros and cons, and reflect on the ongoing challenges of scalping in the evolving landscape of live entertainment.

In this episode, I sit down with Pat, CTO of Hive, technologist, futurist, a fellow live music fanatic, and friend. We explore how AI is transforming the live music industry—from automating concert marketing to revolutionizing how shows are discovered and booked. We also unpack the big questions: Is AI a threat to jobs? How much more productive are teams thanks to AI? What does the world look like in 10 years? If you’re curious about where AI is headed—and how it’s helping now—this one’s for you.(00:20) The future of Hive & their AI strategy – is AI at the risk of creating massive job displacement?(17:55) How is AI automating concert marketing + Hive’s new ad product(55:11) The future of concert discovery + using data to book bands(01:09:10) Fastball questions: what does the world look like in 10 years, what’s Hive’s boost in productivity thanks to AI, how disruptive is AI, hope for the future of the live music industryPlease share this with anyone that might be interested in the topics, links below to subscribe and stay in the loop with the podcast and Prism:Subscribe ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More on ⁠⁠⁠HiveMore on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Prism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on Instagram (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@prismfm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠)Follow us on LinkedIn (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠)Meet the Podcast Host/CEO of Prism -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Matt Ford⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Opening Music -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Banana Bread - Layton.rx⁠⁠⁠⁠ (Prism engineer!)

We had an extremely fun and informative industry deep dive with this one. From the origin story and future of NITO to epic tales from the independent agent world, we covered it all.We kicked things off exploring how the pandemic helped galvanize agents to work together, and why that collaboration still matters. Then we dug into what it truly means to be independent—both in spirit and in practice—with some unforgettable booking stories (shoutout to Derek Trucks).We also unpacked the pressures and realities of working in a landscape increasingly dominated by consolidation, weighing the pros and cons of major vs. indie and asking: who’s really better equipped to support artists?From there, we examined the elusive path to stardom, broke down the economics behind agent-promoter relationships, and debated a big question—who should carry the most risk in today’s live music deals, promoters, venues or agents?This one’s full of insight, laughs, and a ton of real talk from deep inside the live music trenches.(00:15) Origin story, and future of NITO + a silver lining of the pandemic & the value of agents working together.(18:08) What does it mean to be an independent promoter or independent agent? The spirit + the letter of the law. Some epic stories including booking Derick Trucks.(41:16) The NITO perspective on cohexisiting/battling with the forces of consolidation. The pros and cons with going with the majors vs staying independent. Who is better setup to help artists?(53:31) The ascension of artists, is there a formula to achieving stardom (01:06:34) The agent and promoter relationship & co-existence, the economics of striking fair deals, escalating fees to combat higher guarantees, and a debate on who should carry the most risk. Is there room for a new type of deal?Please share this with anyone that might be interested in the topics, links below to subscribe and stay in the loop with the podcast and Prism:Subscribe ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More on ⁠⁠NITOMore on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Prism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on Instagram (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@prismfm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠)Follow us on LinkedIn (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠)Meet the Podcast Host/CEO of Prism -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Matt Ford⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Opening Music -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Banana Bread - Layton.rx⁠⁠⁠ (Prism engineer!)

(Chapters below intro)In this episode, we sit down with Graham Williams, founder of Resound Presents — the legendary indie promoter behind over 600 shows a year across Austin, San Antonio, and Dallas. We dive into the macroeconomics of the live music industry, surviving today’s challenging business environment, and the pros and cons of having a massive venue like The Moody Center in town.Graham shares what makes Resound’s brand stand out and reflects on how booking in Austin has evolved over the last 30 years. We explore his festival era, from Fun Fun Fun Fest through Sound on Sound, including magical moments, clashes with corporate culture, and the hard lessons learned organizing festivals through unpredictable weather and city bureaucracy.We also talk about the risk involved in booking shows and the innovative solution Prism launched called Insights, which is now helping promoters save tens of thousands of dollars every month.Finally, Graham answers a series of fastball questions covering the art of building an iconic indie brand, fostering a melting pot of genres, sustaining success for three decades, putting on shows at haunted western towns and laser tag arenas, staying connected to new bands, and a nod to the classic comedy Blazing Saddles.(00:11) The story of Resound Presents, a legendary indie promoter that books over 600 shows a year in Austin, San Antonio, and other Central Texas markets(10:51) Macroeconomics of the industry, surviving the current business environment, and dealing with competition — the pros and cons of having a massive venue like The Moody Center in town(21:41) What makes Resound’s brand special, and how booking in Austin has evolved over the last 30 years(36:56) Graham’s festival era, from Fun Fun Fun Fest through Sound on Sound — reflecting on magical moments, clashes with corporate culture, challenges managing the city parks department, inclement weather, and other hard lessons in organizing festivals(59:38) Reflecting on the risk of booking shows, and the innovative solution Prism launched called Insights, which is helping promoters save tens of thousands of dollars monthly on offers(01:12:53) Fastball questions: what goes into curating an iconic indie brand, the melting pot of genres covered by Resound, keys to success after 30 years of putting on concerts, building a scene by hosting shows at haunted western towns and laser tag arenas, keeping up with new bands, and a nod to Blazing SaddlesPlease share this with anyone that might be interested in the topics, links below to subscribe and stay in the loop with the podcast and Prism:Subscribe ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More on ⁠ResoundMore on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Prism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on Instagram (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@prismfm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠)Follow us on LinkedIn (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠)Meet the Podcast Host/CEO of Prism -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Matt Ford⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Opening Music -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Banana Bread - Layton.rx⁠⁠ (Prism engineer!)

In this conversation, Kym (the venue owner) walks us through Pinhook’s 16‑year journey from start‑up to beloved cultural anchor in downtown Durham, NC. They open by explaining how Prism’s booking and settlement tools have tightened operations enough for a small, 200‑capacity room to pay fair wages—including their own—without sacrificing the club’s community‑first ethos.Kym then rewinds to Pinhook’s 2008 founding, sharing how a queer‑owned, radically inclusive space was forged to welcome every walk of life while amplifying Durham’s DIY music roots. They dive into the economics of surviving (and thriving) as a micro‑venue: offsetting inflation and shifting drinking habits with inventive revenue streams—non‑alcoholic options, staggered early and late shows, and relentless programming creativity.Mid‑episode, we hear the dramatic story of Pinhook’s brush with closure and the grassroots campaign (boosted by hometown heroes Sylvan Esso) that kept its doors open. Kym pulls back the curtain on the hard math of a 200‑cap business, stressing why community goodwill and eventually owning the building “dirt” matter as much as bar sales.We wrap with a round of fastballs: their playbook for sustaining a tiny venue over decades, hopes for a fairer, more inclusive music ecosystem, and practical advice for fellow operators—chief among them, “Control your real estate, stay agile, and stay true to the people you serve.(00:20) - Kym reflecting on how helpful Prism is to their 200 capacity community venue and pay them and their employees more(3:24) - Kym’s story and the founding of Pinhook, a queer owned and ran club in Durham NC, and their unique ethos to truly embody inclusion while creating a safe space for everyone(13:26) – the shifting landscape of drinking preferences, inflation and Kym’s success offering NAs, doing early shows & late night shows, and overall how Kym gets creative to make their venue work(22:33) – The economics of making a 200 cap community centric club work, staying in business for 16 years + the heroic story of Kym and the community saving Pinhook early on–in part thanks to incredible local bands like Sylvan Esso (32:07) – Fastballs: how do you make a 200 cap sustain for 16 years, the importance of owning the dirt under your venue, hopes for the music industry for the futurePlease share this with anyone that might be interested in the topics, links below to subscribe and stay in the loop with the podcast and Prism:Subscribe ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More on The PinhookMore on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Prism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on Instagram (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@prismfm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠)Follow us on LinkedIn (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠)Meet the Podcast Host/CEO of Prism -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Matt Ford⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Opening Music -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Banana Bread - Layton.rx⁠ (Prism engineer!)

Avant Gardner, home of The Brooklyn Mirage, is truly one of the most spectacular venues in the world, and the innovation isn’t done yet. In this episode, we dive deep into the wild transformation Brooklyn Mirage is undergoing—possibly on the level of an East Coast Sphere (while still being its own thing). The new CEO joins my podcast to share plans for the future and to reflect on some harrowing mistakes made at the last Electric Zoo festival. I loved Josh’s approach: take feedback head-on, make peace, commit to changes, follow through, and keep going.(00:17) – Josh reflects on his first season as CEO of Avant Gardner and Brooklyn Mirage, and on the background that led him to this incredible opportunity(04:18) – A breakdown of the executive team, the origin story, and the vision behind one of the most otherworldly music venues in Brooklyn(13:35) – Pushing the boundaries of what a venue can be: the grand vision of the new Brooklyn Mirage, potentially the “Sphere of the East Coast” or something totally unique—kicking off with two sold-out Sara Landry shows(23:57) – Learning from failures and facing criticism and bad press head-on: what happened with Electric Zoo, reaching a settlement with vendors and fans, and how the company plans to rebuild for the future.(39:30) – Fastball questions: the staffing required to run Avant Gardner and Brooklyn Mirage, the software tools used to ensure smooth operations, acquiring Made Events, and the ultimate goal of becoming the most innovative, forward-thinking live electronic venue in the United States.Please share this with anyone that might be interested in the topics, links below to subscribe and stay in the loop with the podcast and Prism:Subscribe ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More on ⁠Avant Gardner & Brooklyn MirageMore on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Prism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on Instagram (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@prismfm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠)Follow us on LinkedIn (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠)Meet the Podcast Host/CEO of Prism -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Matt Ford⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Opening Music -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Banana Bread - Layton.rx (Prism engineer!)

TikTok (and social media as a whole) has transformed the music industry, perhaps on the same level as the evolution of digital streaming—from enabling once-unrecognized artists like Chappell Roan to build massive online followings & successful careers overnight, to revolutionizing the way we market and promote live concerts and record releases. The industry has arguably changed for the better thanks to these tools, but the plot thickens with TikTok—perhaps the stickiest of all social media platforms, which also happens to be fully owned and operated by a Chinese company.Is TikTok a massive psyop for the CCP to gather security intel? The greatest propaganda tool ever invented (broadcasting straight into the minds of hundreds of millions of Americans)? Or is it simply a fun place to share videos? These questions have drawn the attention of everyone from presidents and executives of the world’s largest companies, to the Supreme Court—all weighing in on what should happen.Through this conversation, Joseph Perla helps us make sense of what’s happening and shares his vision for the second coming of Turntable.fm, called Hangout.fm. Hangout.fm is an exciting new social media platform that relies on HI (Human Intelligence) instead of AI, enabling friends to connect and share music in a fresh, engaging way. I was a user of Turntable.fm back in 2011 and loved the platform—I remember when record labels effectively shut it down. Now, Joseph has partnered with those same labels to refresh the service with a modern take.All this and more in the latest episode.(00:15) – The scoop: Is TikTok banned? Did Congress make it illegal? How are Trump’s policies playing into this? Can people still use it now? Will it be sold?(7:25) – Is the TikTok ban beyond Trump? What does the letter of the law say? Could Apple and Google be fined for new downloads of TikTok?(11:22) – What is the secret sauce of the TikTok algorithm? Will they ever sell it?(16:44) – The role Meta’s lobbyists and other tech giants have played in the TikTok ban.(19:05) – Unpacking the theory that TikTok is a security issue for the U.S.(31:45) – The argument that allowing TikTok is part of operating in the free world.(37:47) – How this impacts the music industry, Joseph’s solution with Hangout, and the distinction between HI and AI (Human Intelligence vs. Artificial Intelligence).(38:50) – The evolution of Turntable.fm, how it was shut down by record labels, and how that eventually led to the launch of Hangout in a post-Spotify era. Plus, the overall evolution of the industry, from cassettes to digital MP3s to VR and AR.(51:50) – A new solution for using social media to market live showsPlease share this with anyone that might be interested in the topics, links below to subscribe and stay in the loop with the podcast and Prism:Subscribe ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join us in Prism's ⁠Hangout⁠ More on HangoutMore on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Prism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on Instagram (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@prismfm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠)Follow us on LinkedIn (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠)Meet the Podcast Host/CEO of Prism -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Matt Ford⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Opening Music -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Papooz - The Garde⁠⁠⁠⁠