We’ve all been there before, learning at the very last minute that one of your favorite artists is performing in your city, forcing you to scramble for tickets, sometimes coming up empty-handed. For instance, by the time I was aware Black Sabbath was playing this October, it was far too late to get worthwhile tickets and find a friend willing to tag along.
Luckily, Bandsintown seeks to remedy this frustrating situation.
The app really sets itself apart by calibrating your music preferences based on the artists in your phone’s music library. Whenever an artist from your library or an artist whom Bandsintown deems of interest announces a tour date in your city, you will receive a notification from the app. You can also decide to enable the app to send you emails to whatever account you used to sign up with, ensuring you will get the news that a band will be stopping by your “town” in the near future.
The interface is astonishingly simple and user-friendly. Upon downloading the app, it will ask permission to access your location as well as your music library. You should accept both. Your first step once you’re all set up should be to head to your “cloud.” This can be done by clicking on the the cloud icon, which can be found on the bottom left of your screen. Once you’ve entered this part of the app, toggle the bar at the top of your screen to adjust how relevant to your library an artist needs to be in order for you to receive a notification. Pulling the dot to the far right side of the bar will give you the largest variety of musicians, offering you a litany of recommendations. Personally, this is how I have configured my account since I’m always in the mood for a good live show. I can also probably assume that I will enjoy the artist based on my tastes.
To the right of the cloud button is the most important aspect of the app, the one which lets you view all upcoming concerts. Under “concerts” you can choose to view all upcoming shows in your area, recommended shows, popular shows and shows which have been very recently announced by artists, simply by swiping left or right on the screen.
Another small but crucial aspect of the app can be found under “profile.” While inside your profile, you can choose to view all the artists in your library. The app will list all the artists you’re following and include their tour dates regardless of location, in case you’re looking to travel abroad to catch one of your favorite bands live.
Bandsintown is an absolute essential app for any music fanatic. It’s easy to use and enables you to stay up about all the bands you’re most passionate about. I strongly recommend installing Bandsintown whether you’re an avid concert attendee or just someone who’s looking to widen their musical palate and enjoy some terrific live shows in the process.
iOS download: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bandsintown-concerts/id471394851?mt=8
Android download: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bandsintown&hl=en
@daanielsonn