Full Stream Ahead: TourGigs Continues Momentum With Groban, TSO

“I  kept running into Trey Allen who was tour managing My Morning Jacket, then Leon Bridges and all sorts of great artists – he was starting this company with some other like-minded people and said, ‘I’ve got relationships, you’ve got relationships, we’ve got the business side and need a creative director,’” says Danny Clinch, noted rock photographer and co-founding creative director of TourGigs, which has put on more than 200 livestreams since its formation and continues the momentum with high-profile streams from artists like Josh Groban, Air Supply and Trans-Siberian Orchestra. “This is like 2013, 2014. We had a plan to come up with a fair split between all the parties, and we did some really great shows.”

With Clinch’s seasoned eye for the visual, Allen’s business and artist relations, and Sean T. Barnicle’s tech experience, TourGigs set out with early livestream concerts, such as back-to-back webcasts of My Morning Jacket, Brandi Carlle and Alabama Shakes at Red Rocks. 

“Our point was there are people who can’t make the show regardless, people in different countries, states, or people just down the road who can’t get in because it’s sold out and want to watch the show,” says Clinch, adding the goal was to convince managers and artist teams that the livestream concept would be popular. “The answer is yes. It wasn’t really front and center at the time, although I feel like we were doing pretty well up to the pandemic lockdown, and then suddenly the lockdown happened.”

Fast-forward to now and, with the experience and tech already mostly nailed down, TourGigs was able to adapt quickly to COVID, with projects tailored to individual artists, with extensive VIP, merchandise, and ticketing solutions, supporting up to 1 million users on a single stream worldwide and with strong tech and customer support.  They also long ago knew that the compelling livestreamed concert was more than setting up three cameras and hitting the record button.

“We’d proven we were reliable,” Clinch says of TourGigs’ momentum during 2020. “There were a lot of people I would say jumping on the bandwagon, going, ‘Wow, what a great opportunity for livestreams, we can just start our own company.’ But there’s so much to learn – to go with someone who doesn’t have as much experience, that should be a draw for people, that we come through on these shows.” Clinch says the first Josh Groban stream (a second was announced for Valentine’s Day) was streaming in 85 different countries, with TourGigs providing support in five different languages on its website and platform. “Trans-Siberian Orchestra went to like 100 countries, it was pretty insane.”

As the livestream phenomenon has taken hold at least in part because of COVID-19, TourGigs’ previous and current success lends hope that the livestreamed gig will not go away with the virus.

 “I think this is our opportunity right now,” Clinch says. “People are starting to realize the value. We’re going to try to continue to partner with brands and the like as well to bring more money to the production. … People want to be able to trust they’re going to be in good hands from the production and technology side and you need creative to handle that as well. And it’s been successful, we’ve been able to cut 5-6-7-figure checks for artists.”

Clinch – who is also the co-founder of Sea.Hear.Now Festival at Asbury Park with promoter C3 Presents – is hopeful of getting back on the road and side-stage shooting some of the most dynamic artists of our time.

“I’m an optimist at heart,” Clinch says, adding that he’d do what he does for a living for free if he had to. “I’m hoping that it’s the right thing to do and in the summer there can be outdoor shows.” 

Sea.Hear.Now was rescheduled from 2020, now hopeful for September topped by Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins and The Avett Brothers with a full lineup of support. 

“Everyone’s tickets are good, ticket sales are really good,” Clinch says, adding, “I’d suggest if people want to go, they should buy a ticket soon. Because once it’s 100% certain it can go ahead, it will sell out.”