Can’t make it to Europe for the current tour by the Rolling Stones?
No problem. Dial a toll-free number and listen to them perform all down the line in real time for $1.99 per seven minutes.
The British rockers are the first to use a new technology called Listen Live Now, which is backed by Hollywood talent firm Creative Artists Agency, tour promoter Live Nation, and veteran artist manager Marty Erlichman.
The technology will debut Friday when the band takes the stage at the Stade de France in Paris from 3:45 to 5:45 p.m. ET.
According to a statement, fans can buy in by calling 1-877-784-2777 (from overseas, 1-760-438-0100). At the six-minute mark, a voice will warn them that the time is almost up, which makes bootlegging the concerts a challenge. Additionally, the shows will not be taped, Erlichman told Reuters.
The deal with the Stones was signed after several months’ of negotiations with their tour manager, Michael Cohl, and they will get an unspecified “piece of the action,” Erlichman said. The arrangement lasts through the final stop on their European trek, at Horsens, Denmark Sept. 3.
“It’s a great thing for the artists,” Erlichman added. “It’s passive income, and they’re helping fans enjoy the experience without affecting ticket sales.”
There are no other acts in the pipeline, although he expected there might be a deal if plans proceed for his client, Barbra Streisand, to hit the road in a Cohl-promoted tour later this year.