‘Side Door’ celebrated its long-awaited launch on Feb. 27.
The virtual booking and ticket platform was created to match aspiring artists and musicians across North America to hosts who are able to accommodate and showcase talents in an intimate and welcoming venue or setting.
In wake of its release, an official press release described the Side Door as a platform which “matches performers with spaces to create shows anytime, anywhere.” Suggesting that it’s a good opportunity for touring musicians or up-and-coming artists (of any form).
The project was co-founded by musical entrepreneur Laura Simpson and two-time Juno Award winner Dan Mangan in April 2017. Both are Canadian.
In its beta stages, some of the biggest names in the modern Canadian music industry successfully utilized the platform, including Broken Social Scene, Rural Alberta Advantage, Alan Cross, and John K Samson among others.
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Before embarking on his recent Canadian tour, Side Door co-founder Mangan spoke to Global News to summarize the ideas and concepts behind Side Door ahead of its release.
“The premise of Side Door is that it matches hosts with artists, kind of like Tinder,” he said jokingly. “They can match based on their preferences and you can plan shows of any kind: music, theatre or even dance showcases.”
Mangan, 35, added that while the app connects performers to a host, it’s also a platform that allows the audience to purchase tickets.
“You can buy tickets right from the app, it’s great. There are so many barriers of entry into the entertainment industry. You always seem to have to catch the eye of someone important.”
“How cool would it be to play small venues?” he asked. “Or to put on shows to a crowd of really attentive and supportive people based off of a host just enjoying your music or art?
Mangan further revealed that he and Simpson’s intention was to ultimately separate local communities from the “barriers” of the often-restrictive entertainment industry.
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For those interested, accounts can be created on the official Side Door website. Hosts and performers are asked to create individual accounts.
Performers can then access a multitude of available venues and book a showcase or performance through the platform.
Global News’ own Alan Cross even signed up to Side Door to take part in a series of spoken word shows across a number of Canadian living rooms.
Whether it’s music, comedy, art, dance or theatre, it seems Side Door has a lot to offer for aspiring artists across the continent.
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Additional details can be found on the official Side Door website.