Dan Mangan and Side Door - August 2020

Canadian musician Dan Mangan launched his virtual booking and ticketing platform Side Door in early 2019. It's an app that works a bit like Airbnb, matching performers with hosts for shows in settings like bookshops, backyards, warehouses, living rooms - basically any place you can turn into a small venue. The idea was to build a friendly and transparent global marketplace that fosters a thriving middle class of artistry, giving artists more control and removing some of the industry's "gatekeepers". When Covid hit, Side Door quickly moved online and now offers concerts on Zoom. It's a unique experience, because not only do you get to see and interact with the artists, you can do the same with the other audience members (while being able to peek into hundreds of living rooms around the world, if they've turned their cameras on). Anna Wirz talked to Dan about his experience doing Zoom concerts, possible scenarios for the future of live music, and how music fans can support artists.

The full-length interview is below.

You can also listen to our April 2019 interview with Dan Mangan right here, when Mangan played at the Between The Beats Festival in Lörrach.