According to a news piece circling on WeChat yesterday, Modern Sky (independent record label and operator of festival platforms Strawberry and Modern Sky Fest) revealed it had invested in live events app “Pogo看演出”，and plans to form a joint venture with the app’s developer Beijing United SX-Music Communications.
Pogo is basically the domestic equivalent of BandsInTown or Songkick – socialized live event discovery based on geo-location recommendations. There is however a fair amount more packed behind that innocuous little mushroom icon. Taobao integration allows for the sale of merch, and social functions allow users to find others nearby, should the mood strike. A newsfeed that looks very much like WeChat’s “Moments” feed provides a place for real-time updates from the app and individual user accounts.
Modern Sky’s partnership aims to address and improve existing challenges concerned with ticketing, and generally speaking, to provide better off/online experiences for fans by leveraging user data to inform future decision-making. It’s a smart move for the business, which is continuing to diversify its revenue streams. Other recent activity includes an investment in Yugong Yishan (愚公移山) – one of Beijing’s most iconic rock venues – and there is word that the label is looking to open its own livehouse/club in Galaxy Soho (Beijing).