The I'm Down! story
The Magic
Until recently, I was “The Music Guy” at a first-rate small music venue in Vermont, and I experienced the following on a regular basis: a crowd of appreciative fans shows up to see a band, and the music evokes an atmosphere of joy, camaraderie, and gratitude. The band responds with inspired playing, which lifts the crowd, which lifts the band further. A compelling example of human synergy — and with virtually no downside.
Yet nearly everyone in this ecosystem — the venues, the bands — is struggling just to survive. How can a community that delivers so much value to everyone involved be in a full-on existential crisis? Is there anything that can be done?
My answer is yes — and I left my job to prove it.
The Problem
I wish I had a nickel for every time someone has expressed the following sentiment to me: I love live music, but I have no reliable way to find shows that resonate with me.
If you've said this, the problem isn't you. Many of the institutions that historically helped passionate fans find the right music — like indie record labels and the music press — have largely collapsed. The internet should have filled that void. It hasn't.
Social media is not a good ally in this pursuit. Its business is attention and advertising, not music discovery. A band can't even reach its own followers without paying to “boost” the post. The algorithm serves shareholders, not fans.
The end result: shows are often invisible to many of the people who'd love them most. Attendance suffers. Venues close. Bands lose momentum.
The Solution
I'm firmly convinced that the most effective way to help the small venue ecosystem is simply to help music fans identify the live music experiences they would be most down with. Nearly all other issues are downstream from this. In doing that, you're also helping bands find their target audiences and bringing new life to the venues themselves.
I'm also firmly convinced that this mission can be achieved. Communities of people can move mountains when their efforts and intentions are 100% aligned. Here's the beautiful part:
Indulging your love of live music IS the cause.
How It Works
Write about music you love.
Members blog about shows they attended, bands they're all in on, playlists worth sharing, and the music that's fundamental to who they are.
Tune your trust.
A private dial lets you turn each member's voice up or down in your feed. Your consolidated blog reflects the taste of the people whose opinions you trust most.
Score what you saw.
By honestly scoring the shows you attend — always in private — you sharpen the platform's ability to point you toward the shows you'll be down with next.
Community Partners
I'm Down! is looking for a strategic partner to launch our first community. If you're a listener-supported radio station, an independent venue, or a group of venues at the heart of your local music scene, and you share our nonprofit values, we'd love to talk. We'll do the heavy lifting; you help us get the word out.
Write to dan@imdownwithmusic.com.