Notes on live music, connection, and the emerging future, by Bootleg founder and CEO Rod Yancy
🎤 Sound Check
Bootleg went international last week, as we kicked off a European tour with rising star Evan Honer. His music carries a raw, plainspoken honesty that cuts through the noise.
Some songs it’s the full band jamming, others it’s just Evan and his guitar holding a room in silence. Most importantly, his fans see themselves reflected back in him, and that genuine connection is a pure example of the two-way relationship between artist and fan.
I was listening back to the Bootleg of his sold out show in Dublin and I was reminded of why we’re doing this. It wasn’t just that his fans knew every word and sang them back to him, it was the moments in between songs where the fans gave energy back to the band that propelled the set forward.
At one point Evan joked, ‘I wasn’t sure anyone would show up tonight since we booked it the same night as Oasis.’ The crowd’s answer was pure Irish football culture, where fans take familiar tunes and flip them into chants.
Suddenly the room erupted into ‘Walking in an Evan Wonderland,’ turning a classic winter melody into a love song for Evan. It wasn’t just cheering, it was the fans claiming him as their own.
Moments like that are a reminder that the crowd isn’t just an audience, they’re part of the band. Every shout, every chant, every silence held is as much a part of the performance as the notes being played on stage.
That two-way current of energy is what makes live music unforgettable: the band gives, the fans give back, and together they create something that can’t be repeated.
That’s also the magic of Bootleg. For the first time, fans can hold onto not just the songs, but their role in the night itself.
It becomes a time capsule of the exchange, the proof that they were there, and a living record of a moment that only exists because artist and audience made it together.
⚡️ Live Wire
The industry’s moving fast. I’m just trying to stay tuned in, and share what I hear along the way.
🤝 Partnerships That Bring Fans Closer
Bandsintown is now the exclusive concert-listings provider for YouTube and YouTube Music, so fans watching videos or artist channels will see tour dates automatically displayed and even get notifications for nearby shows. Moves like this show how integrations collapse the distance between artist and audience. At Bootleg, we’re part of that same evolution: just as Bandsintown makes discovering a show effortless, Bootleg ensures fans can hold onto the experience itself, a digital time capsule where the crowd’s energy and the artist’s performance live on forever. We’re also exploring partnerships with other fan-service companies driven by the same goal: building a system that works better for everyone and puts live music at the forefront.
🔗 Read the full story on Music Week
🌊 The Tide Is Shifting
More artists are rejecting the old rules of the music industry. Morgan Wallen announced he’ll boycott the 2026 Grammy Awards, saying he won’t participate in a system that doesn’t represent him or his fans. Around the same time, Godspeed You! Black Emperor pulled their entire catalog from Spotify, calling out the broken economics of streaming. Different genres, different audiences but the same current runs through both moves: artists no longer feel bound to play by the status quo. They’re choosing independence, direct connection, and platforms that give them more control. At Bootleg, we see this shift as part of a bigger movement and a future where artists and fans are at the center, and the live experience is the anchor everything else revolves around.
🔗 Read the full story on Music Business Worldwide
🎟️ Backstage Pass
At Bootleg, we help artists capture and sell high-quality audio recordings and photographs from their shows so fans can collect and relive the moment, and artists can keep earning beyond the encore.
What’s Moving
Last week I wrote about the collector’s mentality and why bringing back a culture of collectibility is critical to saving the soul of music. This week we rolled out something new in that same spirit. Fans at Bootlegged shows now receive a commemorative ticket with a QR code to purchase the live recording. It’s both a digital memento and a physical keepsake, something for your collection and your scrapbook.
Personally, I’ve got a shoebox full of ticket stubs that cuts off around 2018, when nearly every venue went fully digital. With these new Bootleg tickets, we’re reviving that tradition and giving fans something tangible to hold onto again, along with a recording of the night itself.
We’re also prepping for another trip to Nashville the first week of September. I’ll be in town for a few days after Labor Day, filling the schedule with artists, managers, investors, and industry partners. If you’d like to connect while I’m there, shoot me an email.
🔗 See the Latest Bootlegs
🎵 Fade Out
At the heart of music is a simple truth: live connection is what makes it unforgettable. Fans don’t just want to hear songs, they want to co-create the moments, carry them home, and keep them close.
The industry is shifting toward models that honor that bond, and Bootleg is here to make sure those moments don’t disappear when the lights come up.
Our vision is simple: a future where the live experience sits at the center of the music ecosystem, where artists and fans both share in the value of what they create together, and where every night has the chance to become part of a lasting story.
With gratitude,
Rod Yancy
Founder & CEO, Bootleg.live
www.bootleg.live
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