I’ve never been to Nashville. This last Friday I was in town visiting one of my friends from college and she took me out on the town in Music City.
I had never been to a honky tonk nor did I know what that was. We stumbled upon the Redneck Riviera. I was just excited to be there. I had no idea who was performing or what to expect.
A cover band called Breaking Broadway was performing. I had never heard their music before so I wasn’t sure what was in store. I noticed these QR codes on the table with the name Juke written on them. My friend explained to me that if I scanned the QR it would take me to Juke’s website where I could see the list of songs the band could play and I could request my favorite. I was so fascinated by this idea because I’ve always gone to shows and just hoped they would play my favorite song. Juke is cool because as a fan now I could actually weigh in on whether or not that song was played.
Kristen from Breaking Broadway at the Redneck Riviera
I ended up sending in a tip to the band and put in my request for “Message In A Bottle” by The Police, (a classic, I know.) When sending in my request, I could even dedicate the song to my friend with a little note. Tips can be as little or as high as you want depending on the artist. The band went through their set and ended up playing it. To say I was hyped is an understatement. The vibes in Nashville were 10/10 being my first time. The whole time at the bar I kept wondering…why isn’t this in LA? Imagine sending in a tip to the DJ at the club to play a song for you and your girls.
After experiencing Juke, I had to do more research about it. I would love to see it at other shows of my favorite artist. It’s more than a tip app. Juke has numerous use cases. It can be used as an encore, to raise money for charity, used at big events, or small events. Artists can use it for their original songs, covers, or have fans pick a whole set for a show.
Founder/CEO Griffin Eaton came up with the idea for Juke while watching a friend play a venue in the midwest. “There’s an old (bad) joke: what do you call someone who puts $5,000 worth of gear into a $500 car to drive 100 miles to a $50 gig?….a Musician.” Eaton says.
“Not being a musician myself, but someone who loves listening to live performances with a drink in my hand. I feel like I could sympathize with the plight of the musician while empathizing with the average listener. I knew if we connected these groups better during a show we could give unique experiences to the audience and new followers and revenue streams to the artist.” Eaton explains.
Live music is one of the most enjoyable parts of the human experience. And yet, the majority of musicians struggle to earn a livable wage. Juke is changing that narrative. And I can’t wait to see how far it spreads! Imagine being at the Bad Bunny concert in the fall at Sofi Stadium and being able to request La Canción? 100% I would pay to hear that as an encore.
If you’re interested in learning more about Juke, you can find them on their website and their instagram page.
