EMI targets live recordings

11:19 | Wednesday November 4, 2009

Headquartered at the Abbey Road Studios in London, the service offers fans the opportunity to purchase high-quality live recordings of shows that they have just attended.

The music will be available in a variety of formats including CD, DVD, USBs and digital delivery to the fan’s computer or mobile phone as stream or download.

This venture follows in the footsteps of Live Here Now, which was established in 2004 by EMI’s Mute Records.

Live Here Now produces instant live recordings for artists such as Blur, including their two reunion concerts at Hyde Park this summer, which saw 10% of fans who attended log on to Blur’s website to buy the live recording.

Other artists who have been involved include Depeche Mode, on both their current and 2006 tours; The Pixies, for their recent European tour; Franz Ferdinand, for several UK dates this summer; and artists such as Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Goldfrapp, Moby, Staus Quo and The Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.

The Abbey Road Live team features a group of music and film veterans who have extensive experience in live music production and operations globally.

EMI senior vice president of new product development and live Simon Miller says, “We’re offering fans the ultimate encore. Being able to take home high-quality recordings of a show they’ve just seen is something we’re seeing great demand for from music lovers and it’s also a service that artists and labels are very interested in.

Abbey Road Live takes the excellent standards, technology and expertise of the legendary Abbey Road Studios and brings them to the live music arena to offer a compelling new proposition for fans and an excellent service for artists, promoters and venues.”

Other people who will be involved in Abbey Road Live include Will Shapland, who will consult for Abbey Road Live in London, and is a recording engineer and producer who has been involved in live multi-track concert recordings for artists including David Bowie, U2, Coldplay, the Rolling Stones and Stevie Wonder; David ‘Noggin’ Rowntree, head of operations for Abbey Road Live globally, who was also part of the original Live Here Now team; Marcus ‘MJ’ Salisbury, head of production for Abbey Road Live, who worked alongside Rowntree on Live Here Now; and Zach Bair, who will consult for Abbey Road Live’s operations in North America and Latin America.

Fans will also be able to access live or archived audio and video which will be streamed online.

There is currently no extensive information regarding pricing for this service, but a two-CD set recording of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra performing recently was sold after the concert for £15.