Evan Lowenstein

Stageit boss Evan Lowenstein doesn’t just espouse the use of his platform, he employs it himself, both as a solo artist and with his twin brother Jaron. The duo hit it big early in this century as the group “Evan and Jaron.”

While Lowenstein and his outfit are headquartered in Los Angeles, he has local ties and plenty of Nashville artists using his platform, including Don Schlitz (an early disciple and advocate), James Otto, Bailey and the Boys, Alyssa Bonagura, Tyler Wilkinson, Jessica Andrews, Eric Brace and Peter Cooper, Gary Burr, and Jeremy McComb.

Each of these artists has been busy spreading the word, as well as tipping fans via social media to Stageit’s “front row seat to a backstage experience.”

There are currently 2,000 artists using the platform, Lowenstein says, noting that of those who have “en–listed,” “we’ve been working really closely with 250 of them.”

Those special ones are those who “have taken a real interest in the platform. We include them in special events.”

Some are featured on the home page.

“Stageit is going to save my life,” opines Big Kenny (of the rowdy country duo Big & Rich).

“This is a super-cool thing for me to be able to play some songs from my home,” says Lisa Loeb.

Most are listening room-type shows that net perhaps $250-300, Lowenstein estimates.

The fact Bonnie Raitt and Crosby, Stills & Nash have used the platform shows it is capable of handling larger crowds and marquee names.

Lowenstein doesn’t mind that there are a little less than 50,000 users so far. He wants people committed to music to sign on and commit for very small fees to sample some of the various singer-songwriters on this platform.

“We don’t need to have millions and millions of users,” he says. “We have filtered ’em out and we have the real music lovers, those who recognize the time and talents of the artists.”

And he predicts organic growth, as super fans of the individual performers bring others along.

“Each artist brings about 100 super fans,” he says. And it’s hoped that those fans will jump from one show to another and keep paying admission.