Revolvr Is Building a Database to Connect Colorado Bands to Fans

Hunting hot new local music takes commitment – many of us devote our otherwise worthless lives to it — but not everyone has that kind of time. Now, as it turns out, there’s an app for that.

Or at least there will be. “We’re very, very new,” says Matt Cannata, co-founder of Revolvr, an in-development app that aims to do the legwork of connecting hungry fans with local bands. “We’re focusing on Colorado artists,” adds Cannata, who, along with co-developer David Dasher, runs the company’s business end. “Right now we’re getting together a database of bands, and we’re looking to release the app once we get to 100 artists. We’ve signed about thirty up so far.”

Here’s how it works: Bands upload two songs to the app and select from each one a twenty-second clip – the break, so to speak – that they think will show the song off best. On the listening end, the app shuffles new-music seekers through a semi-random selection of those twenty-second clips. If listeners hear something they like, they can click to listen to the full track and learn more about the band, in addition to listening to the other track.


Cannata, not a musician himself but just a guy who likes going to local shows, has been working with Dasher on developing an app related to local music for a few years; Revolvr is a refinement of their approach. “The idea has evolved from a battle-of-the-bands kind of style where artists could get upvoted, like Reddit,” he notes. 

Now the app will filter clips in a variety of ways, including by geography. “Our goal was to get these local artists more fans by directing them to go see live shows, and the plan down the line is for artists to be able to sell tickets," he explains. "When you go on the app, say you’re in downtown Denver, the app would play bands that were going to be playing shows in downtown Denver that night.”

Revolvr plans to launch when the database reaches 100 artists, and bands are invited to sign up via revolvrapp.com — but the company won't be paying royalties right now. “Just while we’re starting up,” Cannata adds. “We want artists to get paid for their music, no doubt. We just can’t right now.”

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