NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JULY 12: Alicia Keys performs onstage during Keys To The Summer Tour at … [+]
Getty Images for AKSince launching in 2018, Veeps leading live music and entertainment streaming platform has delivered thousands of live and on-demand concerts to millions of viewers worldwide, establishing itself among the likes of Billie Eilish, Bob Dylan, the Foo Fighters and Kings of Leon. Nominated for an Emmy and awarded a Guinness World Record for the world’s largest ticketed livestream performance by a solo male artist, Veeps is part of Live Nation Entertainment
LYV
(NYSE: LYV) with performances steaming on its site, Apple TV, Roku, iOS and Android.
Now through a new partnership with premier comedy label and production company 800 Pound Gorilla Media, Veeps is growing its content with premium comedy specials from performers like Kyle Kinane, Tim Heidecker and Kelsey Cook. As stand-up comedy grows across steaming, Bart Coleman, head of comedy at Veeps, says that there is an opportunity for musicians to captivate a new audience segment and elevate their fandom.
”We’ve seen firsthand the affinity that music fans have with great comedy content and know that providing access to specials of this caliber will drive even more value for Veeps All Access subscribers,” said Bart Coleman, head of Veeps comedy, in a statement.
New comedy partnerships for Veeps include SF Sketchfest, which broadcasts shows during the festival by The Kids In the Hall and Triumph the Insult Comic Dog as well as recent exclusive specials from David Cross, Brad Williams, Mo Welch and Nigel NG. Free of charge for Veeps access members are Kyle Kinane: “Shocks and Struts,” Kelsey Cook: ”The Hustler,” Tim Heidecker: “An Evening with Tim Heidecker,” Sasheer Zamata: “The First Woman” and Hari Kondabolu: “Vacation Baby.”
In addition, Veeps highlights Randy Feltface: “Purple Privilege,” Adam Cayton-Holland: “Wallpaper,” Billy Wayne Davis: “Testify,” Rory Scovel: “Live Without Fear” and Ophira Eisenberg: “Plant-Based Jokes.”
Comedian television personality Jessi Cruickshank is planning her first comedy special on the platform and says, “I feel so lucky to be working with Veeps, they’ve been so supportive of my vision and so dedicated to translating my live tour on screen for a global audience. Collaborating with Veeps has been an artist’s dream.”
Stand-up comedy has risen steadily since the advent of streaming, according to Forbes. Veeps, which started as a VIP ticketing business to help artists achieve financial and creative sustainability, pivoted during the Covid-19 pandemic to meet the need for virtual entertainment with the launch of a new video product in the live streaming space.
LOS ANGELES – MAY 24: The Late Late Show with James Corden airing Tuesday, May 24, 2022, with guests … [+]
CBS via Getty ImagesAccording to Kyle Heller, co-founder and chief product officer at Veeps, it was imperative that his company build a home for live music and entertainment where artists could create and perform at the highest level. While live entertainment is not yet an official category in live streaming, he says that it is growing more important as companies like Netflix
NFLX
enter the space.
“That’s how we became a global streaming platform. We think about how to help grow artist businesses through the platform to reach fans across the world,” says Heller. “And we use data to look at how we can positively impact touring, like selling tickets, audience building or performance scheduling.”
Television personality Blair Socci, also part of Veeps’ initial comedy specials, says that she appreciates appearing among comedians that she respects. To maintain synergy and a holistic offering for the artist community, Heller and Coleman pull data to inform their creative collaborations. Artist support also includes a suite of apps and flexible guidance with marketing, public relations and distribution.
Coleman considers the new Veeps comedy vertical to be both an exciting challenge and opportunity, and says, “Music fans like comedy, there is a ton of crossover, lots of comedians that tour with bands and lots of bands obsessed with comedians. We see cross-over every week on shows like Saturday Night Live, so we knew there was an appetite for comedy here. Stand-up (comedy) as a business is booming, and stand-up touring is bigger than ever.”
Working with Live Nation, the Veeps team had an inside look into comedy touring before adding it to the platform last November. It was a positive move, as fans have been steadily growing and audience retention runs high. Coleman says that his team will continue adding new acts and also consider licensing opportunities for completed comedy specials.
“Introducing a new opportunity to comics on an existing platform with a huge fan and subscriber base is better than starting from scratch,” Coleman says. “There are already audiences for music, and comedy is a value add, a new vertical adding to music. When we curate our comedy, we always keep it selective with the music audience in mind.”
Production quality and value are just as important as the comedians that Veeps selects to appear on its platform. Creating a premier aesthetic for global events with community interaction is key, Coleman says. Most performers do not have the luxury of shooting their professional special, so Veeps works with Live Nation to guide all aspects of tour planning and media appearances.