In wake of the coronavirus concerns and restrictions, Offset has entered a venture that could increase the current demand for live concerts.
The multi-platinum Migos member has partnered with events and entertainment company Axis Replay to create AXSD Media, a production company that will specialize in live and virtually-streamed events. The partnership officially kicks off on Friday (September 11) with the AXR+EXP Concert Series. The monthly concert series will feature new and emerging artists performing live for fans.
“With COVID-19 shutting down performances, it’s tough on artists mentally and financially; especially emerging artists,” Offset tells HipHopDX in a statement. “AXSD Media offers a solution that let’s artists do what they love in-person as safely as possible while still reaching fans virtually at the same time. We need to interact with our fans in-person and virtually. AXSD Media found a way to make that happen.”
Offset’s business manager and day one supporter Latabia Woodward explained the partnership is just as vital for the talent as it the fans saying, “Artists do not want to perform in an empty room and a camera. A performance is only as good as the experience shared with fans. What people tend to forget after months of zoom meetings, hours on streams, and isolation is that fans want a connection.”
A June 2020 “hybrid” experience with singer YK Osiris used social distancing as an uptick, selling 35,000 virtual tickets to the event while less than 50 peopled attended the actual live performance.
Allie Young, CEO of Axis Replay, echoed Offset’s sentiments, honing in on the importance to keep live music pumping into the ecosystem.
“The AXR+EXP Concert Series will be the new standard for live and virtual performances,” Young suggests. “Our company’s mission is to create experience-focused activations and that has translated well into streamed productions. Being a part of the music, entertainment, gaming and sports ecosystem, it made a lot of sense for us to leverage our experience and expertise to reconnect the industries that have been devastated by this pandemic.”
Photo: AXSD Media
The inaugural AXR+EXP Concert Series will broadcast on FutureStream on Friday at the CODA Building in Atlanta, in accordance with CDC guidelines. Artists will not only be competing for a cash prize but also the opportunity to open up for an A-lister to start an upcoming show on September 26. Scheduled performers include Netflix Hustle + Flow alum Caleb Colossus, Foreign Jade, Brendon G, DreDay 3.0, Bria Anai, Butta Baby & Papi Curt, Keeyen Martin, Timothy Isaiah and Kiya Lacey.
Tickets can be purchased at www.axrexp.com and through Instagram.