The bootleg cassette tape was coveted; a tape recorded capturing a live concert of your favorite band, which many times, included distracting elements much like all the cell phone videos we see today. But as technology became increasingly advanced, some artists started to bypass the bootleg and record the show for fan consumption. Bruce Springsteen is the latest to bring “instant live recordings”, basically recordings of the show you just saw to your iPod in a matter of a day or two, and sometimes only hours, to fans.
Rolling Stone reported The Boss is exploring the idea and may even have everything up and running by the time his tour resumes with shows in South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.
The offering of live recordings by the artist has been around for many years, most notably by Pearl Jam where they have been offering high quality sound, full length concerts to their fans for over 15 years. Now in the digital age, sites like Livedownloads.com work with artists such as The Black Crowes, Pearl Jam, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, and many others to offer instant downloads to fans, almost eliminating the bootlegger completely.
While nothing is confirmed yet, Springsteen manager Jon Landau only stated on when this might happen, "We're trying to keep the surprises coming.”
Image: Wikimedia Commons
