Bootleg: Beyond The Setlist. The Quiet Cues
Notes on live music, connection, and the emerging future, by Bootleg founder and CEO Rod Yancy
🎤 Sound Check
There’s a dimension to entrepreneurship that goes beyond data and strategy. It’s something harder to define, but just as important.
When building a company like Bootleg, I spend plenty of time analyzing trends, refining the product and thinking several steps ahead. But I also believe in listening to something less tangible: intuition.
For me, intuition means staying grounded in practices like meditation and learning to trust what feels deeply aligned, even when it doesn’t come with a spreadsheet. Every now and then, something unexpected happens that feels like a nudge in the right direction.
Recently I got invited to attend two nights of LCD Soundsystem shows in Dallas. The first night I found myself backstage, which was surreal to say the least.
The next day I ended up in a conversation with the band’s production manager. As we talked, the conversation drifted from music into deeper territory about creative alignment, purpose and timing.
At one point, I paused and asked myself: how did I end up here? Why does he seem so genuinely interested in what we’re building?
Then, just making conversation and trying to get out of my head, I asked who else he worked with. He mentioned several impressive artists, and then out of nowhere mentioned a spiritual figure named Amma Das.
Later that night, the name was still rattling around in my head and I googled her. The first result? An article about her on the website of Ram Dass, whose books have been truly inspiring to me.
It was a small moment, but it stuck with me. A quiet confirmation.
Stay the course.
⚡️ Live Wire
The industry’s moving fast. I’m just trying to stay tuned in, and share what I hear along the way.
Beyoncé Ticket Prices Dip (and So Does the Illusion of Endless Growth)
It’s wild to see floor tickets for Beyoncé, arguably the most iconic performer of our time, going for under $80. Some call it a recession indicator, but I think it’s more than that. It’s a reminder that even the biggest stars are still navigating the shifting sands of fan demand, ticketing fatigue, and economic pressure.
The takeaway? No one is immune to the need for reinvention. Artists, big and small, are rethinking what touring looks like, how to make it sustainable, and how to stay connected with fans in more lasting, less extractive ways.
Link: MarketWatch: Beyoncé tickets selling for under $60
🎟️ Backstage Pass
At Bootleg, we help artists capture and sell high-quality audio recordings and photographs from their shows so fans can collect and relive the moment, and artists can keep earning beyond the encore.
What’s Moving
📸 New ways to connect: We just launched fan photo uploads inside the Bootleg app. Now, in addition to exclusive pro shots, fans can share their own pics from the show, turning each Bootleg into a collaborative and personal digital keepsake.
💖 Music with a mission: We’ve started giving artists the option to pick a charity to receive a portion of their Bootleg sales. It’s a powerful way for artists to give back while deepening their connection to the fans. First up is Evan Honer, who chose Backline, a nonprofit supporting mental health for musicians.
🎵 Fade Out
One thing I’ve learned in music, business, and life is that the most important signals aren’t always the loudest.
The industry will keep shifting. Technology will keep evolving. But intuition remains a steady guide, if we’re willing to listen.
Here’s to trusting the quiet cues. And staying open to where they lead.
With gratitude,
Founder & CEO, Bootleg.live