A great recent development in concert merchandise is the USB wristband. Many musicians are jumping on board with programs that allow them to distribute albums, photographs, and live recordings — even a recording of the same night’s show — on small USB storage devices that clip around the fan’s wrist.
What exactly is it?
A USB wristband is a digital storage device in the shape of a small rubber bracelet. One end of the wristband features a USB plug that connects the device to almost any computer. The USB wristband lets fans purchase digital content from the merchandise booth at a concert, and download it to their Mac or PC later.
Buy a recording of the show you just enjoyed
In this author’s humble opinion, the best and most innovative use of the USB wristband is to load them with recording’s of the same night’s performance. Soundboard technicians immediately load up the tiny devices with a recording of that night’s show, letting fans purchase a copy on their way out of the venue.
My O.A.R. USB wristband
I recently attended an O.A.R. show at Jones Beach in Wantagh, NY where USB wristbands were available. The wristband cost $30, and contained the band’s latest album, a live recording of their hometown show at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD, and an assortment of photographs. All-in-all, it is a great package that is well worth the price.
O.A.R. advertised that night’s performance would be available on USB wristband, but the band was prevented from recording the show (more on that here).
Easy to install
The O.A.R. wristband showed right up on my Mac, and all of its contents were easily able to be browsed through the Finder. The music was in DRM-free MP3 format, which I simply dragged-and-dropped into iTunes. There were also links to the band’s website, and a flash-powered photo gallery.
On a PC, a USB wristband should be just as simple to work with. It should show up as a removable drive under “My Computer”. Some wristbands may also come with software that launches automatically when you plug the device into your PC.
