Monkeys + Wapping = the Future 

Saturday night saw the launch of the world's first fan driven gig. Until now promoters dictated who was available and only the rich could afford private gigs. Owngig.com brings people together to bid for bespoke private gigs. Wapping was the unlikely location for this new era with 80s favourite The Blow Monkeys playing local venue, The Prospect of Whitby.   

The site, which launched less than six months ago has already seen buzz from fans of bands from Tom Waits to The Jonas Brothers. Owngig.com tracks the building interest, identifying those who have attracted enough bids to plan a unique event. Launched less than six months ago, the site has already seen significant grassroots interest and other gigs are already in the planning.

"The response we've seen from fans since we launched the site has been incredible," explained Richard Davies, Managing Director of Owngig.com, "We've seen discussion and bids coming from fan sites all over the internet - from small obscure acts to stadium filling megastars like David Bowie. What we think appeals to the fans is the potential to see who they want, when they want, where they want. It's a unique experience."

Dr. Robert, lead singer of the Blow Monkeys added, "It's been a great experience for us, allowing us to get really close to our fans in a unique venue. The Prospect is where we started our career so it's allowed us literally to get back to our roots."