[dropcap]C[/dropcap]over Tonight hopes to make a name for itself by giving you last-minute nightlife options in real time, but there’s one event they want you to know about in advance: tonight’s launch party at T.T. The Bear’s Place. The moble app, coming in March, is celebrating tonight at the Cambridge rock club with three of Massachusetts’ finest bands — Girls Guns & Glory, Herra Terra, and the Field Effect — and hopes to spread the word about how Cover Tonight can change the way you go out.
We caught up with Mike Nastri, who serves as Cover Tonight’s liaison between the clubs, bands, and restaurants, to see what Cover Tonight is all about and how it can help the Boston music scene.
Michael Marotta: So what exactly is Cover Tonight, in regular people speak?
Mike Nastri: Cover tonight is a Boston-based app that will allow users and businesses to interact in real time. The user taps the app, touches the “I’m Hungry,” or “I’m Bored” button and businesses within close geographical proximity can send offers catered directly to the user. We call these interactions “shouts.”
So it’s also not just limited to live music…
Not at all. CoverTonight also aims to serve restaurants, night clubs, and bars in the area — everything focusing on impulsive forms of entertainment, whether it may be going out to dinner or going out to a show. Specials from nearby restaurants, a reduced cover or VIP service from a nightclub, etc. Ultimately, businesses are given the opportunity to engage and offer in real-time fashion deals that are specific to them to an impulsive audience looking to do something at that given moment.
You might sign on to CoverTonight and find the best restaurant special that you’ve ever seen, or the best show you never would have known was going on. It’s all about impulse and just “shouting” out when you feel like doing something.
When does it launch?
Mid-March in the IOS App-store.
How can it help the Boston music scene, and people who go to shows in general?
The Boston music scene is vibrant, diverse, and addictive. The concerts that happen are marketed to a very specific demographic. Cover Tonight’s involvement with music halls and artists looks to expand that for them. We want people who might not have otherwise gone to your venue or seen your performance to come out on a whim. The show-goer gets deals brought to their phone from the closest music halls, or maybe a t-shirt or exclusive digital download is offered directly from the band. The artist gets exposure to a new potential fan, and the venue increases its door and bar sales. We want the scene to thrive and all of the venues to be able to keep the lights on, the amps blasting, and the bar staff smiling.
Any special perks to attending the launch party tonight at T.T.’s? It’s quite a varied lineup!
We’ll be giving away a few pairs of tickets to Cover Tonight’s next concert, which will take place at the end of March and will feature an equally impressive lineup.
I wanted to offer a varied lineup to make sure that there is something for everyone. I hand-picked the best in indie, electro, dance, pop, and country, shot emails to Girls Guns and Glory, Herra Terra, and the Field Effect and just hoped that my dream show would come together. We’re lucky to have them on board, and to get to see these bands play for $5 is unheard of.
COVER TONIGHT LAUNCH PARTY WITH GIRLS GUNS AND GLORY + HERRA TERRA + THE FIELD EFFECT :: Tuesday, February 25 @ T.T. The Bear’s Place, 10 Brookline St., Cambridge :: 8:30 p.m., 18-plus $5 :: advance tickets :: facebook event page
