Exploring Fred again..'s journey: bridging the gap from Discord to real life

Written by Taz Sharp

For many music fans, live shows are the highlight of their relationship with an artist.

It can be hard to go to live events, however, if you have to go to an unfamiliar place or show up on your own. Which is why an online community perfectly complements live events as fans and superfans chat, make plans and bond with each other before, during and after the show. Levellr works with clients from Fall Out Boy to Starbucks to build communities of superfans who do just that.

Fred again.. is a great example of an artist nurturing his community and empowering fans to take their passion and excitement of the online space to the real world. From exclusive rewards to dedicated threads for each live show, here's some of the ways Fred again.. and his team tie live events to online engagement - making both online and real-world experiences unforgettable for fans.

URL to IRL

Any artist, sports team or brand can benefit from a group of fans gathering in safe and dedicated spaces like a Discord community. At Levellr we work with artists and brands to set up, grow, manage and monetise online communities. We see time and again how an online community can super-charge a live event for individual fans and for the crowd as a whole - even for fans who weren't even there.

As the artist and producer Fred again.. sees his popularity soar, he’s continued to show up and show love for his fans in the Discord community dedicated to him and his music. He checks in with fans, invites collaboration, and ensures fans from the Discord community make it to live shows and exclusive events.

The real-time communication of this kind of community makes it the perfect place to amplify magical moments, like Fred's last-minute London DJ set or fans loving his Lollapalooza afterparty. When an issue with tickets caused fans to worry they would miss out on the Lolla after-party event, Fred and his team got 50 fans on the guestlist an hour before the show. Even fans who weren't there appreciated the gesture as the community was flooded with love and thank you messages.

Screenshot of a Discord chat.
Fred again.. fans send their love and appreciation in his Discord community.

On Discord we were able to create small dedicated spaces for each live show, which meant Fred and his team had specific dedicated spaces to find and mobilise fans in real time. Unlike traditional social media, Discord is a community platform specifically geared to this type of community messaging where fans are able to engage with one another extensively. That makes it the only logical home for this type of activity and activation.

Whether they're asking for advice about an unfamiliar town or fans from a particular country linking up with people who speak the same language, the server is a great place for gig-goers to talk in advance. In these gig-specific spaces, fans immediately came together and began planning pre-show meet-ups. Fans from all over the world come to the server to make friends they can meet at shows, ensuring they have a great time with like-minded people.

Screenshot of a Discord chat.
Fred again.. fans make plans to meet up at his shows.

This is another example of how moderators recruited from within the community can lead and unite fellow members. For Fred's five-night run of shows at London's iconic Alexandra Palace, moderators arranged meet-ups at a local pub which played Fred's music and welcomed fans who wanted to make friends and grab food beforehand. Mods also thoughtfully prepared an opportunity for people arriving on their own to join others and go to the gig.

Keeping the buzz going

The fun doesn't stop when everyone heads home. The community boosts the live experience - and vice versa. Still buzzing from a show, fans continue to drive engagement over the following days by sharing their photos and videos and excitedly debating their favourite songs or moments.

Fred's community already generates dozens of pieces of community content each day, and this spikes around live shows as fans share and reminisce.This continued engagement fills the server with a treasure trove of community-general content, which an artist or brand can take advantage of and reward fans. Levellr provides a simple and accessible dashboard for community owners to quickly see and surface the best and most popular content from fans.

Screenshot of a Discord chat.
Fred again.. fans keep the live show buzz going on Discord.

Levellr's community management tools also allow brands and artists like Fred again.. and his team to gain valuable data and insight about his fans. This journey exemplifies how an artist can leverage Discord to foster a passionate and engaged fan base that transcends the digital realm, creating meaningful connections into real life.

The way Fred again.. bridges the gap from Discord to real life is a testament to the power of community engagement. His Discord server has evolved into a vibrant hub where fans not only connect virtually but also come together in person before, during and after live shows. Their shared passion and excitement extends beyond the music. With Levellr's help, brands and artists like Fred again.. create a powerful loop of engagement between online community and live events that enriches both.

Your superfans are waiting. Contact Levellr today to find out how you can build a community which works for your brand.

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