Livestreaming company Driift expands into Australia and New Zealand

Livestreaming company Driift has announced its expansion into Australia and New Zealand.

UK-based Driift launched in August and was co-founded by Ric Salmon and Brian Message of ATC Management. In its brief time operating, the company has already presented performances from Nick Cave, Biffy Clyro, Laura Marling and Dermot Kennedy, among others.

The company has hired Perth promoter Paul ‘Sloanie’ Sloan to head up operations down under.

Along with the expansion, Driift intends to produce a range of shows from the region’s artists in venues across both countries. The first of these shows will be announced in the coming weeks.

“What the industry needs now is another mechanism other than live performance to ensure artists and all their connected industry partners can still connect with fans and survive in a world where physical shows are just so uncertain and unreliable,” Sloan said.

“I think this curated approach will become one of the primary tools the artists and industry use to navigate us through these dark times – and beyond. I’m looking forward to seeing some great stuff happen with this great team.”

Salmon added that the expansion into Australia was an “obvious step” considering Aussies’ interest in livestreamed events over the course of the year.

“In what’s been a tough year, the growth of paid-for livestreaming has provided our industry with one of its few shoots of optimism,” he said.

“At Driift, we believe this is a format with enormous untapped potential, and one where the pandemic has unlocked previously unforeseen demand for unique, one-off, artist-led events”

The announcement comes as Driift prepares to present two livestreams for Kylie Minogue and Niall Horan this weekend. More than a combined 125,000 tickets have been sold for these shows.