Concert promoter puts tickets on blockchain

Technology applied: Sizzla Kalonji is one of the headline acts at this months Syzygy Festival. Tickets for the event at The Shed, Dockyard, are being sold through a blockchain platform, which is believed to be a first in Bermuda (Photograph supplied)



Technology applied: Bunji Garlin is one of the headline acts at this months Syzygy Festival. Tickets for the event at The Shed, Dockyard, are being sold through a blockchain platform, which is believed to be a first in Bermuda (Photograph supplied)



Tickets for a concert featuring top soca stars will be available on a blockchain-based system for the first time in Bermuda.

This months Syzygy Festival, with an all-star soca and reggae line-up including international headliners Bunji Garlin and Sizzla Kalonji, has signed up Canadian-based technology company Eventchain to sell tickets, which can be bought securely and will accept payment in cryptocurrencies like bitcoin and ethereum.

Alex Marshall, an island entrepreneur, promoter of the show and a performer, said: Its the largest line-up to my knowledge of international acts on a stage in Bermuda.

And in order to hit a new tourism demographic, we are the first event ever in Bermuda where people can purchase tickets on blockchain through our partners Eventchain, which is the largest platform for this in the world right now.

People can pay with cash or pay with bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies. Its the first time outside of the United States people can do this. With Bermuda bidding to be a leader in the blockchain space, thats pretty cool.

Mr Marshall added: There is an entire demographic who hold cryptocurrency and want to spend it. Its exciting and different and will attract people from overseas.

Its tapping into a whole new demographic that not even the Bermuda Tourism Authority has tackled. We plan to do this every year and it will grow and grow.

The concert, organised by Mr Marshalls Hot Fiyah Entertainment and VAS Productions of Atlanta and Trinidad, will feature Bunji Garlin from Trinidad and Sizzla Kalonji of Jamaica alongside other top stars like Orlando Octave, Marlon Asher and Pressure Busspipe, as well as Mr Marshall, who uses the stage name Fiyah Marshall.

Other performers are still to be announced.

The event on December 29 will run from 6pm to 3am. It will be held at the former BAR Land Rover headquarters at Dockyard, which is now the concert venue The Shed.

Ashton Addison, CEO of Vancouvers Eventchain, said: We are a brand-new blockchain-based events ticketing company.

We accept cryptocurrencies like bitcoin and ethereum as well as credit cards and other traditional payment methods.

He added the site can put tickets on to the ethereum blockchain and creates a copy of the ticket so the ticket cannot be removed or counterfeited.

Mr Marshall said that a special boat service will run from Hamilton on the night of the concert, alongside Government ferries.

He added: We wanted to do something different in Bermuda. Its the same kind of parties every year and there was really nothing at this time of year.

Its a great way to blend soca and reggae and attract a new kind of tourist to Bermuda at what is traditionally a quiet time of year.

Mr Marshall added that tickets will also be available at www.ptix.bm and on Eventchain at www.eventchain.io from today.