CDs With A Different Commercial Purpose

Tour-only CDs are catching on with indie-label musicians and their fans. They’re ‘low-concept, short-production-run discs typically sold only at concerts and usually recorded live or in the artist’s home-studio. Tour discs might contain early versions of songs that will make it onto future label releases, unedited recordings of live shows, or a selection of what will ultimately turn out to be rareties. For musicians it’s a “chance to raise a little bit of extra cash while they’re out on the road, the opportunity to experiment musically in the presence of a friendly audience, or simply a way to provide music without worrying about whether it’s the best artistic or career move.”