Vocana and Sonicbids Celebrate Indie Artists with “Pay the Artists: A Vocana Live Series” at Iconic NYC Venues

Two committed advocates of independent artists, Sonicbids and Vocana are announcing a new collaboration, “Pay the Artists: A Vocana Live Series”, a series of six concerts that runs through April. This series harnesses live music’s discovery superpower and supports all the players that power the indie music community. The program will showcase independent artists at five independent New York venues, SugarMouse, SourMouse, Drom, Arlene’s Grocery, and Berlin, with a kickoff event at Arlene’s Grocery on January 21.

For Pay the Artists, Sonicbids will curate lineups that reflect the shared indie ethos of the two companies and the communities they support. Fans will have access to discounted ticket offers for these events when they download Vocana. Artists will receive a $200 guarantee bonus, as well as the full ticket price with the discount subsidized by Vocana. 

The two company’s missions shake hands perfectly. Both have a passionate commitment to artists who are forging their own paths creatively and professionally. SonicBids has opened up millions of live performance opportunities for musicians thanks to its marketplace, introducing artists to new fans. Vocana, currently in public beta with a launch slated for this year, was created to make music streaming fairer and more rewarding for indie artists, blending human curation, more data for artists, direct connections between artists and fans, and a better payout model. 

“Pay the Artists is designed to uplift the independent music community where it already exists, undergirding the ecosystem of artists, fans, and venues at every step. We are supporting musicians where they already play, at venues that support them, while delighting fans with great ticket prices,” notes Neil Sheehan, president of Vocana. “The series is an extension of what we already see happening on Vocana, as humans connect with humans to discover and boost independent music.”

“Live music is one of the best ways to hear something new, for artists to connect with fans, something Sonicbids has been facilitating for indie artists for decades. This collaboration with Vocana offers something to everyone involved, anyone who wants to keep music independent and vibrant in an era of slop and algorithms,” reflects Dan Melnick, owner and CEO of Sonicbids. “We’ve created some inspiring lineups we know music fans will love, at venues dedicated to supporting new music.”

Kickoff Event: Pay the Artists: A Vocana Live Series: The Blend #4

INDUSTRY MIXER & SHOW
In collaboration with Tealeaf Collective
Arlene’s Grocery (95 Stanton, NYC)
January 21, 2026; doors at 6:30, show at 7:30
Shannon Summers / Tiger Would / Lady Lychee

Tickets: Get discounted tickets at vocana.co/live-discount
21+ ONLY / 100% ID CHECK - NYC ID AND PHOTOS OF ID NOT ACCEPTED

About SonicBids

Established in 2001, Sonicbids pioneered online music representation and became the industry’s leading marketplace connecting artists with promoters, venues, and career-defining opportunities worldwide. With more than 500,000 artists on the platform, Sonicbids remains the go-to destination for musicians and talent seekers looking to book, discover, and collaborate.

Advance Music Technologies, LLC—one of the world’s leading live-music technology companies—acquired Sonicbids in 2024. We combine cutting-edge technology with deep industry experience to build the tools independent artists and venues need today, including solutions that haven’t existed before. Through ongoing partnerships, research, and continuous innovation, Advance is bringing the future of live music to life one show at a time.

About Vocana

Founded by music lovers and indie-music veterans, Vocana (vocana.co) is an indie-only streaming platform designed to strengthen the relationship between artists and fans. Built around user-centric payments, direct artist-fan connection, human-led discovery, and transparent, actionable artist-level data, Vocana enables fans to directly support the artists they listen to and enables artists to truly understand their audience. Vocana is currently in public beta.