The idea is to offer safe and versatile event experiences for people who don’t want to go to concerts alone.
Many of us like to participate in cultural events. However, it is not always possible to find like-minded company to attend, for example, a certain concert. Then it may seem easier to stay at home. Tampereen Kulttuurikamari Ltd. is now aiming to solve this problem by piloting a new Keikkakaveri service at Tullikamari and Tavara-asema. With the help of Keikkakaveri, anyone could find themselves a gig buddy.
“We believe that there is a demand for this kind of service. Although many people enjoy going to cultural events by themselves, it is not an option for everyone. Being alone at a concert can feel unsafe or boring when you don’t get to share the experience with another music fan”, says production manager Lotta Ahtinen from Tampereen Kulttuurikamari.
According to the Festival and Venue Barometer 2022, up to 14 percent of survey respondents say that they go to gigs and concerts mostly by themselves. However, 18 percent of them think that it would be nice to have company at least during the breaks in the concert.
In our own social media survey, even more than 70 percent of the respondents said that they had sometimes decided not to attend a gig because they didn’t have company. 60 percent of the respondents, on the other hand, said that they would like to attend a concert with a gig buddy.
Sharing the event experience
In practice, the idea of the Keikkakaveri service is this: Anyone can sign up for finding a gig buddy. When filling in the registration form, they can share their thoughts, for example, about what kind of a gig buddy they are looking for or what type of event they are hoping to attend.
Gig buddies are volunteers. The task does not require any special skills. However, a short training on the principles of Keikkakaveri concept is given to all volunteers. The role of a gig buddy is not to act as an assistant but to simply accompany another visitor to share the event experience.
A gig buddy for a person is chosen with the help of the information they have provided via the registration form. After this, the two can participate in the event of their choice at Tullikamari or Tavara-asema. Keikkakaveri activity is substance-free and it is based on voluntariness, openness and trust.
“With this new service, we want to improve the accessibility of cultural events. Asking a gig buddy for company is a good option if attending a concert alone feels stressful. Also, it is always possible to contact us in advance and ask for individual arrangements, for example, for arriving at the gig”, Ahtinen says.
Looking for volunteers to join the pilot!
The Keikkakaveri service has not yet been officially launched, but it will be tested at Tullikamari and Tavara-asema during 2024. We are now looking for volunteers to participate in the pilot. Would you be interested in trying out what it’s like to attend a concert with a gig buddy?
Apply by filling out the registration form below. You can share your wishes and thoughts about the Keikkakaveri service either as a potential user or a potential gig buddy – or both! Please remember to fill in all the sections of the form according to the instructions.
Application form: Keikkakaveri pilot 2024
Photo: Rudi Pohjaniemi