Project ideas from Hacker News discussions.

New Zealand lost its music media, and what we're building to replace it

Original Article

Hacker News Discussion

📝 Discussion Summary (Click to expand)

3 Prevalent Themes

Theme	Supporting Quote
Live music venues are under pressure – many pubs and small venues are closing, and the remaining gigs are often DJs or cover bands rather than diverse local acts.	“The venue scene is struggling, with only occasional highlights; most places are DJ's and cover bands to fill the gaps at the local RSL.” – ColdStream
COVID‑19 measures and lingering concerns – New Zealand’s strict lockdowns impacted venues, and many commenters argue that COVID never truly ended, affecting audience confidence.	“Covid never ended. It's still here, killing and disabling people, but vaccines and antivirals make it less prevalent.” – sitharus
Quality journalism is eroding, and AI‑generated pieces risk replacing human‑written coverage of local scenes – critics say authentic local reporting is needed and that AI slop is falling short.	“If you want to promote the arts, start by using your own words.” – frereubu

🚀 Project Ideas

LocalGigHub

Summary

A community‑driven weekly gig guide that aggregates local venues, event listings, and artist spotlights to revive grassroots music scenes.
Core value: One‑stop, human‑curated schedule that replaces scattered forum posts and AI‑generated “slop”.

Details

Key	Value
Target Audience	Independent venue owners, DIY promoters, local musicians, and music fans in NZ/AU/UK
Core Feature	Auto‑generated, searchable gig calendar sourced from venue sign‑ups and user submissions, with editorial tagging
Tech Stack	React frontend, Node.js/Express API, PostgreSQL, server‑side cron jobs for scraping venue sites
Difficulty	Medium
Monetization	Revenue-ready: Freemium with premium venue listings ($15/mo) and event‑boost ads

Notes

HN commenters repeatedly lament the loss of quality local press and the rise of AI filler, so a human‑curated guide hits that pain point directly.
Launch in Wellington/Melbourne as pilot, then expand; early traction likely from volunteers who already maintain grassroots listings.

VenueLink Marketplace

Summary

An online marketplace that matches small venues with independent promoters and artists, automating contract creation and revenue split tracking.
Core value: Streamlines the logistical nightmare of gig booking, reducing venue closures caused by administrative burden.

Details

Key	Value
Target Audience	Small bar owners, event promoters, touring indie artists, and venue booking agents
Core Feature	End‑to‑end booking portal with automated contracts, payment escrow, and split‑revenue calculators
Tech Stack	Next.js, Firebase Auth, Firestore, Stripe for payments, Go microservices for contract logic
Difficulty	High
Monetization	Revenue-ready: 5% transaction fee on each booked event

Notes

Discussions about venue closures and the “cost of tickets” frustration signal a need for easier deal‑making tools; HN users have expressed a desire for “something that just works”.
Potential partnership with community‑run venues could provide organic user base; early adopters are likely to spread via music forums.

ArtistDiscovery Studio

Summary

A platform that helps New Zealand musicians amplify their work with professionally written press releases, interview kits, and targeted promotion without AI‑generated fluff.
Core value: Turns passionate musicians into their own PR engines using vetted human writers and data‑driven audience targeting.

Details

Key	Value
Target Audience	Independent NZ musicians, small labels, music journalists, niche bloggers
Core Feature	Community of vetted writers who produce custom press kits; distribution to curated music blogs and playlist curators
Tech Stack	Django backend, Django Rest Framework, S3 storage, Mailgun API, React front‑end
Difficulty	Medium
Monetization	Hobby

Notes

Concerns over “AI slop” replacing genuine coverage resonate here; musicians have voiced frustration at low‑quality press and lack of exposure.
Highlighted by HN comments praising community‑run guides; a service that elevates authentic artist stories should attract early adopters and media attention.