Skip to main content

Just in time for SXSW, TheHub.fm lets you skip the lines and grab the merch

thehub.fm
Image used with permission by copyright holder

It’s a conundrum that’s plagued concert-goers since the dawn of time (or concerts): You dig the music, but you also want to support them by picking up a t-shirt … just not enough to wait an hour in line after the show. So what do you do? Just in time for SXSW music week,  there’s an app for that. TheHub.fm is an e-commerce mobile platform for bands to sell their merchandise, with a perk: Fans can use the app to buy merch during a live concert and pick up their purchase after the fanfare has died down.

Recommended Videos

TheHub also doubles as an e-commerce platform. This one though is optimized for mobile devices in more ways than the one we’ve already mentioned.

While picking up the merchandise in person is a choice, what if the size, color, or design that you’re looking for has sold out? Even if this is the case, there’s no reason to fret. Out of stock merch can be placed on backorder and once the band has the merch on hand, they can ship it out straight to your front door.

TheHub.fm founder and 32 year music industry veteran Jonathan Block is also experimenting with bridging the gap between how bands interact with fans beyond this e-commerce model. “As our community loses value for culture in a free download digital era, this new platform is focused on uniting the elements of merchandising, music sales and live shows for bands and their fans in a new way. The music business has needed a tool that improves the direct band-to-fan relationship for a long time,” Block says.

TheHub.fm is full of features for fans to get a chance to know and meet the bands. Free digital downloads, exclusive tracks, and direct interaction with bands are available, as are a host of other tools. Bands can also customized the easy-to-setup digital storefronts. 

Right now TheHub.fm is in the negotiation and courting stages to bring on more bands to try out and hopefully adopt the platform. But Block says that bands aren’t the only types of customers he’s talking to and is interested in getting designers and brands on board too. 

Francis Bea
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Francis got his first taste of the tech industry in a failed attempt at a startup during his time as a student at the…
A smartwatch that’s determined to improve your golf game is $100 off today
A trio of Garmin Approach S62 smart watches.

Most smartwatches are made to help you understand your body's performance in a wide variety of sports and activities. Many of the best smartwatches brag about the number of sports modes, giving numbers like "150" or "400+" to show the wide range of activities you can do with the watch. But, truth be told, we all know that a jack of all trades can easily be mistaken for a master of none.

That's why we think you'll be interested in this deal on the Garmin Approach S62. It's a GPS golf watch that acts as a virtual caddie and constant companion during your golf game while also tracking steps and giving you a good look at your overall fitness. It's usually $500, but you can get one on Amazon for just $400 today, saving you $100. This deal is likely somewhat related to the watch being discontinued for newer models by Garmin, so be sure to buy it now if you want it — this deal could very well sell out.

Read more
It looks like the big Galaxy S24 One UI 7 update is about to restart
The welcome screen for One UI 7 on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.

If you’ve got a Samsung Galaxy S24 in your hand, then it’s time to start checking the software update page again, as it appears the much-delayed One UI 7 update has restarted in South Korea. It means there’s a strong chance it will also be sent out to global Galaxy S24-series phones in the near future. 

Samsung phone owners will be aware of how much hassle the One UI 7 update has been for the brand’s top 2024 smartphones. Not only has it been a long-time coming — One UI 7 arrived with the Galaxy S25 in January — but when it did eventually arrive last week, a serious flaw related to locking and unlocking the phone was discovered and the update was abruptly stopped. 

Read more
Android 16 is finally expanding beyond Google Pixel phones
Android 16 logo on Google Pixel 6a held in hand.

The next major build of Android has reached a handful of new milestones, ahead of its public release. Google has just started the rollout of Android 16’s fourth beta update, reaching the second platform stability. 

Developers who have optimized their apps to target Android 16 can now ship their updates via the Google Play Store. The latest beta update is also the near-final version, as all the app behaviours and background functionalities have been finalized. 

Read more