Laptop of the pops

Thanks to downloading, live shows are taking over from recordings as the major earner for musicians. But with rising ticket prices and often huge demand, many of us cannot make the gigs we’d like to. This has only enhanced the demand for “being there” recordings.

There have long been collectors and traders of such live tapes — most notably Grateful Dead fans — whose lives have been changed by dedicated websites. One such, DimeADozen.org, has become the place to download concerts via BitTorrent. Although it does not give out invitations and works on a one-in, one-out basis for its 100,001 registered users, the chance to sign up does often arise and once you do join, the riches on offer are many — from jazz to singer- songwriter to Southern rock. There are live shows from Guns N’ Roses, Tom Waits, Sly and the Family Stone, Miles Davis and the Krautrock pioneers Can. Newer acts include Arctic Monkeys and the Mars Volta. Users need not fear legal problems — the moderators have ensured no commercial material is available.