\ Guest post from Brian Long \

When Drake hit the worldwide music scene, he put Toronto on the map of music destinations, making it a sought after concert venue for artists around the globe.  It also shone an international spotlight on the city, creating much potential to become a music city.  But we’re still trailing behind the likes of Vancouver and celebrated American music hot spots like Portland and Cleveland.

Critics say the city needs to broaden the definition of ‘Toronto music’ as something beyond Drake, according to The Star.  For contrary to popular belief outside the area, the city actually has quite a rich and diverse scene.  With a myriad of small to mid-sized music venues across GTA, Toronto is one of the best cities in Canada for live performances that bring you up close and personal with popular bands and new favourites.

Living in a metropolis like Toronto can be tough for some in terms of music discovery, with indie artists not having as many outlets as established singers to reach out to new fans.  But something artists and fans can easily do is make better use of a device you already own: your smartphone.

Looking through Google Play and iTunes, there is a massive collection of music apps to transport you to the live music experience, such as Bandsintown Concerts, and other specific genre apps that keep you updated with ticket sales.  Although some may argue that only mainstream musicians appear to be marketed on the most successful music apps, smartphones are actually also quite useful in searching for the unknown or underground groups.

That doesn’t mean all tech hails the fledgling spirits in the music industry though, as many other digital platforms still focus on the more well known artists.  Mobile-friendly websites like Pocketfruity are more likely to stick with the King of Rock n’ Roll Elvis Presley when marketing themselves to a wider audience.  But that doesn’t mean all other platforms go by the same ethos.

The app market has opened up to include thousands of unsigned artists, with Tidal opening the floor up to indie bands and app developers sourcing music from independent musicians.  And for live music events concerning Toronto’s growing music scene, there is Jukely.

A concert app that puts you on the guest list for concerts in various music cities, Jukely expanded to Toronto last year to connect residents and visitors to the new musical talent in the city.  A monthly subscription gets you unlimited access to all of the city’s live music events, with no entrance fee or ticket required.  Simply add your name to the guest list ahead of time and check into the app once you’ve reached the venue.

But what’s a concert if you can’t share the experience with a friend?  For an additional fee, you can sign up one name in addition to yours on the guest lists (or make your friends download the app themselves).

Jukely is available as a free download on Android and iOS devices.