lively111Like many recording artists before it, a Seattle-born mobile app that allows music fans to download live recordings from artists they like, landed a big advance from investors.

Lively, the brainchild of entrepreneur Dean Graziano, announced today that it raised $500,000 in a seed round from a number of investors, including Seattle’s Second Avenue Partners and Pat Collins, the President and COO of performance rights group SESAC.

In a music economy that’s being increasingly driven by merchandise sales and live performances rather than album sales, Lively’s app offers artists a way to connect with their fans and earn money off the sales of officially-sanctioned bootlegs.

Graziano,  who previously founded Bellevue social media analytics company Visible Technologies, plans to use the funds to expand the company’s staff, as well as open a performance space to host live recording sessions for artists who release content through Lively. Lively, which Graziano started after watching music fans try to capture video on their phones at the Deck The Hall Ball concert in Seattle last year, allows fans to purchase audio of a concert for $4.99, and audio and video for $9.99. The audio of the show is available almost immediately after the performance, while video is available about 24 hours later.

“Lively’s concept is a game-changer for the music industry,” Mike Slade, an investor at Second Avenue Partners, said in a statement. “Dean Graziano’s team has put together a truly disruptive service that will radically improve the way that artists and fans look at live performances. As the company grows to reach more artists and fans, it’s going to be very exciting to see how Lively’s service will impact the music industry and transform the live music experience.”

Lively is currently available on iOS and Android.

Previously on GeekWire: Bootlegs 2.0: Lively app allows you to take concert memories home for $9.99

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