A new self-hosted application called Bandstand aims to give working bands a single place for chord charts, setlists and rehearsal planning. The project describes itself as a Docker-deployed band management tool released under the AGPL-3.0 open-source licence. Its developer shared the announcement on Reddit, linking to a demo with fake data and to the project's source code on GitHub.
The tool targets a problem many amateur and semi-professional groups know well: charts, setlists and schedules are scattered across phone notes, shared documents and group chats. Bandstand tries to bring those pieces together and let each band run its own copy on a home server, a small cloud machine or even a Raspberry Pi.
What the tool covers
According to the project's description, Bandstand handles three core jobs: managing song charts, building setlists and scheduling rehearsals. Each area has a few notable features that set it apart from a simple document folder.
Charts, versions and setlists
Charts are written in ChordPro, a plain-text format widely used by musicians to store lyrics and chords. Bandstand can transpose a song to a new key, display chord diagrams and include notation or tablature for horn lines and riffs. Every edit is saved as a version, so a band can compare changes with diffs or restore an earlier arrangement.
Setlists are divided into sets and breaks. Each song carries its own key and timing, and the whole list can be exported as a PDF. For bands that have used another app, Bandstand can import backups from OnSong, including the sets inside them, as well as Google Docs exports and ChordPro files. Everything can be exported again as a single JSON file, which reduces the risk of being locked into one platform.
Stage mode and rehearsal planning
The stage mode is designed for live performance. It stores the full set on the device so it keeps working without an internet connection, which matters in venues with poor reception. It also accepts input from a Bluetooth foot pedal, letting a player turn pages hands-free.
Rehearsal scheduling is built from each member's availability, so the app can suggest times when everyone is free. A calendar feed allows those sessions to appear in the calendar apps members already use. A single installation can host several bands, and each can have its own name, icon and, if the owner wishes, its own domain.
Getting it running
The project provides a Docker Compose file. According to the README-style instructions in the announcement, setup involves downloading the compose file, creating an environment file with a database password, and starting the containers. The application is then reachable on port 3000, and the first screen walks the user through creating a band and an account.
The developer says the Docker image is multi-arch, so it runs on a Raspberry Pi as well as standard servers. The compose file includes a nightly Postgres backup using pg_dump, and an optional Caddy profile can add HTTPS. The underlying stack is Next.js, Postgres and Prisma.
For bands without the time or inclination to manage a server, the project also offers a hosted version at $12 per year per band. The developer says that fee covers the cost of running the server. The self-hosted edition, according to the announcement, includes every feature and holds nothing back.
Why the licence and model matter
The AGPL-3.0 licence requires that anyone who runs a modified version of the software as a network service must also make their changes available to users. That is a stronger requirement than the more permissive MIT or Apache licences, and it is often chosen by projects that want to keep improvements in the open. For a band tool, it also means a community could fork the project if the original stopped being maintained.
The pricing approach is also worth noting. Charging a small annual fee for hosting while keeping the self-hosted code complete is a model used by several open-source projects. It gives users who prefer not to run servers a simple option and gives technically inclined users full control.
Points readers should weigh
The announcement is a self-description by the project's developer, and it has not been independently tested or reviewed by a third party. Readers evaluating the tool should check the demo and the GitHub repository directly before relying on it for live performances.
The developer also disclosed that the project was built with the help of AI tools and that they review and test all of the code. That disclosure is increasingly common in open-source projects, and it invites the same scrutiny that any new software deserves, particularly around data backups and user accounts. The developer has asked for issues and blunt feedback, which suggests the project is still early and actively shaping its features.
Bandstand is a niche tool, but its combination of standard file formats, offline performance tools and a low-cost hosted option reflects a broader trend. Bands that want control over their own material now have more open alternatives to commercial services. Whether Bandstand becomes a regular fixture in rehearsal rooms will depend on how it performs in real use and how the community responds to the feedback the developer has invited.
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