US nu-metal band Limp Bizkit is considering broadcasting gigs to cinemas by satellite after seeing the success of an experiment by rock band Korn.

Management company The Firm said Limp Bizkit and fellow nu-metallers Staind could use the relays for gigs or record launches.

The theatre managers were very happy and the fans walked away happy

Constance Schwartz, Korn management

Cinema gig broadcasts could appeal to Limp Biskit, who were distraught when a young woman died in the crush of the crowd at their set during Australia's Big Day Out festival in January 2001.

June's concert by Korn at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom was relayed live to thousands of spectators in 37 mostly sold-out cinemas around the US.

Limp Bizkit: Said to be considering using cinema relays

Cinemas, many of which are having to be fitted with expensive digital technology, are looking at using the concerts as an extra way of raising revenue - and filling seats on weekdays.

Sporting events have been relayed live to cinemas for some time, but now the music companies are getting in on the act.

The satellite relay of the Korn concert was the result of a collaboration between Sony's Epic record label and the cinemas group Regal Entertainment.

Most of the tickets were given away in promotional campaigns, but some tickets sold for $10 (�6.50) each to lure younger fans - while covering the cinemas' costs for the event.

And supporters of the idea say that parents generally feel better about dropping off their children at a cinema than at a concert venue.

'Sold out'

Constance Schwartz, an executive at The Firm, which manages Korn, said the whole effort cost about a million dollars (�650,000), but said she believed it was money well spent.

"About 80% of the 37 theatres were sold out and the remainder were about 60% to 75% full.

"The theatre managers were very happy and the fans walked away happy," she said.

Now managers, movie houses and record labels are all looking at the pricing of the simulcast concerts, trying to balance affordability with viability.

"We wouldn't charge a concert-ticket price. Ten dollars a ticket is what everyone's goal is down the road," said Ms Schwartz.

Ray Nutt, a business development executive at Regal Entertainment, is optimistic about prospects for the relays.

'Cultural events'

"We had over 6,000 people attending the concert. Our utilisation rate on a comparable basis for a Monday night was very good," he said.

"Concerts are just one area we're focusing on. We're also looking into educational functions, Broadway plays and cultural events.

"The whole idea is to find ways to better utilise the theatres during weekdays."

And some observers think the relays could also rekindle interest in the live music sector, which in the US has been struggling with flat ticket sales.

Gary Bongiovanni, editor of trade magazine Pollstar, said: "If someone sees a live performance on a movie screen, that's only going to lead to them to want to see the concert live."