I'm a music lover who has
attended many concerts during my 69 years of life – from Jimi
Hendrix to the Drive-By Truckers. But lately, despite my obsession
with music, I avoid driving hundreds of miles to concert venues,
paying tons of money for a decent seat, and dealing with all the
added hassles of attendance. And how about the unexpected
inconveniences? Not too long ago, I attended a Jason Isbell concert
and had a decent seat, but everybody – all of whom with seats, by
the way – stood during the entire performance. Maybe I'm just too
old to rock.
However, I just read about
a new technology that just might feed my addiction to live music and
rest my old bones too: virtual reality. VR removes the limitations on
attendance for live concerts, reapplying indefinite mechanical
reproduction to what had previously seemed all-too definite and
limited in commercial scope.
In the last few years,
musicians have been able to stream concerts to virtual reality
headsets, allowing fans to enjoy the virtual spectacle from the
comfort of their homes. Now, some VR platforms are going beyond just
recreating the live experience, by offering viewpoints and
interactions that users could never get if they were at the venue.
Virtual reality can
actually monetize everyone who couldn't obtain tickets, or who
doesn't always feel like going out to see their favorite acts
perform. Indefinite mechanical reproduction eliminates barriers that
make concerts all-too definite and limited in commercial scope. Simon
Chandler of Forbes says …
“In other words, VR
appears to let the music industry combine the best of both worlds:
the apparent spontaneity and singularity of live music with the
reproducibility and accessibility of recorded music.”
Launched in 2018, MelodyVR
has built a library of live shows, recorded for streaming to Oculus
VR headsets or iPhone and Android devices through its app at a later
date. It says it has worked with more than 850 musicians, including
Kelly Clarkson, Wiz Khalifa and Lewis Capaldi.
As well as being able to
watch from a position in the audience, users can view the concerts as
if they were backstage, behind the sound booth, or even on stage with
the band. The company has also created more novel experiences; a VR
performance by British singer Emeli Sandé displays two images of her
simultaneously, one playing the piano and the other singing. In other
words, it’s better than the best seat in the house.
VR already has the
potential to be a lucrative avenue for the music industry. On the
MelodyVR app, access to performances begins from $7.99 and can extend
to $14.99, depending on the profile of the acts involved and the
views offered. The app has already attracted more than $90 million in
financial backing, underlining the expectation of success and
profitability that surrounds it. Meanwhile, its introduction of
subscriptions later in the year (2020) could help it enter
profitability, having first launched its app only last year.
This year (2020), MelodyVR
plans to begin offering live streaming via a paid-for virtual ticket,
and has designed its own cameras for the task. Steven Hancock,
co-founder of MelodyVR, told CNN Business …
"We needed to
create (VR cameras) that wouldn't get in the way of the production,
but can also survive the variety of elements that could come with a
musical performance, whether that is artists jumping around right
next to the camera, champagne (being sprayed on them), or fireworks
right in front of them,"
One current drawback –
the market for dedicated VR headsets remains relatively small. Tech
market researcher ABI Research predicts the VR market will surpass
$24.5 billion in revenues by 2024, while acknowledging that "VR
has yet to live up to its early expectations." Oculus VR
headsets appear on Amazon for $200.00 – $600.00.
Concerts can be seen in
full 360 degrees from your own home. Sam Eichner of Urban Daddy
reports …
“The platform allows
you to choose from one of several “jump spots” – so you can
toggle between being in the crowd, up close, in a front row seat or
on stage. Meaning: you can stand right alongside KISS while confetti
rains down on your nonexistent virtual head, or snag a coveted front
row seat to the London Symphony Orchestra.”
Making it really personal
with others? From her living room in San Francisco, Amy Lameyer, a VR
viewer, watched a concert from an iconic venue in Boston, and during
a break in the performance, she checked on social media and saw that
she knew several people in the audience. Using the camera’s view,
she was able to look back a few rows and see one of her friends from
time to time.
And if you don’t have
time—or the inclination—to watch the whole thing, you can
purchase the concert by individual track, ala iTunes. I believe the
current cost is $1.99 a track.
The future? You might just
be able to dance on stage with Beyoncé at Coachella or strut with
Mick Jagger at the Cotton Bowl. Technology is getting better and
better, and music is one industry that needs a boost from the
advancements of science.
Does this seem “wrong”
since nothing can really substitute for the actual experience of
attending a concert? For example, I don't think any VR experience
could have made you a living part of the crowd at Woodstock. Some
sensory deprivation is obvious.
Yet, I remember once
reading of funeral homes using live video feeds of services as an
alternative to attending in person. At first, I thought – how
impersonal and sacrilegious. Then, I read about the need for this
offering as a kindness to those who couldn't attend because of
health, distance, or other hindrances. Then, it all made sense.
Perhaps many conventions
are nothing more than outdated habits bound for certain change. I'm
going to review what performers are employing VR and double-check the
cost of one of those headsets. My hope is the expense remains
affordable and the industries involved don't price themselves about
the needs of the market.
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