Virtual reality (VR) represents a powerful emerging medium enabling event organizers and concert promoters to stage engaging activities that transcend physical venue limitations while opening new remote participation opportunities.
Next-Generation Event Hosting In Virtual Worlds
VR is revolutionizing event hosting into natively digital formats unconstrained by location barriers. Platforms from leaders like Spatial and Virbela construct customizable 3D environments for conferences, trade shows, camps etc. with lifelike avatar networking. VR delivery also unlocks global access bypassing transit/visa hassles. The consumer electronics showcase CES 2022 ran a parallel VR exhibition. Singapore organized a ‘Livin’ It Up’ VR youth festival spanning music, fashion and art. Such implementations demonstrate the medium’s versatility across contexts from conferences to entertainment that optimizes reach.
Recreating Electric In-Person Concert Feels
Beyond transitional hybrid adaptations, pure-play VR concerts place viewers right next to artists using camera rigs and motion capture to recreate intoxicating stage sensations. Famed DJ David Guetta’s VR show allowed 50 million fans to join his United Nations performance remotely over 5G. Travis Scott’s astronomy themed VR concert ‘Astronomical’ generated over 45 million views across gaming and social media platforms through intricate visual storytelling impossible elsewhere.
Disrupting Ticketing Paradigms
By eliminating venue space constraints while lowering participation friction for online audiences, VR unlocks potential to build captivating shows challenging established pricing conventions. MelodyVR offers unlimited access to 2,000+ concerts for a $3/month subscription. Dreamstage delivers pay-per-view passes to high-fidelity performances. As headsets and 5G infrastructure improve globally, VR could irrevocably alter how concerts balance exclusivity against accessibility while retaining profitability.
The expanding vendor landscape hints at growing maturity. While early adoption centres around gaming/entertainment, VR’s versatile applications indicate an untapped potential to become the de facto medium for crafting meaningful connections through shared virtual experiences anywhere.
