Normally, when a new album from a great artist hits the interwebs, we would listen to that sucker as fast as humanly possible. This time, though, things are different. A few weeks after releasing their 2020 album, Church, Galantis streamed their first live Virtual Reality concert. Featuring new releases from the album, we couldn’t imagine a better way to experience these songs for the first time.
The Swedish duo brings together Christian Karlsson of Miike Snow and Linus Eklöw from Style of Eye. Together, their project focuses on producing pop-EDM hits. Their song Runaway (U & I) from the 2015 album Pharmacy was nominated for a Grammy. No Money, from the 2017 album The Aviary went on to surpass Runaway (U & I) in popularity.
Virtual Reality concerts might be the next big thing in EDM
Virtual sets have been around for years, especially in the world of video games. Unlike traditional live streams, where viewers can simply watch a performance from home, true virtual sets allow for interaction and immersion. Famously, Marshmello performed a live concert in Fortnite on February 2nd, 2019 that attracted over 10 million attendees.
Virtual Reality (VR) takes things up a notch, bringing the viewer out of their home and into the computer world. Whereas a virtual concert will never compete with the visual immersion of a real life event, VR truly can compete. More importantly, VR unlocks a world of visual design where anything is possible. A few artists have been experimenting with this new medium for expression, including Rezz who delivered a VR concert back in July of 2019.
https://www.facebook.com/OfficialREZZ/videos/954268381631724/
In real life, constraints such as time and place limit the viewers experience. Flying across the globe for a concert just isn’t realistic for most people. Even when you do make it to the show, that tall guy always seems to be standing right between you and the performer.
From a business side, real life events are capacity constrained. People who can’t get to a particular venue won’t buy tickets to the show. With VR, there are no limits to potential profits. That’s why, according to Forbes, the future of EDM counts on VR.
Galantis raised the bar for visual design in Virtual Reality concerts
What sets this show apart from VR concerts that have come before? Galantis’ concert didn’t settle for simply using new tech. They pushed the envelope, bringing fans a visual treat unlike anything seen before.
They used a traditional stage setup, but allowed fans to interact with one another in a beautiful way. Fans appeared as seafox avatars. They could share their comments in a burst of gold dust that floated above the crowd. Enamored by the magic of sharing this moment with folks from across the globe, many fans shared their home country.
The event was immersive in more ways than one. Beams of light shooting up from the ground, a backdrop that dissolves, fireworks that are close enough to touch and so many other effects were a treat for viewers. Fans could even vote for which effects they wanted to see brought to life during the show.
The performers each rocked a lifelike avatar of their person. Using motion capture technology, their movements were mapped into the VR world in realtime. This allowed artists to connect with fans on a deeper level – to give a true performance.
For those without access to a VR headset, the show also streamed live on YouTube where it remains available for viewing.
The near future of Virtual Reality concerts
A large part of the success of this show has to do with The Wave XR.
Our virtual concerts are called “Waves” and every Wave is live, interactive, social, and free to attend on the largest social and gaming platforms in the world.
– The Wave XR
The Wave XR has worked with electronic artists such as TOKiMONSTA, Jauz, and Glitch Mob. You can check out all of their previous shows here.
With the outbreak of coronavirus in the Pacific Northwest and across the globe, and the consequential event ban, there might be a high demand for virtual reality concerts in the near future. If Galantis can deliver a beautiful Virtual Reality concert, why not all the best artists? We’re keeping our eyes and ears wide open for more events like this. Stay tuned for more information on upcoming shows!
Who would you like to see perform in VR? Let us know in our comments section on Facebook, and Twitter!
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