Introduction to Virtual Music Festivals
There are some things a couple of music festival that you would be able to’t imitate in your personal home, reminiscent of the constant queues, beer-covered floors, and the stink of 1000’s of festival-goers packed in like sardines. However, some parts of the live music experience will be replicated to some extent at home, as discovered this weekend. A music festival situated in virtual reality generally is a surprisingly exciting and familiar experience.
The Secret Sky Music Festival
The Secret Sky music festival, placed on by DJ Porter Robinson and friends, has grown exponentially for its second yr. This yr’s festival featured a virtual reality experience accessible from the Oculus Quest 2’s built-in browser. The VR experience was built with the assistance of Oculus’ own developers, which kept technical issues to a minimum.
The Virtual Reality Experience
The virtual world of Secret Sky was paying homage to a low-rent Pokémon or Zelda: Breath of the Wild, with a vista of rolling hills and a large screen playing the live stream of the performing bands. The lineup included Kero Kero Bonito, Rezz, Wave Racer, Yvette Young, Laxcity, and Porter Robinson, amongst others. As the festival progressed, the environment modified to copy the gradual descent into the headline act, with darker auditoriums replacing the intense sunlit vista.
Interacting with the Virtual Environment
In the virtual world, attendees took the shape of cloaked critters and will move around by pointing within the direction they desired to go and hitting a trigger. The magic of the experience lay within the tons of of other critters surrounding them, each with a geotag of their location above their head. Attendees could gather on a rock to gaze out over the vista, jump through portals to explore different areas, or gather in front of the important stage to benefit from the music.
Feeling Connected in a Virtual Environment
Standing within the virtual environment, surrounded by people from everywhere in the world having fun with the music, felt strangely connected. It was a novel experience, dancing in a dimly-lit room tons of or 1000’s of miles away from others, yet sharing the identical experience. While it wasn’t a 1:1 festival experience, it was a remarkable attempt at replicating the sensation of being at a live music event.
The Future of Live VR Experiences
The Secret Sky VR experience convinced that VR doesn’t make a half-bad gig platform. In fact, future VR headsets could make for an outstanding platform, with somewhat finessing. There’s a wealth of untapped potential in virtual reality for live music experiences. Despite owning tickets for a gig in December, live music still feels distant, but Secret Sky managed to fill that void and persuade that there are various uses for virtual reality yet to be explored.
Conclusion
The Secret Sky music festival’s virtual reality experience was a surprising success, providing a novel and exciting approach to enjoy live music from the comfort of home. While it could not replace the in-person experience, it’s an awesome alternative for individuals who cannot attend in person or prefer a more comfortable and convenient experience. With the potential for future festivals to supply cheaper all-digital tickets in VR, it’s an exciting time for live music and virtual reality. The way forward for live VR experiences is shiny, and it’ll be interesting to see the way it develops and improves in the approaching years.
