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In the virtual booth, DJ Ru could experiment with genre blends and risky transitions without the fear of clearing a dance floor
Unlike more traditional gigs, no artist needs to be physically present on stage for Abba Voyage to happen
instead of going out and drinking, we stay in and dance in VR all night. We’re both women, so we like the ability to block toxic people instead of having them stalk us all night in a physical bar,” they explain. “At the end of the night, we just take off the headsets and go to bed.” INTO THE UNKNOWN As sky_silent reminds us, participating in the metaverse is optional, and virtual reality isn’t intended to fully replace the physical elements of a person’s life, live music included. Accessible via smart device, game console, VR headset and the like, entering the metaverse is dependent on having the kit to do so – and not everybody does. Headsets, for instance, can range from a few hundred to thousands of pounds – the same goes for phones, computers and consoles. Until virtual reality truly hits the mainstream – and even after – we will continue to have concerts and festivals where we can see our favourite musicians in the flesh. For some people, this is the best it gets; no digital world can replace the excitement of being acknowledged by an artist or getting lost in the crowd. But technology will progress, and entertainment along with it. We have already seen how holograms are replicating artists on the stage, with Industrial Light & Magic’s Abba Voyage spearheading in this area. Companies like Metaphysic, on the other hand, are leveraging generative AI to create real-time face swaps, bringing Elvis back to life and taking Eminem back in time. The MTV Video Music Awards even introduced categories for best quarantine performance in 2020 and best metaverse performance in 2022. Technology is everywhere in live music – metaverse and beyond. Despite its reliance on devices and/or at-home set-ups, the metaverse offers convenience, new social spaces and opportunities for connection, as well as physical safety and savings on time, transport and pricey tickets. While it does have drawbacks – anonymity may give way to online abuse, while VR can cause fatigue and even motion sickness – these aren’t so different from negative experiences you might have in real life. The future of music in the metaverse is uncertain, yet it’s promising too. As artists embrace these virtual ventures, live music will continue to thrive – no matter the world they’re in.
I found my fiancé in VR Chat; we now live together, and on the weekends, instead of going out, we stay in and dance in VR all night
the nineties and 2000s in real raves,” writes sky_silent in response to Mattha Busby’s Wired article, 60-Hour Dance Sessions, Simulated Sex, and Ketamine: Inside the World of Hardcore VR Ravers. “I found my fiancé in VR Chat ; we now live together, and on the weekends,
music; the metaverse as a whole needs a rethink. That said, VR enthusiasts have self-reported plenty of positive experiences surrounding clubbing, too. “This technology is a suitable replacement for those of us who spent
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