It’s been two tough years for music. All of us music lovers have been a bit stranded without our concerts and feel the power of congregation that only live music can give us. But there’s always something good that we can get from every not so good situation.
In retrospect, it feels like concerts were not catching up with the latest trends in technology. While music has found its renascence in streaming after a long dark era that was heavily hit by piracy with CD sales dropping to scary numbers.
Music is extremely accessible now. Services like Spotify, Amazon Music or Deezer will grant you access to millions of songs for the monthly sum of what a CD costs. But still, with that in mind, you can see how bands missing the mark of taking advantage of live streaming.
Other media has benefited from live streams like Twitch, Youtube Live or the discontinued Mixer. High-speed internet bandwidth that we have nowadays allow us to watch or listen to our favorite broadcasters live and interact with them in real-time.
Gambling has also found its place on the internet in countries like the UK. For example, the best online casinos have varied games with the best music. In that way, the user can have fun at the same time is listening to good music. Furthermore, it does not have to be scared of having a fun time, given that these online casinos offer great bonuses such as free slot spins and extra jackpots, online security besides having their operative license. Fast phones with big screens and fast internet connections grant you access to the best online casinos from the comfort of your house.
So, what has been happening with concerts? Why were they not present in this media or evolve to embrace this technology? To be honest, it was not needed until now. It might have been the craving for playing live, or just the industry finding its way through frustration, but it actually turned out great! Bands starter to perform more and more on YouTube channels such as KEXP or Tiny desk concerts with fresh-looking shows of new and old material.
Something that has become a thing lately is virtual concerts which are very interesting indeed. They take place on different platforms, usually games. Minecraft has been the venue for shows of many artists to perform live. The way to monetize these types of concerts for bands is by charging an admission fee, of course. On top of that, you must own a copy of the game.
Sometimes things could go wrong to as it happened that time Massive Attack tried to throw a concert for charity on Minecraft but the organizers were not up to the challenge. Unfortunately, the servers could not hold the traffic and the concert never took place. Just an audio copy of the set was played instead leaving a bitter-sweet taste on all of our fans. Roblox is going in the same direction. Artists like Lil Nas X chose this platform for one of his major shows. So did twenty-one pilots. There were also concerts in Fortnite, which is for sure a very unusual venue.
Besides, you can find shows in 360 VR cams to watch on YouTube. If you happen you have VR goggles, you are in for a treat. Until a few years back we had to be satisfied with shows filmed by attendees from their phones degrading the experience.
Real concerts will never be replaced, let’s just set that mark. The experience of a concert can’t be surpassed by any digital means because there’s just something about the combination of big speakers, musicians and a big crowd that elevates the music to another level.
That said if you are into indie bands that only play locally this type of concert if made well can create a pleasant experience. It’s like watching a recorded video but actually live. Or if bands want to try new things like Minecraft or Roblox to deliver something different we will always welcome it. Plus, you will be supporting your favorite artists and keep the ball turning. Concerts bring new music and new music bring more concerts.
Conclusion
We’ve come a long way since the days where venues were improvised in the ’60s with terrible PA systems. Live concerts are a ritual that all music fans love fondly. Feeling the kick drum on your chest like a heartbeat will never be replaced, at least not with current technology. But having options is beneficial for artists, fans and the industry itself.
The good thing about music is that those who are passionate about it will find a way to connect with their favorite musicians. It has always been like this, ever since the first recordings in history and it will keep happening on any possible media because enjoying and making music is part of our DNA as humans.