The idea of broadcasting music performances in virtual reality (VR) isn’t unheard of, however the use of augmented reality (AR) is still relatively premature, especially in the field of musical performances. Two musicians have started a crowdfunding campaign to fund Firstage, the first AR music platform to broadcast performances worldwide.
The idea behind Firstage is to eliminate the need for artists to tour while struggling to earn a living on the road – this musical platform is aiming to create a stage for artists to play more gigs and earn more money. With the use of AR, however, there is an added sense of control for the user as it won’t be a set out piece that is static and is stitched together like in VR. As the trailer on the Kickstarter page shows, users can place the band in any type of setting, and in any kind of scale, as they please – whether it be on a table in the pub, on top of your coffee cup, or in front of you as you relax on the sofa.
The Dublin-based startup idea will record the performances from a venue with a greenscreen in the background to allow viewers to see just the performers while using the platform, and each gig will be secret and will be scheduled on a specific date, which gives it an air and feel of watching a real live performance. In the case of a missed attendance for some reason, it is stated that there will be multiple dates for attendees to watch the show.
The crowdfunding campaign is currently set for €10,000 EUR, and with eight days to go the campaign has only reached just over half of its needed pledges. The money will go towards settnig up the studio space, as well as enhancing the experience of watching an AR gig by experimenting more with the platform.
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