Virtual Concerts: The New Normal?

My most recent live show was “The Strokes” on New Year’s Eve, my most coveted live show to-date.  However, I could not have imagined that it would be my last show for the foreseeable future. A show that had meant the world to me in that moment has since become a bittersweet reminder of what once was, as the coronavirus pandemic essentially puts the entire world to a halt. The banning of public gatherings has a direct, negative effect on the music industry, with live shows being a non-factor until health is restored around the globe. Subsequently, artists have been forced to either postpone or cancel upcoming tours, jeopardizing music venues’ AND artists’ main source of income. Additionally, festivals have had to cancel this year’s lineups and plan for next year, leading to the indefinite unemployment of thousands who rely on the live music industry for work. 

Since quarantine began in mid-March, musicians have had to come up with creative forms of distanced performances, utilizing various outlets on social media platforms to engage with  fans as much as possible. The earliest example of a virtual concert that I saw was from French singer-songwriter Lou Doillon, who began her “Hand in Hand: Live at 5” series on Instagram Live, performing a varied setlist composed of songs and poetry each day, often featuring her mother, famous actress/singer/model Jane Birkin. After 57 livestreams on Instagram, Doillon has since moved to livestreaming on her YouTube channel daily. Between Doillon’s eccentric performances and her cult following expanding her platform across social media, “Live at 5” has gained a lot of traction over time and arguably set a precedent for the concept of virtual quarantine concerts to follow. 

We have also seen a more large-scale form of a virtual concert through Global Citizen, a charity organization, who created “One World: Together At Home.” Curated by Lady Gaga, the all-star lineup included the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Lizzo, Kacey Musgraves, Billie Eilish, and more, all to perform on a global broadcast for the efforts of supporting healthcare workers combatting the coronavirus. The virtual “festival,” if you will, garnered over 20 million viewers and raised about $127 million, touted as the largest virtual gathering of major artists since Live Aid in 1985. While it was strange to see the Rolling Stones performing “together” in four respective locations, “Together At Home” offered solace in the early phase of the quarantine, uplifting people around the world in support of a worthy cause. 

Granted, these are two examples of virtual shows that were presented in the early phase of the quarantine, and are short-term options for keeping artists and fans connected. With the pandemic being expected to last for months, musicians are beginning to consider more long-term alternatives that will sustain fans while stuck at home. Augmented reality shows have become a significant platform to consider, with artists being turned into avatars, and projected onto a stage or into a scenery, or even full-on virtual reality concerts. Singer Tinashe was one of the first to attempt performing on a virtual reality platform, which was created by technology company Wave. Tinashe’s facial and body motions were tracked and then transformed into an avatar in real-time, cast over a virtual background and customized with various lighting and stage design options. It is not exactly within a typical concert go-er’s comfort zone to watch what is essentially a cartoon performance with a fake crowd cheering in the background. However, it is a new platform that we may have to get used to in lieu of the ability to gather in large groups.

It is difficult to say whether or not these variations of virtual concerts will really become “the new normal.” On one hand, it can be inferred that once it is safe for live shows to resume, virtual shows may still become a staple alternative for those who prefer it. With AR (augmented reality) and VR (virtual reality) becoming increasingly popular, even before the quarantine began, it will inevitably be integrated into the music industry. Plus, with the lack of in-person engagement between artist and fan, technology offers the ability to keep that connection intact, allowing fans to keep up with artists as they continue to make and play music. 

Yet, for those of us who live for concerts, watching a livestream just does not produce the same effect as being in a crowd. While the prospect of virtual concerts is a consolation of sorts, many would agree that they simply are not enough to fill the void of life without live shows. While in quarantine, I often think about all the concerts I’ve gone to, and I tend to miss even the not-so favorable aspects of going to a live show; the stuffy, tight-knit crowds, the venues with terrible acoustics, the ever-so annoying dude trying to shove his way to the front - I’d take it all over not being able to see a band in-person. And while we can only hope that virtual concerts will not become the official new normal, they do offer fans the opportunity to capture the same feeling they once held in a crowd, and that is surely something to look forward to in an otherwise questionable time. The energy in a crowd can never be replicated through a screen, but a virtual show gives us a glimpse of that energy that can hold any music fan over until we’re allowed to gather in a venue again.