There hasn’t been an event like the coronavirus in our lifetime. Millions of Americans are quarantined at home, seeking some form of escape from their fear and worry. And musicians and entertainers are frustrated that they can’t provide the euphoric release that so many need – at least in person. This is why Onstage Systems is now ready to bring you virtual concerts.
While VR (Virtual Reality) concerts have been on the industry’s radar, now the adoption of this technology has been accelerated at a lightning pace. From the simple, such as social media live streams and virtual concerts, to complex fully VR-enabled concert experiences, the time is now to rock the crowd from their couches.
Dallas-based Onstage Systems is leveraging decades of live show experience and technical know-how to lead the charge.
Taking the virtual stage will bring new challenges. It’ll take more than just amazing performances and great content to keep the energy going. How will performers feel the energy of the crowd when they’re not performing in front of one? And how will audiences feel dancing, singing along and getting loud when they’re self-isolated?
Artists and their audiences may struggle at first to find the same raw energy they get from being there in person. And real-time events allow no room for mistakes, production snafus or connectivity issues. Audiences have come to demand pitch-perfect audio, perfect lighting, and cutting edge special effects. These virtual events must match – or even eclipse – their expectations. These acts need to hire professionals who are just as concerned with perfection as they are.
Despite the stripped-down nature of many of these performances, audiences will soon demand the level of concert experience that they’ve come to love. Perfect audio. Dramatic lighting. Dynamic staging. Explosive special effects. And multi-camera setups that may create an even more intimate experience than attending a show in person.
Despite the uncertainty of when live events will return, there remains plenty of opportunity. Live streams and virtual concerts will be the perfect way for artists worldwide to work with one another and corporate partners to create entirely new fundraising streams for charities ready to help those impacted by this crisis.
For example, Josh Groban, JoJo and Russell Dickerson are working with Billboard to present live stream concerts that will help a variety of non-profit partners such as the American Red Cross, MusiCares, the National Coalition for the Homeless and more.
DJ D-Nice of Boogie Down Productions also created a buzz with his ten-hour Homeschool party, which also featured appearances by Oprah Winfrey and Joe Biden.
In an unprecedented move, the producer Diplo was able to convince nearly every major publisher and record label to allow him to use their music in his live-streamed DJ sets, with all royalties being paid to all those whose music is played in the shows.
Obviously, the world has changed quite suddenly. Yet it’s also the right time for artists, entertainers, musicians, non-profits, and corporations to come together and provide something special for those doing their part and staying inside during the quarantine.
There’s never been a more critical time to entertain America. Those that do so will create experiences and memories that will last forever.
Just as you need the right crew to ensure that live shows happen without a hitch, you need a virtual partner ready to answer these challenges. A virtual events production partner like Onstage Systems.
For more than forty years, Onstage has been an innovator at the forefront of event production innovation. While others are scrambling to perfect virtual concert and entertainment experiences, they’ve already helped world-famous artists like Willie Nelson and Bette Midler virtually thrill their loyal fanbases.
Our team of industry veterans is ready to help in any way possible. Connect with them today by phone at 972-686-4488, via email at info@onstagesystems.com or via our website onstagesystems.com.
Once I arrived home from Burning Man, I contacted seven of my core friends to start planning. We’ve all known and worked with each other for 20 years, and I knew we had the potential to build something amazing together. say something like, we had all been friends for 20 + years, they were the ones who finally got me out there – and it just made sense that we all do this together. it was meant to be. In our day jobs, the seven of us build what clients and promoters need. But at Burning Man, we explored our imagination, combined our talents, and created our own gift to the burners at Black Rock City. When the first doppelganger’s of music hit the playa, I actually cried. I don’t think the word doppelgängers works here – when our friend took the stage and performed a beautiful ode to the desert with his flute, a drum and a soulful voice – I actually cried. 
After 9 months of planning and learning to work with people in new ways, our creation was complete. When I finally took a step back and looked at all our progress, I was overwhelmed with emotions. All our hard work and late nights lead to this one magical moment. Our small tribe of seven people achieved an impossible dream 9 months in the making.
Running your own camp at Burning Man is like managing a little city. The needs of Sonic Soul Tribe and the skills that each person brought to the table were varied. Once we started, I quickly learned that unlike the employees at my company, volunteers at Burning Man are completely different. They come from different backgrounds and they all require different things to stay motivated. I realized I had to switch gears and adopt a new approach to inspire Sonic Soul Tribe and 50-60 campers who’d never been a part of such a big project. It was challenging work, but I was fortunate to have the help of my camp co-lead, Don Gentry. When it comes to communication and management, Don and I were opposite sides of the coin, but we worked through our differences in pursuit of Sonic Soul Tribe’s grand vision. Working together taught me the value of approaching projects in new and inventive ways, and it was helpful to have a devil’s advocate in my corner who challenged me to come up with better solutions. It’s been over a year since I last went to Burning Man, but the desire to create, to overcome challenges, and turn a vision of creativity into reality is what inspires me to be a burner for life.
