Bastille’s 5G-powered augmented reality gig hints at the future of live music
British Indie pop band Bastille performed a surprise gig for commuters in some of the UK’s busiest train stations this week. What was surprising about the gig was not only that it was happening, but people in three different cities were able to watch the gig simultaneously thanks to augmented reality (AR).
The band played the hit Pompei at Birmingham’s New Street Station to commuters, which was simultaneously live-streamed using EE’s 5G technology to people in Liverpool Lime Street station and Edinburgh’s Shore Street.
Sure, watching the performance live was pretty special – Bastille is riding particularly high at the moment thanks to their cover of Can’t Fight This Feeling which soundtracks this year’s Christmas John Lewis advert – but the AR gig was spectacular too. Fans were able to watch the performance using Nreal’s mixed reality glasses and Samsung’s 5G devices, including the Samsung Galaxy Fold and Galaxy S10 5G. It was presented as a 360-degree experience, complete with AR graphics which featured city walls tumbling down – a nod to the song’s lyrics – as well as yetis and digital trains.
This could have a lot of potential, for instance for people with disabilities who may be unable to make it to a live event or for fans who missed out on tickets.
See the full story here: https://www.standard.co.uk/tech/bastille-gig-5g-augmented-reality-ee-future-live-music-a4299976.html