5 Technologies we are excited about for 2021 music festivals
The world is becoming more tech-friendly than ever before, with music festivals being no exception. Music festivals are the great experiential unifier—when else are hundreds of thousands of people simultaneously undergoing one particular remarkable experience? Technologies have enabled music festivals to not only streamline processes, but better connect mass amounts of people. Here are a few technologies that we are most excited about once the scene returns:
Drone Light Shows
Drone light shows are like fireworks, but they don’t terrify wildlife, add toxic chemical pollutants to the ecosystem, litter plastic casings, trigger terror in people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, or increase risk of wildfires. We saw Intel fly 2066 drones in July of 2018 to celebrate their 50th Anniversary, which broke the Guinness World Record for drones flying simultaneously. At music festivals, drones can display thousands of color variations and move in sync with the music.
RFID Bracelets
This technology has allowed attendees to go cashless and touchless when paying for concessions, expediting the process and reducing the risk of COVID-19 transmission. In addition, it streamlines the check-in and security process by indicating validity instantaneously, which minimizes lines for entering the venue. The technology also helps to eliminate ticket fraud by being virtually impossible to duplicate.
Wearable Technology
If fans can’t make the show, they can experience it from home. We’ve seen AR and VR emerge as ways fans can “get closer” to their favorite artists and become more immersed in the experience. Fans can get up on the stage, and experience the performance alongside the artists. The technology enables users to intensely hear and see perhaps even more acutely than real life.
Holograms
From nostalgia-driven performances by classic artists to hyper-futuristic occasions, to put it bluntly, holograms make people lose their f******g minds. A hologram of Tupac already performed at Coachella 2012, so the technology is well under-way. Madonna even performed with 4 hologram versions of herself at the 2019 Billboard Awards.
Enhanced Sound
You know when you’re listening to music on headphones and the sound bounces from one ear to the other and you feel like you’re inside the recording studio? In the past, you wouldn’t necessarily get that experience at concerts unless you’re in the *perfect* spot. Now, performers are focusing more on creating a 3D sound experience that fully immerses the audience from every seat in the house.
