Picture the scene: you’re at the apex of the most important gig you’ve ever attended in your life – a real soul-altering, profound experience. At the crescendo of the encore, you and your friends, caught in a euphoric wave, move from your front row vantage point, clamber up on to the stage with your very favourite artist. Standing side-by-side with them, you sing your heart out, facing the thousands of rapturous faces all around you, all of whom are sharing in this dream-like, transcendent moment. The show ends, and within seconds, you’re back home on your sofa.
Sound like a preposterous dream? Well, it actually isn’t –a similar experience is achievable right now thanks to the increasingly impressive development of virtual reality gig technology. Yes, the intensity of a live show – for both attendee and artist – is now replicable from your home. Companies like MelodyVR and Woov are pushing at the frontiers of something that could revolutionise how we think about the live music experience. But should we be worried about the implications, for an already struggling industry?