Citi, Live Nation, and NextVR unveiled today that Imagine Dragons, Lady Antebellum, Third Eye Blind and Prince Royce will each broadcast one of their upcoming concerts, for the first time, in virtual reality. Through cutting-edge technology, fans will be transported into an unprecedented concert experience, providing up-close-and-personal access to some of the summer’s hottest shows.
In addition, fans will have rare access to behind-the-scenes footage, in virtual reality, via the “Backstage with Citi” series. From being a fly on the wall as the artists get amped-up for their performance to walking side by side with them as they take the stage, this will be a thrilling journey that fans couldn’t otherwise access.
Slash & Friends were among the first artists to be showcased in the “Backstage with Citi” virtual reality series. In addition to performing live, in VR, at the LA Zoo, fans were also invited to take a virtual journey with Slash as he explored the zoo, interacted with the reptiles and shared his love for animal conservation.
The one-of-a-kind live concert series will kick off on June 15th when multi-platinum, GRAMMY Award-winning rock band Imagine Dragons perform an exclusive show at the Belasco Theatre in Los Angeles. The additional schedule of concerts to broadcast live in NextVR will be:
- June 15: Imagine Dragons, Belasco Theater, Los Angeles, CA
- June 21: Third Eye Blind, Blue Hills Bank Pavilion in Boston, MA
- June 24: Lady Antebellum, Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow, VA
- July 2: Prince Royce, Music Park in Dallas, TX
Additional artists to be announced in the coming weeks.
The live NextVR content will be available on a Samsung Gear VR headset or Google Daydream, along with a compatible smartphone, by downloading the NextVR app from the Oculus store for GearVR or the Google Play store for Daydream. Portions of “Backstage with Citi” will also be made available on demand – in virtual reality and 2D – on Citi channels. Fans can go to https://www.citiprivatepass.com/vr and http://www.nextvr.com/LiveNation to get the latest information on the concert series schedule.
“With our friends at Live Nation and NextVR, we are thrilled to keep pushing the boundaries of the very meaning of access beyond attendance with VR technology,” said Jennifer Breithaupt, Global Consumer Chief Marketing Officer, Citi. “Without a doubt, we are taking the concert experience to the next level.”
“At NextVR, we use our ground-breaking technology to transport fans into the front row of live events,” said David Cole, CEO at NextVR. “We’re excited to offer music fans a series of live concerts in virtual reality, and provide exclusive backstage access to incredible artists. Together with Live Nation and Citi, we are reimagining the live performance experience.”
“Live Nation continues to deliver fans unparalleled access to amplify their live music experience,” said Kevin Chernett, Executive Vice President, Global Partnerships and Content Distribution, Live Nation. “VR has the ability to deepen the fans relationship with the artist while providing access to fans around the world to experience the energy of live when they can’t physically be there.”
Live Nation and NextVR entered an agreement last year to broadcast dozens of concerts each year in virtual reality. To date, they have broadcasted live performances by Killswitch Engage, Thievery Corporation, Galactic, Robert Randolph & The Family Band, The Black Angels, Slash & Friends and Little Steven Van Zandt. Now, with Citi, the companies are poised to become leaders in live virtual reality concerts – transforming the way fans interact with artists and iconic venues, making access to live music events easier to achieve.
FestPop Sr Staff Writer, Suzy Ledford