With Wired Sussex I embarked on an extraordinary venture to redefine digital music experiences. Merging innovative technology and the art of music, we developed Alternative Stages - a multi-user WebVR gig platform for the modern era. This trailblazing project, revealed at the Brighton 5G Music Festival, manifested the strength of 5G technology in delivering captivating immersive arts experiences, solidifying our representation of the grassroots music industry.

The Problem Statement

Although the digital music industry had been burgeoning, there was a palpable absence of truly immersive virtual gigs. Most platforms merely offered a 360-degree video experience that left the viewer isolated, cutting off the sense of community that underlies the charm of live gigs. My vision was to design a solution capable of offering an interactive, immersive, and social VR experience.

Project Overview

Alternative Stages is a revolutionary WebVR platform designed to bring to life Brighton's grassroots music venues in the digital realm. It facilitates the enjoyment of live or pre-recorded gigs from home while still maintaining the spirit of live concerts. This platform uniquely provides a genuine 6 degrees of freedom experience, enabling users to explore venues, socialize with other attendees, and enjoy immersive performances.

Venue Selection

The journey started with venue selection, guided by our partner PlatformB, which possessed a deep understanding of the local music scene. We opted for venues that were suitable for 3D scanning and iconic to Brighton's music scene: The Green Door Store, The Hope and Ruin, St Georges Church, and the Brighton Dome Auditorium. Each venue brought a unique vibe and atmosphere that contributed to the diverse range of experiences we could offer our virtual attendees.

3D Scanning

The venues were digitally recreated using a combination of Polycam's LIDAR scanning and Matterport Pro 2 3D scanning. This technology allowed us to quickly and accurately capture the essence of each venue, down to the smallest detail.

Recording Performances

For the performances, we strategically planned artist recordings to seamlessly integrate with the 3D environment. We maintained a static lighting setup to match the scanned venue and employed a 4k video camera to capture the artists' performances, ensuring a consistent and high-quality virtual experience.

Streaming the Media

After overcoming hurdles in streaming and hosting performances, we chose AWS S3 buckets for hosting our video files. This decision, though it entailed some costs, allowed us to maintain control over our content, ensure high-quality streaming, and keep our platform ad-free.

Mozilla Hubs

Finally, we used Mozilla Hubs, an open-source multiuser WebVR platform, to host our virtual gigs. This platform allowed us to tailor the branding and ensure optimal functionality of the experience across various devices.

Impact

Alternative Stages, bolstered by the power of 5G, offered an incredible virtual gig experience to users. This platform transformed the traditional gig experience into an immersive multi-user VR experience, blurring the lines between reality and the digital realm.

The 5G technology supported the download of large 3D files, significantly improving the quality of the virtual venue's visuals and enhancing the overall user experience. Furthermore, being a web-based platform ensured inclusivity, enabling anyone on any device to join the experience.

Collaboration

This project was made possible through the cooperation of Platform B, a local radio station, and various local venues and artists. The FuseBox, our innovation hub in Brighton powered by Wired Sussex, also was essential in nurturing this initiative, showcasing the potential of 5G, AR/VR and other immersive technologies in the creative and tech community.

Conclusion

Alternative Stages attempted revolutionise the virtual gig landscape by offering an immersive, social, and interactive VR experience to music enthusiasts. It was an extraordinary venture that combined the power of technology with the magic of music, paving the way for more immersive digital experiences in the future.