CONCERTORONA

Inspiration

Amongst people who are displaced out of work due to the CoVID-19 pandemic, artists are one of the most vulnerable groups yet have not been given a lot of support. With concerts and tours being canceled, most artists struggle to earn income through their regular venues. We hence arrived at the idea of a streaming platform where artists can host virtual concerts and sell tickets to interested attendees. Not only will this platform allow artists to earn income through their music, it will also be an entertainment outlet for fans to stream from their homes.

What it does

Concertorona will be a tool for artists to organize and perform live concerts. This is a brand new and meaningful alternative for concert-goers under the crisis of CoVID-19 and potentially a new form of interaction between artists and their audience. This platform is made possible by the popularity of existing streaming features on mainstream social media, like the “live” function on YouTube and Facebook, along with the optional addition of virtual reality. By utilizing existing platforms like YouTube or Facebook, the learning curve to this experience will be relatively small for all parties alike. The Concertorona feature will, however, be more advanced than the traditional live-streaming feature on Facebook with stricter quality control. Specifically, in order to qualify as a concert host, artists will have to complete a basic preliminary screening for their technical abilities and resources. This enables these virtual concerts to be of high quality and worth for the audience. With the rise of virtual reality, Concertorona hopefully could revolutionize the music industry with this trending technology. A high-quality real-time concert is remotely held exclusively to those who pay for the service. Not only can people who are socially-distancing at home experience such a unique event, but also people from all over the world can also take part in an event that would typically take place in a local vicinity. Tickets, similar to ticket distribution at normal concerts, are limited in numbers and classified to provide the best experience for concert attendees. For example, VIP tickets may come with VR quality or exclusive fan interactions during or after the concert; meanwhile, normal tickets may only include the concert itself in conventional format. One of the foreseen advantages of this besides helping touring artists keeps the number of attendees, who spend money, more stable than a normal free live stream. Finally, in light of the paying-it-forward spirit in this pandemic, the platform will also provide potential donation points. Artists are encouraged to donate part of their earnings to medical or social problems concerning the CoVID-19 pandemic as a small tribute to the original goal of the project. These donation resources can include but are not limited to healthcare services, food or support resources for vulnerable populations, and scientific research.

How we built i

We would love to have Concertorona as an add-on feature to an existing platform, such as Facebook, Youtube, etc and perhaps ticket sales and distribution sites like TicketMaster, VividSeats.

Challenges we ran into

Ideally, we would want to recreate a concert-like atmosphere as much as possible, one that is different from a casual live stream experience. This can be challenging as the audience would experience the concert at home and the artists would perform in front of recording equipment. To have the best experience, concert-goers may equip themselves with other technologies, such as virtual reality headset; meanwhile, the artists may need to be creative and innovative in preparing the stages, programs, etc. Artists' and fans' interaction, which brings energy to the concert, can be through headsets, microphones and other equipment. Artists might need training or certification so that the quality of the concert is worthy. Artists who live at home may struggle to find a venue to host a proper stage. During the concert, there is a need for a post-production ekip to assist in setting up the visual/audio system and other stage procedures so that the artists can deliver the best performance. However, it is up to the artists and their crew to do carry proper hygiene processes to protect themselves and others. A virtual concert, at first, will go against the norm of free live streaming and limit the number of audiences. Touring artists are not the only people whose income is cut down by this crisis. Paying to get a virtual concert could be difficult not only conceptually but also financially to certain groups of people.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We take pride in meeting the needs of the artist population--a community that has not received a lot of support or attention during this pandemic. We have typically observed a lot of efforts directed at healthcare, scientific research or other vulnerable populations, however not a lot of support has been given to this now-vulnerable community.

What we learned

During this pandemic, innovation is essential, not only to protect people from the virus but also to enrich people’s lives. C.S Lewis once wrote in his essay about how people should face the atomic bomb or any kind of disaster. He told us not to be surprised by the novelty of the disaster, but instead, to not be mentally occupied and “ If we are all going to be destroyed by an atomic bomb, let that bomb when it comes to finding us doing sensible and human things—praying, working, teaching, reading, listening to music, bathing the children, playing tennis, chatting to our friends over a pint and a game of darts—not huddled together like frightened sheep and thinking about bombs. They may break our bodies (a microbe can do that) but they need not dominate our minds.”

What's next for CONCERTORONA

The question is what to do with Concertorona when the pandemic is contained since normal activities would resume then. It is up to the artists’ innovation and career plan to use the service in a way that would help them to reach people globally and deliver their artworks. Besides, charities or donations through this platform should be continued.