Electronic music promoter LWE has unveiled Tobacco Dock Virtual, which it bills as a landmark moment for hybrid music events.
Breaking down barriers between digital and real world experiences, the VR initiative will enable clubbers, music fans and gamers to step inside the virtual world. The initiative aims to help bring back clubbing experiences during the pandemic.
Developed in partnership with virtual live events platform Sansar, Tobacco Dock Virtual recreates the London venue in minute detail, including the sweeping staircases and cavernous dancefloors. Virtual events at Tobacco Dock Virtual will also offer a unique range of gaming options that amplify and enhance the online experience. Pre-parties and after-parties will also surround the main shows.
Sansar are making their platform available on mobile, Mac, tablet, PC, or VR through the Sansar app or any browser, without the need for specialist equipment. Livestream and media partner Beatport will also broadcast sets across Facebook, Youtube, Twitch and Beatport.com.
Plans are in progress to host multi-platform parties that can take place in real time. Once live events are able to commence safely, shows will take place across the physical and virtual venue simultaneously, as well as integrations with select mobile gaming platforms.
Later this year, LWE plan to merge all three platforms - virtual, gaming and real life – in a bid to usher in a new generation of hybrid music events.
LWE’s recent Junction 2: Connections event partnered with Gameloft’s racing game, Asphalt. Offering direct access to streamed DJ sets from within the Asphalt game, those sviewing the stream were given access to the game functions, where they could engage, interact and compete with players across the globe. The event attracted an audience of 3.1 million globally.
This next step on our journey will pave the way for hybrid events within a fully immersive digital and physical space, providing a huge new platform to showcase music
Paul Jack
LWE director Paul Jack said: “TDv is our next step in the evolution of LWE and the development of our long-term event concepts where we see virtual worlds sitting alongside the real world. Tobacco Dock has hosted some of our most exciting shows and led the way in the UK for vast daytime events. This next step on our journey will pave the way for hybrid events within a fully immersive digital and physical space, providing a huge new platform to showcase music.”
Sheri Bryant, president of Sansar, said: “LWE is creating an entirely new event experience for fans with their series of epic 2021 shows in Sansar across multiple digital platforms and in real life simultaneously. They are leading the charge of innovation across the music industry. We couldn’t be more proud than to be their virtual event partner providing them with the technology to do so.”
Tobacco Dock commercial director, Jonathan Read, added: “Tobacco Dock is excited to be working alongside our long term partner LWE to develop a cutting-edge virtual venue that will enable remote audiences to have a truly immersive, rich experience with the attributes of being present without the travel. It is a bold new step on our journey to make Tobacco Dock a global destination for music, cultural, fashion and tech events.”
Users are now able to create a Tobacco Dock Virtual account in advance of the first events.
Details for the opening weekend at Tobacco Dock Virtual will be revealed on February 16. It is set to feature major party brands and a programme of big acts.
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