The FADER have been running a special live music event at South by Southwest (SXSW) for over 15 years, dedicated to introducing the world to new and upcoming music acts. The small, intimate nature of the performance means that previously only a fortunate few could see these performances, that has changed with virtual reality (VR) video streaming.
In the past, the FADER FORT music event has allowed emerging artists to become known to a new audience, with performers such as Cardi B, Dua Lipa and Drake using it as a breakout gig. As a result, it become one of SXSW’s most in-demand shows.
The FADER have teamed up with Google VR in order to open up the show to a wider audience by livestreaming the event on YouTube in VR180 video. Users will e able to watch a 3D, 4K video of the show, where performances from special guests such as Saweetie, Bloc Boy, Valee and Speedy Ortiz will be featured.
The VR180 stream will be available to users via a 2D YouTube desktop or mobile app, or for a more immersive experience, viewers can don a Google Cardboard, Samsung Gear VR Google Daydream or even PlayStation VR to view the stream in VR.
The livestreams will be available from 14th-16th March, with the best acts being available to view live during the day in VR180, then an edited version of each set will be made available for viewing at any time, for those whose time-zones do not sync up so well or are otherwise occupied during the performance times.
The FADER said on its website: “Thanks to Google’s tech, the videos look great on a regular device, but seeing them in VR definitely makes for the best viewing experience. “
The full set list can be found at The FADER official website, though some of the special guest performances are intended to be surprises and have not yet been announced.
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