Keeping it 100 % real and ahead of the game, these eventsย have pioneered the use of awesome technology to enhance festival experiences!
Festivals all over the world are upping the ante by using some revolutionary technology to augment and simplify the lives of festival goers.
1.The insider band made its debut at the Outside Lands festival, San Francisco in 2013.
Though the beautiful festival held in Golden Gate park every year is known for its rugged look and brilliant music, what it is not known for is the cellphone reception there. The 2013 edition came with eight 14 foot towers installed at different locations all over the venue. The towers, equipped with internet and connectivity, could be accessed with the wireless wrist bands. As each band was linked to to the user’s Facebook account, they could post pictures and most importantly, send direct messages to get in touch with friends lost at the festival itself.
2. Lightwave Technology used at SXSW 2014
(Image : Scott Dudelson Getty Images)
How awesome would it be if dancing your head off at one of your favourite artists set couldย win you prizes? That is exactly what some festival goers were dealt with atย SXSW 2014. This has to be one of the coolest experiments ever done in a music festival. The South by South West festival ย introduced Lightwave technology to enhance the experience of the festival goers. Linked to their online account, the bands measured audience membersโ bio metrics by tracking them with motion, volume and temperature sensors., they measured the audience reactions in real time. The data was wirelessly transmitted to the Lightwave system, which also triggered confetti and booze prizes that were unlocked as the reactions reached higher levels.
3. Lollapalooza wentย cashless!
It is much easier losing money at a festival than it is catching your favourite artist. So Lollapalooza came up with a brilliant solution of helping you put your money on your wrist. Wearable tech in the form of wireless bands were given to the festival goers. The bands were linked to your bank accounts so you basically did not need toย carry money around as you shuffled from stage toย stage. The bands also served as tickets, just required to be scanned at the entry, immediately eliminating long lines at andย saving a lot of paper in the process.
(Image Credits: www.billboard.com)
4. Tomorrowland makes festival friendship easier.
Tomorrowland is known to push boundaries in ensuring the best possible festival experiences. And since last year, they aren’t restricting themselves to music. The festival introduced wireless wrist bands which were specifically linked to the user’s personal account. The bands also replaced paper tickets and changed the way things go, as far as festival friendships are concerned. When two users simultaneously pressed the heart shaped button on the band, they received Facebook request from each other. Pretty neat, huh? Not to mention the LED lights that were activated by the festival producing crazy light shows during performances!
5. Copokรชย saves the day!
One of the most annoying things during a festival is when you don’t know the lyrics to a song that everybody around you seems to be enjoying so much. The next time, instead of feeling rejected, you can grab aย Copokรช.ย In the Brahma Valley festival, the beer brand Brahma gave attendees a special beer cup calledย Copokรช. The cup displays the lyrics of the song that is playing so you can sing along and join in the revelry with no qualms. The cup also displayed timings of the next performance, so you can keep yourself informed while you pour yourself a chilled one.
6. Coachella and the crazy VR headset.
Coachella is known to be one of the most innovative festivals in the world. Be it their line up or theย beautiful decor, it is always something to watch out for. So is it any surprise that they are venturing quite excitedly into the realm of virtual reality? A virtual reality headset has been added to the welcome boxes sent to each person who bought aย ticket, and a recently launched app that lets you experience Coachella in a completely new light.ย The Coachella VR appย will allow Cardboard and Gear VR owners to flip through 360-degree photos from the festival’s past, old interviews and performances from this year’s artists, and a virtual tour of the festival grounds.
7. Spotify and Rhythm and Vines come together to create a different festival experience.
New Zealand festivals like Rhythm and Vines are not far off in introducing technology in the festival experience. Last year in collaboration with Spotify, they introduced My Festival Story, where you could map out your entire festival adventure via Spotify.ย RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology embedded in official festival wristbands enabled attendees to connect, collectย and share the pictures and videos taken during the festival.ย At the event, they could use their wristbands to check in at a number of locations, collect Spotify playlists at stages, follow their favourite acts on Spotify, and have their photo snapped along the way. This information created a personal festival story that could be shared on social media, as well.
(Image Credits: www.eventfinda.co.nz)