The world’s first virtual-live concert @ the Viking Ship. (Photo: Facsimile Heisholt Inc. / NRK)

The opening concert at this year’s The Gathering is unique: World-renowned artists will perform live on stage, and simultaneously in the popular game Minecraft.

This Easter, about 5,500 gaming enthusiasts meet at the computer party The Gathering located in Vikingskipet (Viking Ship) in Hamar. As usual, the party kick-starts with an opening concert, however, this year’s concert will be something quite unique.

Together with Juniorsymfonikerne, popular artists like Lemaitre, Broiler and AlunaGeorge perform live on stage at Vikingskipet and simultaneously in the game Minecraft.

– This is a very special music video and concert production in Minecraft – totally unique, says Erik Heisholt, creative director and founder of Heisholt Inc. to NRK.

The virtual concert in Minecraft takes place in an exact replica of the Viking ship. All artists have their own avatar run by volunteer gamers at The Gathering during the concert. The moves are synchronized with what is happening live on stage.

– Gamers worldwide can attend the concert with their Minecraft avatar in the same way as a normal concert, Heisholt explains.

The project is a collaboration between Heisholt Inc., Universal Music and The Gathering. It is the first concert who are digitally recreated directly into a game.

Several million people play Minecraft on a daily basis. It is a game where you dig (mine) and build (craft) different kinds of 3D blocks within a large world of varying terrains and habitats to explore. In this world, the sun rises and sets as you go about your work, gathering materials and making tools. There is rain and the occasional lightning storm, and animals that you can tame, farm or use for food. Depending on which mode you are playing in, you might also need to fight for your survival against hunger, danger and bad guys.

The opening concert in the Viking Ship starts at 9:00 p.m (Norwegian time) on Wednesday 23 March.

Text modified by: Anette Broteng Christiansen, ThorNews

Source: NRK, Minemum

Categories: Culture, Sports & Health