Could "Smart Glasses" revolutionise live music? - New DiS Article

Music
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As per the reader feedback, I’m going to continue sharing new articles as threads here in case people wanna discuss some of the ideas in them (or music news & recommendations other weeks)

Here’s an intro I wrote for the piece over on my LinkedIn:

It defies logic, but watching Nine Inch Nails, 34 years since the release of their debut album Pretty Hate Machine, still felt like crossing an invisible line and stepping into the future.

Trent Reznor has always been a trailblazer in the way he operates. From the way NIN used synths in heavy music, experimented with pay-what-you-can and premium superfan pricing, shifted from cinematic art-metal to delicate Oscar-winning film scores, it’s all part of the hunger to find new ground. Not to colonise it but the creative urge to find some fresh air and to see things no-one else has seen… yet! Then share that with the world.

Watching their set at The O2 in London last week (read my full DiSpatch here), I saw a live show that will be emulated by Glastonbury headliners and big budget pop videos for years to come. A creative vision of a multi-layered, old skool projection onto cloth in what seemed like early Hollywood special fx meets the light-mapping of some of artists pushing the boundaries of contemporary art installations. Holographic visions and ancient shadow puppets to match the music.

I’ve been thinking a lot about how much and how little live music has changed over the 25 years since I started DiS. How my first Reading Festival will be not too different to this year’s event. How my first ever gig on Fistral Beach will be pretty similar to anyone going to a Surfer’s Against Sewage fundraiser today. Stages will be bathed in sunlight, PA systems will be blaring, and whilst there might be wireless mics and more vegan options on sale, you’ll still see Flying Vs, paper cups of beer, and someone’s dropped noodles.

With Apple’s recent Liquid Glass announcement (some people didn’t seem to ‘get’ the obvious reveal), Meta previewing their Orion glasses, and Google revealing AndroidXR, it seems like the digital layer that may be able to be overlayed on a live music stage could change how we experience concerts forever.

Much like looking through the sheets Reznor had on stage, we’ll soon be looking through the lenses in front of our eyes, and rather than relying on smoke machines to see the light beams, we’ll be seeing imaginations bloom in ways we can’t even begin to imagine yet.

:goggles: I wrote about all of this and lots more ways that smart glasses may revolutionise music and evolve live music in this week’s Drowned in Sound newsletter.

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For balance, it’s worth noting that I’ve been part of a few campaigns around copyright issues with AI training and often speak at conferences about the climate impact of music and tech. This was a piece of future-gazing as a bit of an escape from how brutally awful the world is right now and a call for the music industry to not let this tech move forward without us.

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Have you seen ABBA Voyage, btw? By a quirk of timing, we went to both Nine Inch Nails and ABBA last week, and both used that ‘net curtain’ projection technique. We were wowed by NIN, but when we saw ABBA, we assumed it was the latter that had done it first.

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Probably not

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Imagining some kind of experience points and levelling up system for mosh pits, Metallica getting really into gacha mechanics

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It’s sort of a VR-headset issue where I don’t think it works for entertainment because I think people like to be able to look away from things and exist in their physical environment.

e.g. people like watching television or playing games, and those things can absorb them just fine without being completely unable to ever even glance away, which is why I don’t really see VR being more than a novelty (or used in specific settings, maybe scientific or educational).

I don’t see gigs being much different, people can be transfixed by what’s happening in front of them without it being attached to their face.

I know glasses are different from VR headsets (lighter, transparent) but I think the principle is the same. But then again I thought touch-screen phones were a gimmick, so I’ll probably be wearing a pair constantly in a few years.

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Haven’t NIN been doing that for years, albeit just on the main stage? Both times I’ve seen them at arena shows they’ve had the curtain in front of the stage for the slower tracks with visuals projected onto it, time lapsed decay etc Then it was raised for the heavier numbers.

I didn’t catch them on this current tour so could be missing something that’s new.

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Seems counterintuitive to me what with it being such a visual thing, but I understand what you’re going for.

Personally, especially as someone who’s heard of hearing, if there’s investment in wearable tech to enhance experiences of live music I’d rather it go in the direction of stuff like Subpac or Woojer vests

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I don’t think live music needs revolutionising tbh

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Yeah, it was this again. It’s not a particularly new technique (and actually looks a bit janky at points) but does have a ‘wow’ factor if you’ve not seen it done before.

The ABBA show is a full LED wall based on intricate motion capture, it’s super impressive and immersive as they’ve got control over how it sits in the space unlike eg an arena show.

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Would quite like it if they included little fun facts like you had on VH1 and The Chart Show

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Here to give the live music scene a kick up the arse, Nine Inch Nails

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NIN have been using the net curtain since the 90’s. Saw Max Cooper use it to great effect this year as well.

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Buddy Holly had some pretty smart glasses and that was back in the FIFTIES!

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It’s a really effective technique when done well and actually really simple if you’ve got the tech. I’ve seen Flying Lotus, Forest Swords and a couple of other electronica/post rock types use it at shows in the past.

This was probably the least interesting time I’ve seen NIN use it but maybe it’s just because I’m used to them wheeling it out.

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If smart glasses change anything about live music for the better, I hope it’s that people record clips through those rather than holding their phones up.

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I haven’t but am aware of it. I’ve seen a few people do similar before, but often not as many layered and using light-mapping and silhouettes.

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Smart glasses means wearing AI on your head

Absolutely not

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Was discussing these yesterday. Feels like if you’re gonna pay £100 for a hoodie, it should have this tech built in!

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I’d love to see the end of arena and stadium tours requiring 20-60 trucks being driven around the world in order for a tour to happen. And I think without all the screens, confetti canons, etc a show could still be unique to the artist and their imagination. I’ve seen a lot of big budget shows and apart from Lady Gaga’s fairground ride things at Twickenham and Muse’s fleet of drones, I’m not sure any of them have really been that much more than some fancy scaffolding and long catwalk stages. As in, I’m not sure all the lorry loads of stuff really benefitted the show. Although I did quite enjoy Paramore having trampolines on stage so that they could occasionally do a big bounce with the wireless guitars (it was no Less Than Jake with a firebreather tho!)

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