Text by ANYA MONDRAGON and ABIMBOLA BOLARINWA
Art by ZANDER LEONG
Concerts through screens
ARTISTS EXPLORE UNPRECEDENTED OPTIONS
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GIANT SPIDER WAVING the front row,” Muneyb said. “You can see its eerily long legs sets the stage everyone and everything that is going on.” for Billie Eilish’s performance In addition to the up-close experience, of “You Should See Me in a the stunning visuals of Eilish’s virtual conCrown” in her October concert. Jumping cert, including the giant spider, a virtual on the stage, she belts out the lyrics flaw- forest and a larger than life shark that swallessly. But when the song wraps up, the lows her whole, could never be replicated at expected thunderous applause is absent. an in-person event. The attendees to this show, as with many The online format allows the artist to others in the era have creative control of COVID-19, are over the vision they watching through a I liked how it was like want to present, withscreen from the com- you were sitting in the out constraints of what fort of their homes. can come on tour or be In light of Cen- front row.” realistically constructters for Disease Con— SANA MUNEYB, junior ed. trol and Prevention “I thought it was recommendations, cool to see the editing many artists were forced to cancel their and the graphics they used,” Muneyb said. tours and move their concerts online. “You don't get that in real concerts.” While the environment is certainly not In addition, venues can make attendthe same, junior Sana Muneyb recoging concerts accessible. Whereas front row nizes some advantages. tickets might have cost “I liked how it was like into the hundreds of you were sitting in dollars for well-known
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artists, the audience experiences the closeup element for a fraction of the price in a virtual environment. However, the online format is cheaper for a reason. The ambience of a virtual concert does not come anywhere near the kinetic, uninhibited atmosphere of standing in a packed venue surrounded by the energy of the crowd. “I don't think I would choose it over an in-person concert,” Muneyb said. “I miss the experience in a stadium with live music.” Unfortunately, there is no telling of when concerts in the traditional format will be widely available and safe to attend. Some artists, including Maroon 5, Harry Styles and The Weeknd, have postponed their plans for in-person concerts to 2021. However, if the coronavirus is not under control by then, they risk postponing even further. “While COVID-19 continues I think I would go to another one [virtual concert],” Muneyb said. “It is a pretty good substitute.” v
