Paying for virtual concerts might be worth it
Photo provided by: Wave
John Legend’s poster for “A Night For Bigger Love”, his virtual reality live stream concert that took place on June 25.
October 12, 2020
As events slowly move virtual amidst the pandemic, it is no surprise that music artists are hopping on the bandwagon. Due to social distancing rules, concerts and other live shows are now on a hiatus. However, many artists have switched to the virtual world and are offering their musical talents via a live-stream concert. While paying for a live-stream concert can be reasonable, some of these events are so overpriced that it is hard to see how paying a hundred dollars to sit at home and watch your favorite artist perform through a screen could possibly be worth it.
Popular artists such as John Legend and Megan Thee Stallion have offered live-stream concerts at low prices. Legend’s concerts are free with the option to give monetary gifts, while Thee Stallion’s tickets cost fifteen dollars per person. Initially, it seems that attending these concerts are not worth it, as one would be missing out on the atmosphere of a true concert, no special seating, no chance to see the artist backstage; the entire experience is dwindled down to watching the singer perform through a screen. However, considering how cheap the tickets are, it would not hurt to spend fifteen dollars to try and get a taste of the concert experience safely during the pandemic. However, some artists have taken live streamed concerts to a new extreme.
In order to make the virtual concert experience more special, singer-songwriter Mishka Shubaly offers a pricier alternative. For a hundred dollars, Shubaly provides a private live streamed concert where the attendee creates the setlist and can have a one-one conversation with Shubaly. The topics range from talking about personal issues to getting guitar lessons from the artist. While people who do not attend many concerts to begin with would probably never pay for this, if someone is really into concerts, this does not seem like a bad deal. At first glance, paying a hundred dollars for a virtual concert does not seem worth it under any circumstances, but a one-on-one with the artist, even if it is through a screen, makes all the difference. If someone attends many concerts and usually pays extra for things such as floor seating and backstage passes, this offer does not seem too far-fetched.
While virtual concerts may not seem worth it from the surface, if one is an avid concert goer, it is the closest they can get to the concert experience as long as COVID-19 and its strict guidelines are still around. It shows fans that artists still care about providing a memorable experience for them even with the social distancing rules currently put in place and it also shows that artists value the safety of themselves and their audience.
Loading ...
