The music industry has been affected by the Covid-19 Pandemic. The pandemic in an unclear time frame makes the music industry have to make creative innovations to turn the wheels of their industry. The concept of digital concerts must be lived. They must consider how digital concerts can feel real instead of just showing regular video shows. For example The Online Concert BTS, NCT 127 online concert, and etc.
Salsabilla Dewi Kemuning, a student of the Department of Communications at the Universitas Islam Indonesia (UII), raised this digital concert phenomenon as the topic of her undergraduate thesis research. She saw how the audience could feel the atmosphere of this digital concert. He explained the liveness concept of this online concert at the Monthly Discussion Center for Alternative Media Studies and Documentation (PSDMA) NADIM of Communication Department UII on Tuesday, 28 June 2022.
To make the digital concert so real, the event organizer made various efforts, both visual appearance and audience experience. For example, by presenting a live chat feature, video calls, rest breaks, and stage creations. Some of the explanations for these efforts are as follows:
Live chat
The audience can feel so connected to the concert directly (synchronously) by providing a live chat feature where the audience can comment directly in the chat column provided.
Video call and lightstick
The existence of this video call makes the audience feel that when they are watching this concert, they are sure that this concert is taking place. Especially when the stage screen also shows all the audience from all directions, their faces live. In addition, the lights tick on the ticket is also used to impress a real concert.
Breaktime for rest
The impression of liveness is also felt when the artist needs a short break to rest. This break is also often done by artists when they do live concerts. Participants also got a real concert atmosphere when the artist asked for a break to change clothes or take a break.
Stage layout
The event organizer does two kinds of stage layouts when building a liveness image. The first is to use the studio during concerts and Augmented Reality (AR) to present effects on stage. The second is to build an outdoor concert stage with all the concert equipment like a real concert. “The two methods received different responses from the audience. The audience can feel the aura of the concert more with the second method,” said Kemuning.
