Skip to main content

New partnership will bring hundreds of live concerts to virtual reality headsets

Audi Virtual Reality Experience
Samsung
Fans of live music soon won’t have to leave their homes to get access to a massive number of live experiences, thanks to a new partnership between production companies Live Nation and NextVR.

The companies will work together to shoot and stream hundreds of live concerts starting this summer, making their available to owners of Oculus Rift and Samsung Gear VR headsets. The company plans to expand to other VR app stores, such as that of the HTC Vive, soon after its initial launch.

Here’s the kicker: At first, all programming will be free.

“NextVR is planning to bring quite a few acts to the platform at no cost and initially — all programming will be free. Pay-for-view programs will likely follow — at a time determined by NextVR and Live Nation,” said a NextVR spokesperson in an interview with Variety.

This is a multiyear deal that NextVR executives likely hope will cement the company as the frontrunner in the world of live virtual reality production, not that they already didn’t have an upper hand in the industry. The tech startup recently raised $30.5 million in Series A funding from cable conglomerates including Time Warner and Comcast.

It makes sense that cable and event companies would want to partner with a virtual reality producers to cover live events. As the VR market grows, immersive home viewing experiences will need to grow with it. Plus, pay-per-view dollars could prove extremely lucrative for big-name artists and large events for which fans have a hard time getting tickets.

The companies have yet to put forth a full concert schedule, but have announced that the first event will take place this summer. Live Nation produces 25,000 live events each year, so the companies should have plenty of shows to choose from.

Editors' Recommendations

Parker Hall
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Parker Hall is a writer and musician from Portland, OR. He is a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Oberlin…
Sony’s A75L is its most affordable 4K OLED TV so far
Sony Bravia A75L OLED 4K TV.

Sony has announced that it's about to begin taking preorders on its 2023 Bravia A75L OLED 4K TV -- a model that shares all of the same high-end picture quality technologies found on the company's Bravia A80L, but costs much less. The A75L is available in 55- and 65-inch screen sizes, for $1,600 and $2,000 respectively. That's up to $500 less than the same sizes of the A80L. Sony expects preorders to begin in early October.

The A75L definitely brings the price of Sony's incredible OLED TV picture quality within reach of more people, but if you're in the market to buy a new TV right now, you may want to check out Sony or Amazon for their current pricing on the Bravia A80L: the 55-inch model is $1,600 (the same as the A75L) and the 65-inch model is just $1,800 ($200 less than the A75L).

Read more
This Sony 65-inch OLED 4K TV is $700 off right now
Sony A80L 4K OLED TV.

There's a great way to save some cash on expensive electronics that a lot of folks don't consider: buying straight from the manufacturer. Right now Sony has the best deal out their on their own Bravia XR A80L OLED TV. You can grab the 65-inch model of this gorgeous OLED TV for only $1,800, down $700 from its usual $2,500. All of the other sizes are on sale as well. This is one of the best TV deals out there today, and it's coming straight from Sony.

Why you should buy the Sony 65-inch Bravia XR A80L OLED TV
As one of the best TV brands, Sony has embraced OLED technology in recent years. OLED means that each pixel on-screen is self-lit so that different areas of the screen can react differently to other parts. That means deep blacks and vibrant colors all on one screen. With the Sony 65-inch Bravia XR A80L OLED TV, you get some fantastic technology enhancing the OLED panel even more.

Read more
Best headphone deals: Save on Bose, Sony, Sennheiser, and more
Woman wearing Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones.

Buying new headphones or wireless earbuds shouldn't have to be a scary experience -- if you're overwhelmed by all of the headphone deals that are out there, we're here to help you out. We've gathered the top choices and the biggest bargains right here, so you don't have to look anywhere else. Once you've chosen the audio accessory that you want to purchase, it's highly recommended that you proceed with the transaction because these discounts aren't going to last forever.
Today's best headphone deals
Audio-Technica SQ1TW -- $28, was $79

For very cheap wireless earbuds, go for the Audio-Technica SQ1TW. They're compact and comfortable to wear, but they don't sacrifice audio quality with their 5.8mm driver. They can last up to 6.5 hours on a single charge and an additional 13 hours with their charging case. The wireless earbuds come with waterproof design equivalent to an IPX4 rating, and they can connect to Android devices using Fast Pair technology for your convenience.

Read more