Melodiously immersive
Music lovers will get to experience a new way of enjoying a live show soon in an unexpected venue, writes Aref Omar
FANCY hearing a live concert in a 7.1 surround sound setup? How about experiencing this music show in a cinema hall? This with the artiste performing in the flesh on the platform in front of the big screen, which is also projecting various images to accompany the music.
The scenario is a novel and unique one that certainly makes practical sense and it’s a wonder why no one had thought of this before. Well, Bryan Tan has and his idea of a new experiential show is actually taking shape.
The CEO of independent record label Lakeview Records has assembled the essential know-how through his company, Lakefront Xperience (LFx), and partnered with local cinema chain TGV Cinemas to present this new platform for music lovers to experience live music.
When met recently in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur, the 30-something Penangite with a background in audio engineering says that music is personal to many and watching a live performance can sometimes be a life changing experience.
MUSICAL TWIST TO CINEMA EXPERIENCE
“It’s also about experiencing a medium that is so familiar but in a brand new way. We all know that content is king and with the abundance of video and audio content being so accessible, it is an international phenomenon that new genres of content are emerging. And experiential content is the next frontier,” he says.
Tan, who is based in Malaysia as well as Los Angeles, explains the music portion first.
“Artistes record in digital now using DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations), so from the pre-production stage there’s already an option to manipulate the various audio files and present it in a surround sound environment. A simple example could be a drum roll being projected across a listener’s head or from behind to the front,” he says.
Tan adds that the sound positioning and spatial movement is all up to the creativity of the artiste who is designing the songs for a show.
“This is a show that audiences will not get elsewhere. This new platform will help artistes to exercise more creativity and enable them to stand out as well,” he says.
LIMITLESS CREATIVITY
The creative potential is endless and a show would consist of pre-recorded instruments or sound effects in the venue’s environment supplementing an artiste’s live singing that will be able to accommodate a live band as well.
“The live band and singer’s signal chain can also be included in the surround environment if that’s what they want. The concept of the show has to be planned beforehand but it can be done,” says Tan, who is of Indian and Chinese descent.
The visual effects and accompanying images can be easily projected onscreen as well. “Again, this is all up to the artiste’s creativity as to what they want to present during their performance. And the cinema is the perfect venue since it already has all of the latest visual and sound technologies that can be experienced from each and every seat in the hall,” he says.
EASY ACCESS
Tan adds that the cinema is also the perfect venue for audiences.
“True to our core belief of developing content to excite and inspire, we believe the Lakefront Experience will be unforgettable. It’s immersive, interactive, as well as intimate and gives music lovers more opportunities to catch live acts,” says Tan.
He adds: “Modern theatres like TGV Cinemas offer convenience and comfort in terms of ticketing and locations. So watching a live music show can now be as simple as going for a movie. It’s a safe place for kids and accessible for the elderly.”
Tan says that this aspect will translate well to the myriad of artistes out there who cater to different genres and age groups.”
A COMFORTABLE ALTERNATIVE
He makes a point though to stress that he is in no way trying to replace the other previous ways of experiencing a music concert.
“It’s a different experience to regular festivals and outdoor shows. This is not a comparison on which is better, it’s just another option. This new platform is here to add value to the artistes and the consumers. So I’m not here to take away or replace anything, it’s just another way to enjoy music,” he says.
Since the infrastructure is already present in cinema halls, Tan says this pioneering partnership between LFx and TGV Cinemas follows the “plug and play” concept. “Enabling artistes to setup and perform in any TGV Cinemas’ location within Malaysia will allow them to tour the nation easily. I’m introducing this here to promote local music and artistes. The talent here is enormous,” says Tan.
He adds: “Touring is always such a huge and costly endeavour, but together with TGV Cinemas we are able to make these live music performances more accessible and cost-effective for not only the performers but also the audience.”
FIRST MUSIC TOURING CIRCUIT
Tan says that the new platform utilising the LFx technology will be showcased on March 1 during a 60-minute concert featuring Zamaera, an upcoming local hip hop and street-style rapper under his label, held in conjunction with the launch of her new EP.
Although he is keeping further details under wraps for the moment, Tan adds that more shows will be coming in April onwards, with Zamaera as the first artiste to tour on this brand new circuit.
“Zamaera is a hip hop artiste and the genre relies heavily on sound effects, synths and heavy rhythms, so it’ll really be exciting to experience the exciting music in this kind of surround sound environment.”