Deutsche Telekom is Powering Wacken on Mixed Reality Stage
Once every summer it gets really loud in Schleswig-Holstein: More than 75,000 visitors from all over the world travel to the legendary Wacken Open Air. Not this year. But a festival summer without Wacken? Unimaginable.
In 2020, Wacken was cancelled for the first time in 30 years. Just like all the other cancelled festivals and major events, this was due to official orders to combat the pandemic. Regardless of this, the organizers, together with their long-standing partner Telekom, are bringing a completely new Wacken experience to every fan’s home: Wacken World Wide – the biggest mixed reality metal show of all time. Fans have the opportunity to enjoy this unique experience on MagentaMusik 360, on MagentaTV or on the TV program #DABEI live and for free.
Bands like Kreator, Blind Guardian and In Extremo will be playing on the innovative digital stage. More realistic than ever before. Fans around the globe will be part of this authentic live experience and world premiere within the festival industry.
Revolutionary format
“We present one of the world’s most important festivals in this revolutionary format. Thanks to a state-of-the-art mixed reality studio, we bring the energy of Wacken exclusively into the living rooms of the audience with MagentaMusik 360. A festival experience at home couldn’t be more authentic,” says Michael Schuld, TV and Entertainment Director at Telekom Deutschland. So-called living room concerts have been connecting musicians and fans since events have been banned since mid-March. Wacken and Deutsche Telekom are going one step further with Wacken World Wide.
“Together with Telekom, we have created the biggest Wacken ever. The innovative technology combined with a full load of metal will delight fans around the globe,” explains Thomas Jensen, organizer of the Wacken Open Air.
Unique experience
On three days the biggest metal bands will perform live on the most spectacular virtual stage of all time. The stage will be brought to life digitally by the so-called XR technology. While the artists play live, they will be filmed in real time with precise camera tracking and integrated directly into the virtual set. The LED back wall, the LED floor and fan interaction create an authentic stage feeling for artists and audience. With the Galaxy S20, strategic partner Samsung offers the right end device for the mixed reality experience.
The production in a specially built mixed reality studio combines real live performances, light show and stage effects with the virtual Wacken set. Never before has a livestream been so authentic and up close. In addition to the live shows, fans can look forward to numerous surprises, exciting background stories and the best performances from 30 years of Wacken.
Experience Wacken World Wide in a free livestream
Telekom will be showing Wacken World Wide live from July 30th to August 1st. Fans around the world will be able to watch the performances for free on the website and in the app of MagentaMusik 360. Viewers in Germany can also follow the broadcast on MagentaTV and in the TV program #DABEI. Afterwards, the performances will be available in the media library of MagentaMusik 360 and MagentaTV.