MostContagious2012.pdf - Contagious Magazine

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Coldplay / Xyloband
British rock band Coldplay has built a
reputation for its colourful live shows, with
lasers and balloons galore. For their 2012
world tour, however, the band took this a
step further by introducing Xylobands.
Each ticket-holder was given a wristband
containing LEDs and ultra-low-power
microcontrollers. During various songs,
these wristbands lit up in sync with the
music and stage lights – effectively turning
the audience into a visual extension of
the show. The devices were designed by
Devon-based RB Concepts, a company
in which Coldplay has now invested.
In a similar move, Disney handed out lightup
Mickey Mouse ears for its Glow with the
Show event at Disney California Adventure
Park. The LED-filled ears were purchased
beforehand and collectively synched to
flash during the show. Both examples generated
a visually stunning spectacle, heightening
the audience’s enjoyment of, and
interaction with, the performance.
xylobands.com
Dan Deacon App /
For his 2012 tour, Baltimore-based musician
Dan Deacon created an app that
turns the audience’s smartphone into an
extension of his live act. The application
turns the speaker into an instrument, the flash into a strobe
and the screen into part of the light show.
The app doesn’t require data connectivity or a phone signal
to operate, ensuring it will work in any venue. Fans install
the app before the show and watch as their smartphone
becomes an extension of the performance. The application
is activated by audio signals emitted from the stage, which
carry data to trigger these functions.
Forget the flags at Glastonbury; holding mobile phones in
the air has become a 21st century frustration for millions of
gig-goers. Deacon’s app turns this (rather annoying) habit
into one that amps up the collective excitement around the
concert. Contagious 33.
bit.ly/rQN0s7
Beldent / Random Music Fest
Mondelez (née Kraft)-owned chewing gum Beldent left the
audience guessing at a festival held in Buenos Aires, Argentina,
on 29 September. Devised as part of the Project Fly
innovation programme (which we’re proud to be a partner
in), The Beldent Random Music Fest featured four stages
with a lighthouse in the centre of the audience. This lighthouse
randomly illuminated a particular stage, which was
the cue for the next band to begin playing. A mobile app
detected the live music and provided lyrics for the audience.
People could also use the app to vote for their favourite band
to perform an encore. More than 8,500 people attended the
event, while 250,000 watched the live stream on Facebook.
Featured in Contagious 33.
www.beldent.com.ar
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