The Rise of Interactive Events

Post-pandemic, the world has shown an increased hunger for experiences. This has led event organisers and creators to develop new, more interactive events for their audiences.

However, interactive events and experiences are not exclusive to a post-pandemic society. The art world has been using interactive installations to increase engagement with viewers for over 50 years, with continuing success.

Similarly, the theatre industry has also been using interactive shows to increase the immersive experience enjoyed by audiences for some time. Television, too, has explored interactive shows, with the Netflix series Black Mirror using the capabilities of its digital platform to create the episode Bandersnatch, which offers several different endings based on the viewers' input (SPOILER IN LINK!).

With technology rapidly improving and the Web3 revolution well underway, other sectors of the entertainment industry are also embracing interactivity as a way to deepen the connection their audiences feel to the action. Live events are recovering well from the restrictions that Covid-19 placed upon them and have taken lessons from the virtual shows they were forced to evolve into, incorporating more interactivity for their attendees.

Interactive Engagement

The music industry has been playing with technology and fan interaction for several years. For example, Ed Sheeran used fan-made clips to create the video for his single "Thinking Out Loud", and Kasabian utilised VR technology to allow fans to experience their performance on stage with them.

Experiences like these help bridge the gap between A-list performers and their fan base, who can feel more connected to their favourite performers. In turn, this has laid the groundwork for more artists and event creators to explore how technology can help augment and increase fan engagement.

Web3 and NFT technology have also begun to disrupt live entertainment as we know it. Artists such as Pharrell, Snoop Dogg, Dolly Parton and Avenged Sevenfold have all begun using NFTs to offer their fans a more connected experience, with the Avenged Sevenfold lead singer even describing their offering as "virtual handshakes".

Events like the Portuguese Boom festival combine their environmentally conscious message with NFT installations. Even going as far as to offer their attendees a chance to purchase the artwork that was part of the festival as a unique, rare souvenir.

As NFTs grow from their early PFP days into digital assets with accompanying utility, event organisers and artists at all levels of fame are beginning to turn to blockchain-based offerings that give fans unique perks and benefits in exchange for their support.

Giving fans the chance to own a rare digital collectable that also comes with perks and benefits is already a proven success, but these are still early days, with plenty more avenues to be explored in the merging of Web3 and live events.

SeatlabNFT x Lost Village

Here at SeatlabNFT, our goal is to build an event ticketing platform that gives artists and event creators the capability to use NFT airdrops to enhance the fan experience.

As we approach our platform launch, we've partnered with the award-winning Lost Village festival to showcase how NFT collectables can create an interactive experience and give fans a lasting connection to the event.

Lost Village attendees can download the SeatlabNFT wallet to claim a Lost Society 2022 NFT membership card that unlocks a secret audiovisual installation within the festival. Somewhere inside the festival there will be a hidden door where the NFT membership card can be scanned to gain entry to an immersive experience. Read more about our partnership with Lost Village here.

For us, this is only the beginning of our showcase activation events, as we continue with our goal to redefine event ticketing for artists, event creators and fans. Over the coming months, we’ll be demonstrating what our NFT ticketing technology can do at different events across Europe. 

Looking Ahead

If you aren't attending Lost Village this year, don't worry, we've got plenty of incredible events and experiences lined up to demonstrate our NFT ticketing platform. We firmly believe the future of live entertainment lies with interactivity and immersion powered by Web3 technology, so keep your eyes peeled for more announcements in the coming months.

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