You might have heard that Avenged Sevenfold launched a VR concert for the fans who can’t go to the shows. Well, it somehow backfired.
During a recent chat with MusicTech, M. Shadows talked about their VR concerts and explained why fans might have been disappointed. The rocker said disappointment was part of business, and people have been calling them lazy for using VR. He responded to the comments:
“Right, the VR concert was mind-boggling to us because people were saying, ‘They’re lazy, they’re not gonna go on tour.’ And it’s like, ‘There are 36 tour dates [on the LIBAD tour], what are you talking about?’ We can’t be in your city every night. You don’t think it’s cool that you can put on a headset and watch a show in a different way?”
Shadows Believes VR Shows Are Better
AmazeVR teamed up to produce the 26-minute performance. Details from Reddit show that it features songs like ‘Mattel,’ ‘Hail To The King,’ ‘(D)eath,’ ‘Nightmare,’ and ‘Nobody.’ You can catch the show on Apple Vision Pro and MetaQuest VR.
VIP pass holders had the chance to see a special version of ‘Mattel’ as part of the ‘Looking Inside’ concert.
While Shadows is aware that VR concerts can’t and ‘shouldn’t’ replace real concerts, he also understands that it’s an easier way to experience a unique show. In another interview, he explained:
“But VR concerts aren’t supposed to replace that, right? An artist comes to your town once every two years or once every three years. This is something that you can literally grab that beer, get in there with your friends, and go have an interactive concert. That is not like being in the front row because you are literally immersed in the production. You can go around and see any angle you want; you are on the stage. You are in the stage.”
You can see snippets of the VR shows below.