Live broadcasts have been pretty much the only way for artists to perform for their fans for nearly two years. Now that all events are allowed with the public again, the need for live broadcasts no longer seems so high. However, Videoland and the HYMN platform see a future in them: they will bring a live broadcast of a concert by Guus Meeuwis and with an online concert film by Armin van Buuren.
Everyone was forced to sit at home, but the need for cultural events remained. The solution: You can attend parties from the comfort of your couch. Davina Michele performed at Ahoy Blank, international stars such as Dua Lipa, Billie Eilish and Kylie Minogue gave concerts and entire online venues such as Concertgebouw, and also came up with an online program.
Guus Meeuwis started The Streamers with many well-known Dutch artists. He held concerts with them in private locations where there was no live audience, but a large audience could watch from home. Now that the aura scales are over, The Streamers will be shown in front of a live audience for the first time.
More than a live concert
It might have been expected that broadcasting initiatives would be buried once the concert halls were full again, but this is not the case for the HYMN platform, which was set up at the time of Corona. They have done a show with Davina Michelle in closing times and will present the movie The Concert on June 30 Armin van Buuren: This is me†
HYMN’s Thomas de Vrij emphasizes that a concert movie provides an experience completely different from a physical event. “They will never replace each other. But with a musical, you get a chance to go deeper and tell a more story than with live concert alone.” The HYMN & Van Buuren Project (tickets €11) is a mixture of a concert recording of his performance at the Ziggo Dome in the coming days and documentaries-like segments where Van Buuren and his family have their say.
De Vrij explains that the idea for HYMN arose due to the limitations of the Corona crisis, but it has not become redundant now. “The pandemic has made us realize how we can take the experience to another level and a new form of that has emerged. It has given us the space and time to develop that. With Davina we did it in the middle of Corona time without the audience and now let it go.” We see what he adds with a production from the all-selling Ziggo Dome .”
It’s also thought of as a workable solution for Van Buuren fans around the world, who can’t all travel to Amsterdam, but can still catch the Ziggo Dome’s unique concert series.
De Vrij says requests from international artists are pouring in. “I think in times of Corona many artists are starting to think about what they stand for. They are looking for a way beyond just a physical display, through which they can tell their story and get their message across.”
HYMN is making a music film for Armin van Buuren’s performances at the Ziggo Dome that began Thursday night.
HYMN is making a music film for Armin van Buuren’s performances at the Ziggo Dome that began Thursday night.
picture: Bruno Press
With family or group of friends in front of the tube
Videoland also sees a market in providing concerts where you would have attended live. On June 11th they will release the full version Large with a soft GJos Mewes concert live at Phillips Stadium. The concert will not be replayed, but can only be watched live at that moment.
Videoland states that watching live concerts on TV has always existed, even before the Corona pandemic. A Videoland spokesperson said: “Due to Corona, this was temporarily the only option. We would now like to continue offering this option to our subscribers.” “We think a live concert, an event at home, or wherever you want to see it is always a beautiful experience.”
The audience they have in mind is not just the one who couldn’t get a ticket to the concert or who couldn’t come live for some other reason. They hope that family members or a group of friends will sit in front of the TV to watch live shows.
Videoland is not yet able to decide which concerts will follow on Videoland after the live broadcast of the Meeuwis concert. “We certainly have ambitions and are in talks with various parties,” the spokeswoman said. “We will announce the names of the parties and events at a later time,” he added.
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