Proactive Project - Australia
Vague Labs
Hybrid Reality Raves
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COVID-19 devastated the world’s music and rave scenes. But the restrictions also catalysed a new form of collective experience: virtual reality clubbing. All this disruption and innovation inspired me to co-found Vague Labs.
Vague Labs pioneered a new ‘hybrid-reality’ form of raving, designed to help the events industry to not only survive the lockdowns, but to thrive.
With the support of a $50,000 AUD grant from Creative Victoria, Vague Labs has run two successful, world-first events - HYBRID vol. 1 & 2 - and we’re just getting started.
At the HYBRID volumes, simultaneous parties were held in two ‘mirror worlds’ - the first was a physical warehouse space, and the second was an identical virtual reality 3D-mapped replica. The realms were connected by a massive LED ‘window’ which allowed VR ravers to see and interact with IRL ravers (and vice versa). The events featured back-to-back sets from VR and IRL DJs, and cutting-edge media arts installations from Reelize Studio.
Vague Labs is a creative collective formed from a collaboration between IRL festival coordinator, Velodrome Events, and pioneering VR club, Loner Online, who’ve been featured in a Resident Advisor documentary and multiple NYT articles. After receiving expressions of interest from investors, Vague Labs are exploring avenues for turning the hybrid-reality rave concept into a commercially viable enterprise. Watch this space.
