Exploring Future Live Music Experiences with SPOT Groningen

Hi there!

We are a team of international third-year students from the University of Groningen partnering with SPOT Groningen, the leading concert and theatre organisation in the north of the Netherlands, to investigate how emerging technologies can shape live music experiences.

As SPOT prepares to move to its yet to be built innovative new venue, the Nieuwe Poort, this project explores how AI and hybrid technologies can enhance physical live performances while maintaining their human essence.

Focusing on SPOT’s organisational context, our research examines three core aspects of live music at their intersection with these latest technological advancements: venues, artists and audiences.

We defined these areas of interest as the pillars around which our investigation revolves: we’ll be exploring other venues’ adaptation process to newest trends, as well as what pioneering artists are proposing in the way of technologically innovating and enhancing their live music acts. As for audiences, the focus will be on how new technologies can alter their meaning making processes, shaping how they perceive, engage with and emotionally connect with live music performances.

Implementing design thinking in our research through practical case studies, we aim to deliver actionable recommendations that align with SPOT’s vision for a future-proof music venue.

Our partnership with SPOT Groningen is directly related to Metavenues, an international project established by Creative Europe and funded by the European Union, which explores innovative ways to blend physical and digital music experiences. Metavenues specifically focuses on redefining the value of performing arts venues in the digital era, by creating immersive experiences through the combination of traditional live performance spaces with cutting-edge digital innovations such as virtual and hybrid reality formats. Their ultimate goal is to develop practical prototypes for European performing art venues: much in line with our line of investigation, they aim to do so by engaging with all stakeholders, all pillars essential to bringing a live show to life.

By combining academic research with practical stakeholder engagement, our project is set to answer the research question: “In what ways does the increasing importance of digital technology affect live musical experiences in European concert halls and how can SPOT effectively play into this changing relationship?”.

The project will culminate in an advisory memo combining a scientific literature review on current trends in hybrid live music experiences and practical research conducted through focus groups at SPOT. This memo will offer insights into technological innovations in the live music industry and provide SPOT with actionable strategies to potentially implement in their future relocation plans and endeavours.