December 1, 2009 Staged performances and thoughts about the future.
Here are two things that you may want to consider when planning out your life as an artist that earns a living by staging performances (live and not).
The Inconvenient Talk
First, (for distant consideration) one of the most interesting articles I have read about energy supplies (hydrocarbon based fuels for heating and transportation) was not necessarily about when we will run out of it, the article titled “An Inconvenient Talk” was more about (for me) when the price of fuel will begin to wildly spike up and out of reach for the average concertgoer. I have read a fair amount about the demise of the energy supply, but this article by Chris Turner was the best article on the subject I have read to date. Using easy to understand and engaging language, Turner’s article describes complex and exhausting research that’s been vetted and curated by Dave Hughes, a Canadian “hydrocarbon geologist”.
“Here’s the upshot: if you plan to drive a car or heat a house or light a room in 2030, The Talk (the Inconvenient Talk) is telling you your options will be limited, to say the least. Even if you’re convinced climate change is UN-sponsored hysteria or every last puff of greenhouse gas will soon be buried forever a mile underground or ducks look their best choking on tar sands tailings, Dave Hughes is saying your way of life is over. Not because of the clouds of smoke, you understand, but because we’re running out of what makes them.”
If you are already forty years old, this issue may not be on your income earning radar (perhaps you can sing about it), but if you are twenty, you may want to consider the following section as your next best option for staging performances in the not-so-distant future.
Christie Microtiles
The second thing I want to point out is the launch last month of Christie’s (1,000 employees, two Academy awards, and a leading supplier of advanced projection technologies) Microtiles. Billed as “The New Digital Canvas”, Microtiles are portable, extremely high-resolution, stackable projection boxes (my term) that enable users to rapidly deploy stunning walls of rich content. This technology is not only disruptive to other display technologies that are already in the marketplace, the Microtiles solution demonstrates how easily that it will be to 1) create stunning stage displays, and 2) install full-sized active content walls anywhere. Watch the video! As prices for technology like this drop, and as broadband speeds increase, the ability to multicast in full-sized, high def will be available to artists everywhere. The architectural possibilities are limitless. Don’t drive to the concert; build a wall in your backyard; invite your neighbors; sell the beer; and charge admission.
Reader Comments (5)
Nice post about MicroTiles which we think also is a game-changer in architecture, rental / staging and the digital out of home industry in general.
We have some great stories up about them which you can search for here http://www.dailydooh.com/index.php?s=microtiles
We have covered content building for them, how to tile and the launch itself.
those micro tiles are sick
I got pretty excited about the MicroTiles. Super interesting. Actually working with the company that sells them however is entirely another story.
Nowhere on the site is there a price listed. A day after completing a form for a price request, I received an automated email saying someone would contact me. Two days after that, I received a personal email informing me my information has been passed on to a Sales Representative. Now 5 days later, I still haven't received anything that says "a MicroTile costs $_____."
What I thought it was a simple question apparently has baffled an entire corporation. Oh well...whatever...moving on to the next great idea and a company that can handle it...
Anyone have a word on great innovation ideas from great companies that actually want to sell their products...say...like Apple?
Thanks for sharing the article, that is pretty alarming! Still if artists now want to tour they should be ok until 2021, unless you are recommending they not tour a all to save gas reserves.
Those microtiles look interesting. Unfortunately I don't think it will be a good substitute for a live show as many people attend performances so that they can tangibly say they were there to see such and such although I'm sure there will be a market to watch concerts like that. I see more potential in outfitting dance clubs with this technology and broadcasting images/visuals or even live feeds of other club/crowds dancing around the world. That would be something...
This article is completely irrelevant to a touring artists' life.