Snap back to reality: Eminem’s AR app embraces phones at gigs

Def Jam chief executive (and former manager for Marshall Mathers), Paul Rosenberg and an LA-based multimedia production shop are helping Eminem embrace device-obsessed music fans.

“We figured, if the phones are going to be there [at concerts] and people are going to be putting them up in the air and looking at them anyway why don’t we provide a way to maybe change the way they’re perceiving the show,” said Rosenberg.

Developed by Drive Studios and debuted at Coachella last night, the Eminem Augmented app gave fans a taste of what to expect on Eminem’s upcoming US and European tour, which kicks off May 27 in Indio.

Watch footage from Eminem’s Coachella set below:

Just like his set at Coachella, which came complete with fiery bomb blasts, a meat cleaver incision on the crowd and a larger than life Eminem who batted away helicopters, Eminem’s concert experience will be geo-tagged and time-stamped so that it’s only visible within a few hundred meters of the stage.

According to Eminem’s official website, the first six songs of his set all include AR activations.

Drive Studios’ creative director, Rich Lee has been working with Eminem since 2010 when the pair worked on his clip for ‘Not Afraid‘.

“We started talking about getting VR and AR for a while,” said Lee. “It’s only recently come about that this technology has come around to the point where we feel we could pull this stuff off.”

Fans are now able to bring Eminem’s interactive tour poster into their world using their mobile phones:

The Eminem Augmented app also includes ‘AR Anywhere’ experiences, which include Shady’s World Portal. Check it out below:

Ok @eminem… This is ridiculous!!! #eminemaugmented #eminem #iphonex #ar pic.twitter.com/EDVWJ9Xt8g

— Jake Bass (@MrJakeBass) April 14, 2018

While some artists and live music venues have actively moving to ban phones at gigs – we’re looking at you Jack White and Cherry Bar – others are embracing screen culture; but not just for artistic reasons.

From 360-degree animated worlds to interactive albums and concerts, the experiences are endless, but what will surely be more exciting to some is the hive mind of uncapped consumer data and the new revenue silo.

This article originally appeared on The Industry Observer, which is now part of The Music Network.