CONCERT VISUALS & AUGMENTED REALITY
Palmesus
classics
Bringing AR to a live concert experience
Services // MOTION // EVENT LIVE VISUALS
Challenge
Palmesus Classics is a two-night concert series where popular Norwegian singers perform with a symphony orchestra, covering famous songs. Part of Norway’s Palmesus Music Festival, it’s a collaboration between Kilden Concert Hall and Kunstsilo museum in Kristiansand.
The event combines musical performances with innovative visual design – light shows, pyrotechnics, orchestra, pop stars, DJs, and live visuals. For the 2022 edition, the Kunstsilo team wanted something magical that would surpass audience expectations and maintain the Classics’ reputation as a must-see experience.
Opportunity
We elevated the visual impact beyond traditional concert visuals, moving past static projections to create something truly interactive.
The goal was to blur the boundary between stage and audience, bringing the performance into the space where people sat. Using augmented reality at this scale, in a live concert environment with changing lighting and hundreds of devices, had never been done before.
Nordic mythology meets live performance
Using Nordic mythology as inspiration, we produced sixteen abstract visual pieces for the shows. Each performance was paired with a digital work inspired by a Norse god – Odin, Thor, Freya, and others.
The visuals were composed of elements mixed live during the concert, reacting in real-time to the music being performed. This created unique compositions tied specifically to each song, never repeating the same way twice.
AR Floating in the auditorium
During three instrumental performances, the visuals took on a life of their own. Using augmented reality, the spectacle floated off the stage and into the auditorium above the audience.
Through their mobile phones, attendees could see three-dimensional works floating overhead: a constellation of planets, floating mountains with colorful waterfalls, and radiating growing crystals.
This pushed the limits of what AR could do at live events – working across a massive venue, handling ever-changing light conditions, and performing seamlessly across hundreds of different devices simultaneously.
Result
Two nights of performances that merged symphony orchestra, pop music, and cutting-edge AR technology.
16 unique visual pieces
inspired by Norse mythology
bespoke live-mixed visuals
1.5 hours
3 AR experiences
floating above the audience
Custom AR application
for iOS and Android
Team
Mike van der Noordt
Creative direction, animation, live visual mixing, AR development
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