Most of us will be stuck at home for New Year’s Eve, but that doesn’t mean we can celebrate at a concert in Iceland — virtually, at least.
Iceland has announced Polar Beat, a live and fully virtual New Year’s Eve concert experience, with Northern Lights and fireworks guaranteed.
Icelandic tech company OZ is powering the event with its brand-new immersive technology in collaboration with Snapchat, using the social platform’s new 3D Bitmoji.
“Our goal with this New Year’s festival is to unite everyone in a shared experience, full of energy and life, where people are free to interact and express themselves,” said CEO of OZ Gudjon Gudjonsson, in a statement.
The event starts at 6:30 p.m. U.S. Eastern time on Dec. 31.
Concert-goers will see popular artists Sigur Ros and Kaleo, and a bunch of Icelandic celebrities, including Briet, Auður, Stuðmenn, and Friðrik Dor, all transformed into virtual avatars for the night.
You can join as an avatar by registering at www.newyear.is and the sooner you sign up, the closer to the stage you’ll be. After register with your Snapchat account, select your Bitmoji avatar — or create a new one — to participate in the event.
The party will also be broadcast live on Iceland’s national TV network RUV and streamed online.
Edited by Maria Korolov
MetaStellar news editor Alex Korolov is also a freelance technology writer who covers AI, cybersecurity, and enterprise virtual reality. His stories have also been published at CIO magazine, Network World, Data Center Knowledge, and Hypergrid Business. Find him on Twitter at @KorolovAlex and on LinkedIn at Alex Korolov.