Live virtual reality broadcasting startup NextVR, Inc. has signed a deal with live events firm Live Nation, Inc. to stream concerts live in virtual reality.

Under the deal, NextVR will broadcast “hundreds of live, cutting-edge performances in virtual reality to music fans worldwide.”

While a list of which performances would be covered under the deal was not released, in 2015 Live Nation promoted concerts from acts including U2, Fleetwood Mac, AC/DC, One Direction, Maroon 5 and Luke Bryan, and festivals including Electric Daisy Carnival, Rock Werchter, Austin City Limits, Lollapolooza and Bonnaroo.

“All LiveNation events are possible candidates and there will be some very big names included,” a NextVR spokeswoman told Cnet. “We’re planning the slate now.”

The five-year deal will see NextVR using an event truck that will allow them to mix stereoscopic video and 3D VR audio on the fly, and transmit it live, allowing viewers to view concerts from the front row, onstage and when available backstage as well.

Concerts will initially be free, but eventually NextVR plans to introduce pay-for-view programs in the future, potentially creating a new revenue stream for artists and concert promoters alike.

The future

While exactly what level of demand there will be to view live concerts in virtual reality isn’t clear, NextVR clearly thinks virtual reality viewing is the future, and already has a five year deal in place with Fox Sports to deliver the same thing with live sporting events.

The problem comes down as to just how immersive the first crop of the second generation of virtual reality devices is, even with things such as screen quality; the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive both only offer 2160 x 1200 pixel screens, while Samsung’s Gear VR comes in at 2560 x 1440 pixels, both of which are certainly high quality, but they’re still not close to being picture perfect such as we see now with 4k television sets.

Free as a selling point though is always going to be an easy, although once they switch to pay-per-view it may be a different matter; that said people pay good money to watch MMA and boxing matches, and the idea that you could be sitting ringside at Caesars Palace in an immersive environment like you were actually there will definitely be appealing to some.

NextVR’s viewing software is available on Samsung Gear VR and Oculus Rift, with versions for other platforms due to be released later in the year.

Image credit: estoverde/Flickr/CC by 2.0