APRIL | COVER FEATURE
freedom is blockchain.
BitTicket co-founder Phil Shaw-
Stewart says the technology is
transparent and allows for fair
and secure transactions. “It is very
much an emerging technology. It
cannot be applied to all problems
yet, but it’ll be involved in logistics,
sta ng, and will be embedded in
all our lives and we won’t know it.
It is the future. “
Is there a future challenge
to blockchain? Sort of, Revill
comments. “Quantum computing
technology could in theory
unlock anything anywhere, but
‘hashing’ – the method via which
blockchain is secured - is still
orders of magnitude more di cult
too unpick than traditional
encryption.”
GDPR, Revill continues, has
been a game changer for data.
“Data breeches historically meant
someone getting access to data,
stored somewhere. GDPR involves
how you are using it, and if it was
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“EDM artists in
particular are pushing
the boundaries,”
consented to.
Not just data, but data and the
purpose are in lock step now.
“The whole of the EU will be
under GDPR, and any activity in
the EU. If a person from the US
is at an event in the UK, it still
counts,” Revill adds.
- Graham Miller head of music & touring
at Creative Technology
ASHL ESS I S AL SO TAK I NG OF
BitTicket’s Shaw-Stewart alludes
again to the risk/reward balance,
this time when handling your cash
at festivals.
“The idea that you can top up
your wristband with money and
not lose spare change – and that
you can buy anything on site is the
future for festivals. But, previous
festivals have failed at cashless. It
takes a lot of trust for the vendor.
“Tomorrowland pioneered
a top-up card which enhanced
everyone’s experience. You could
also associate your card with the
wrist band so you don’t run out of
Below: Tomorrowland
in full illumination
money.”
He adds that petty crime was nullified
because of the bands.
But what about the show experience?
Graham Miller, head of music & touring
at Creative Technology, says the bar is being
raised on production, but this is weighted to
certain sectors.
“Video at events, LED screens, etc, are
being pushed forwards, especially at EDM
events. Organisers want a better look and
feel, and dance artists in particular are
pushing the boundaries.
Meanwhile, budgets are differing. maller
festivals want the same for less, but there
will be other sectors putting in newer
technology and one of those areas is building
more cashless payment infrastructures.”
A more holistic look is emerging
at festivals, and the technological
infrastructure is critical to achieving this.
“Fibre networks allow organisers to transmit
video all around a site, and handle cashless
payments, and cctv for security,” says Miller.
“It’s already happening, but we’re
encouraging it more in the UK.”
Adam Hornblow, CEO, PSL Media Group
adds that organisers will try and cut
costs and get better value. “We installed
holographic video and soundwave field
synthesis at Knebworth, and this was the
first of its kind. e are looking into creating
themed rooms, with projected holographics,
and ways to make sound come from a
specifified point so maybe in the room you
can have people walking around a piano that
isn’t even there. It’s a projection.”
Sound volume is also an area of contention
as local authorities try to keep residents
happy, while visitors rave into the wee hours.
avefield synthesis doesn’t allow you
to increase the volume cost effectively
yet. A stadium size venue would cost tens
of millions. Therefore, point source is a
specialist area for us and we can make sure