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PL & P
Yoop ’ s eSpaces
Are Bringing Fans Closer Than Ever
By Kevin Young
While we can all agree that there ’ s no substitute for a full-on , packed-to-the-rafters live show , we should also be able to agree on the fact that everyone , from lone musicians sitting in front of their screens at home to world-class production and innovative livestreaming companies , are doing everything they can to offer up something to ease the pain of separation felt by performers , production technicians of every description , and audiences alike .
Although it will still be some time before we ’ ll experience the energy and sense of community of a “ normal ” live event , the pandemic has prompted many firms – whose stock in trade is mounting shows , conferences , and events – to innovate relentlessly , and Montreal-based entertainment company Yoop is no exception .
Since the pandemic was declared , company founder and CEO Benoit Fredette and Yoop have made it their mission to up the game for livestreaming in terms of the experience of those on stage and in the ( virtual ) crowd . In part , they ’ ve done it by reproducing the perspective fans would normally have at a live event , while enhancing the interaction between artists and their audiences in the virtual space . In recent months they ’ ve expanded beyond their home base of Montreal , partnering with Solotech to streamline their first “ eSpace ” and launching two more in Nashville and Los Angeles – all providing two-way visual and audio communication with zero lag between artists and audiences .
Before 2020 , the lion ’ s share of Yoop ’ s business was live events , says Fredette , but they were also researching ways to augment the live space , virtually , to facilitate a higher degree of interaction and connection than is the norm in livestreaming . What they discovered is that artists – even pre-COVID – were very interested in augmenting their live shows with a virtual component . “ About two-and-a-half years ago we were conducting research with artists and users and many did wish they had a way to perform one big show to bring together any number of fans at the same time , remotely ,” he recalls .
In some cases – notably for established acts – that desire was fueled by touring exhaustion or being unable to physically and / or financially perform in every territory their fanbase hails from . For