Duran Duran Collaboration: Augmented Reality Technology in Live Performance (2000-2001)
Duran Duran’s December 2000 Pop Trash tour featured the world’s first use of augmented reality (AR) technology in a live concert. Duran Duran and Charmed Technology worked together to create advanced 2D/3D visual effects which allowed animated characters to appear live on stage with the band.
This collaboration began during a backstage meeting before a concert in Los Angeles. Jarrell Pair gave a simple demonstration of AR technology to band members Nick Rhodes, Simon Le Bon, and Warren Cuccurullo, and the idea of using AR in a live concert was born.
Over the next few months, Duran Duran worked with Charmed’s team of artists and programmers to create custom graphics and effects for December’s tour.
A diverse array of 2D and 3D real-time visual effects were developed. Many of these effects featured interactive elements. With this project, Duran Duran continued their tradition of defining the cutting edge of music and technology. The images, descriptions, and movies below describe the ground breaking work created for “Hallucinating Elvis“, “Girls on Film“, “White Lines“, “The Reflex”, “Late Bar”, “Lava Lamp“, and more.
The project was documented in this presentation at the 2002 Augmented Reality Toolkit Workshop:
Jarrell Pair, Jeff Wilson, Jeff Chastine, Maribeth Gandy. “The Duran Duran Project: The Augmented Reality Toolkit in Live Performance”. The First IEEE International Augmented Reality Toolkit Workshop, 2002. Download PDF
“Hallucinating Elvis”
“Girls on Film”
Computer generated women danced on top of the crowd and interacted on stage with lead singer Simon Le Bon.
“Pop Trash” and “duranduran.com” Logos
“White Lines”
As Duran Duran performed, live video was twisted and mixed with white strobe-like effects.
“Lava Lamp”