*It's a video-sharing site. It's a nightclub. No, it's a video-sharing site AND a nightclub...
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fm20110714a2.html
Website Nico Nico Douga goes live ... house
"By MARK JARNES
Special to The Japan Times
"Online video-sharing website Nico Nico Douga has become a popular place for young Japanese to check out new music. Now imagine stepping inside the site to experience those tunes live.
"That's the feeling you get when you enter Tokyo's newest live venue, Nicofarre.
"We wanted to create an interactive musical experience where reality and virtual reality become blurred," says Takeshi Natsuno, managing director at Dwango, which runs Nico Nico Douga. With a decor consisting of the Internet, LEDs and augmented reality (AR), Natsuno has come pretty darn close.
"For fans of record label Avex Trax, the name Velfarre may ring a bell. The popular nightclub closed Jan. 1, 2007, but has been revived as a "next-generation" live-house.
"The difference between Velfarre and Nicofarre," he says, "is that Velfarre was physically bigger, but Nicofarre is much more far-reaching."
"Located in the middle of Tokyo's Roppongi district, the walls and ceiling of the main hall are decked out with massive LED screens, creating a 360-degree visual experience for the audience. The entrance and bar area, as well as the staff uniforms, follow a black-and-neon-blue motif, an intentional nod to the 1982 sci-fi film "Tron."
"With the use of AR, the altering of real-world environments on screen by computer-generated imagery, Web surfers watching the action from their laptops will see an altogether different scene than those who are physically present at Nicofarre. Bands will play virtual instruments, J-pop idols will perform with anime characters — they'll even be able to see hearts or lightning-bolts fly out of a soloist's guitar similar to scenes from the film "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World."
"What makes this venue special however, is the level of interaction between those at the club and the online viewers..."
http://youtu.be/Y3U-mG-10oc
