A bassist performing a Halloween-themed gig recently incorporated Valve's Steam Frame into their performance, wearing the VR headset for the entirety of a 45-minute set. The musician, who goes by the online handle midtech, shared a 28-second clip of themselves playing "Them Changes" by Thundercat while wearing the headset.
To keep the Steam Frame powered throughout the show, a portable battery pack was tucked into the musician's left pocket. Midtech reported that despite the unusual stage attire, audience reaction was minimal. "Interestingly, only one guy asked me about the Frame," they commented on the Reddit post.
The Halloween theme of the gig may have contributed to the band's eclectic appearance, with other members seen in costumes including a onesie and wings. In this context, the Steam Frame might have been perceived as a futuristic or Daft Punk-esque accessory rather than solely a piece of technology.
Midtech utilized an Arcturus Vision Camera, an accessory that provides color passthrough, allowing them to see their surroundings while wearing the headset. The Steam Frame was set to performance mode, operating at a 144 Hz refresh rate, and the camera recorded at full resolution and 60 frames per second.
Regarding the physical experience, midtech found the headset to be lightweight and barely noticeable during the performance. While the field of view was adequate for observing bandmates, they noted a need to look down more frequently to see the frets on their bass guitar. The headset did become warm during and after use, though not to an uncomfortable degree.
The musician explained their motivation for using the Steam Frame onstage, stating it was a "neat way to document my band's performance" and a "lower stake gig." They also mentioned the benefit of being able to re-experience the performance spatially later. Additionally, midtech expressed interest in the potential for displaying tabs, lyrics, or sheet music within the headset's display, avoiding the need for physical music stands.
While the battery life and potential discomfort of wearing a VR headset on stage might limit this from becoming a widespread trend, the bassist's experiment offers a unique perspective on experiencing and documenting a live musical performance.