Staying in to go out: exploring the VRChat club scene

I

it's 1 am, and my friend and I are in the smoking area outside the club. Someone is lying on the floor, probably drunk, and when we ask if they're okay, they whisper that they're stuck in an endless cycle of unrequited love.

While asking around to see if any of his friends are nearby, a wide-eyed speaker on wheels speeds past my legs, shouting something in a language I don't understand. I chase it up a flight of stairs and the speaker vanishes into a sea of ​​light and sound, never to be seen again. This is the reality of clubbing at VRChat, a compelling cocktail of authenticity and absurdity at a time when UK nightclubs are still closed. we're so excited to play old content?

You see, the speaker on wheels is the avatar of a real person, a patron of the underground virtual reality venue

Tube

where I currently find myself. A recent project led by British DJ

Hadean

, Tube is a user-generated club inside the virtual reality MMO VRChat. It also makes a strong first impression, with its bespoke projected wall visuals, DJ booth dancers, and bands of clubbers laughing and shouting to hard-hitting music. It's got a lot of the stuff you'd expect from a typical IRL nightclub experience, plus an anthropomorphic costumed frog taking two steps in the middle of the dance floor.

I'm here to meet you p>

Zeal

, an Australian DJ who will become my tour guide in this brave new world. Zeal is part of a collective called

Loner Online

, the name and its scowling face logo being an homage to a beloved Doner kebab shop the troupe frequents in their local Melbourne. The Loner team hosts in-person events and now VR events, in their own custom club inside VRChat. Loner's virtual space is inspired by real clubs like Melbourne's Sub Club and Japan's MOGRA, delivering an immersive grungy rave aesthetic.

Volume 31

, titled by

Ninajirachi

, takes place on May 29.

After a short intro up the stairs to Tube, Zeal and I start talking about the stage as the set (provided by drum and bass

Why did I just now find out that you can play VRchat without a headset?

— B♠ Way Fri Feb 21 12:26:25 +0000 2020

DJ Muzz

) rages in the background. At one point, a user clearly having fun transforms into a gigantic camel and then back into a sleek anime avatar. My eyes scan the room as Zeal explains how he performs live in VRChat while wearing his

Valve

Index.

“You lift your headphones slightly, but because the Index already has that little gap, the immersion isn't spoiled and I can just look down to see my DJ decks,” he explains. “And when I look up I can see a crowd and hear everything they say – total immersion.” Valve's articulation peripherals provide greater finger freedom, meaning Zeal can interface with his turntables while maintaining his virtual stage presence.

It's a new frontier for virtual performance, one I didn't really understand until a fortnight later, when I saw Zeal's amazing closing set at Loner's 30th event in mid- may. You can

catch my shiny avatar raving all night

in this VOD of the

Loner's online Twitch channel

.

p>

When you get to Loner, you find yourself outside of the current location, with the Tokyo skyline looming and a scenic konbini across the road. A rolling performer archive shows you the stacked roster of talent that played in the venue, before neon signs and scanned posters lured you into the main area. Stepping inside is an atmospheric sight in itself, and I haven't touched the aesthetic of the current DJ set yet.

The most impressive thing about the club is its realistic lighting system, controlled from a station behind the bar. Red beams flash from the ceiling, with circular sirens and a strobe augmenting key moments for performers and audiences, illuminating ceiling vents and illuminating avatars.

There's also this remarkable sense of community in there as you can see and hear the people around you. People were chatting and anticipating the songs as they were mixed, then roaring and pumping their fists as the drop landed. At one point during the night, there was even a virtual reality moshpit...

It's clear that the Loner VR project came from a place of pure passion, but it's the level of detail that elevates the immersion at play into the stratosphere. For example, Loner also has its own restroom for when you need a break from the show. I spotted customers napping in cubicles and having their heart's content in front of a long mirror, the walls behind them covered in shiny stickers and custom graffiti. The whole thing was a stunning reintroduction to authentic club culture, from the comfort of my living room.

And while it's been vastly improved by VR, it's worth noting that VRChat also has a desktop client for those who don't have the expensive equipment. With or without the kit, it's worth a look if you're trying to re-engage with some of those common club feelings we've missed during the pandemic. It felt like the cutting edge of music, technology, and creativity, and I can't wait to see what this community does next.

Discover

Loner ONLINE