Jean-Michel Jarre kicks off 2021 with virtual Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral performance

Many artists have kicked off 2021 in style, with virtual performances and livestreams in place of real-life events due to Covid-19. Just because we all had to go virtual for our NYE celebrations this year, doesn’t mean it was any less epic and Jean-Michel Jarre proved this.

In what was one of the most impressive selections of the New Year’s Eve shows for the end of 2020, going into 2021, the French composer swapped the real Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral for a virtual one, in partnership with VRrOOm (which is not the first time Jarre and this company have worked together, with him performing another VR show last June). That’s right, the iconic Cathedral was made completely virtual. Like many of these impressive VR shows, he performed his set in a studio, using green screen and motion-capture, as you can see below.

Have you ever used VR? If not you should – it‘s an out of this world experience and yet so close to the real thing #WTTOS
? @louisadrienleblay pic.twitter.com/OnrPxs4m9N

— Jean-Michel Jarre (@jeanmicheljarre) December 22, 2020

The set was in support of his new album, ‘Welcome To The Other Side’, and the setlist was comprised of nothing but his tracks (many taken from the 2015 Grammy-nominated ‘Electronica 1: The Time Machine’) and collaborations with the likes of M83, Armin van Buuren and Boys Noize. He also included new reworks of ‘Oxygene’ and ‘Equinoxe’. Nothing short of being absolutely breathtaking and stunning, this was all thanks to the mind blowing combination of his compositions and the virtual setting.

“Virtual reality is to the performing arts today what cinema was to the theatre in its early days, a kind of curiosity. I believe that VR will become tomorrow, a mode of expression in its own right.” – Jean-Michel Jarre speaking of the set

The album itself, ‘Welcome to the Other Side’ is a 12-track masterpiece. From start to finish it instantly pulls you in, making you cling onto every single second of each track. A truly unforgettable album and livestream, we’re hoping to see more like this from the iconic French artist in 2021, and it’s off to a great start for him. Stream the brand new album right here, and watch the livestream of the VR performance on YouTube below.

Image Credit: Louis Adrien Le Blay / Provided by Falcon Publicity