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Glowing Balls (Eski PixMob G2) Dropped During Arcade Fire Finale
INDIO, California — More than 1,250 glowing balls dropped during The Arcade Fire's set at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival stole the show, technology-wise. The balls contained battery-powered circuit boards studded with full-color LEDs that changed colors in unison, thanks to built-in IR receivers and microphones.
Complex stage-lighting schemes by The Creators Project and many large, interactive art exhibits (some new, some previously seen at Burning Man) added to the annual music festival's artistic heft last weekend.
Coachella attracted nearly 100,000 attendees in 2011, a lower number than in previous years, thanks to RFID-tagged wristbands used to cut down on sneak-ins. The intentionally reduced attendance contributed to the overall calm of the event, according to festival organizers.
Wired.com spent the weekend in the hot sun to capture a bit of the fun of Coachella. Take a look at what we saw in the photo gallery.
Above:
More than a thousand glowing balls drop from the top of the stage as Arcade Fire plays "Wake Up" on Saturday. The effect was striking with the balls (mostly) changing color in unison. Unfortunately, after a few bounces, most people held onto the balls, either to keep them as souvenirs or sell them. One is already listed on eBay with a buy it now price of $999.
Photos: Dave Bullock/Wired.com (Disclosure: Dave Bullock developed Coachella's mobile apps.)
See Also:- Showtime: Dancing Robots at Coachella 2011
