Experience A Virtual Reality Joyride Into The Heart of The Acid House Movement at FACT This Spring
To coincide with Eurovision celebrations, FACT Liverpool has announced the arrival of In Pursuit of Repetitive Beats, a multi-sensory virtual reality rave experience taking place from 20 April to 15 May. Created by immersive artist Darren Emerson, the euphoric, interactive adventure transports audiences to the heart of the Acid House movement, taking visitors back to the heyday of the UK’s Acid House scene.
Combining the latest in VR technology with 3D modelling, archive materials, 360° video, interaction and animation, this hour-long immersion invites attendees to adopt a VR headset, haptic vest, and controllers for a fully realised experience.
The event runs daily with sessions from 11:00 till 22:00 and can host up to eight visitors at a time, making it perfect to try out with family or friends.
Experience-seekers will embark on an adventure to find an illegal warehouse party in 1989, reigniting the anticipation, trepidation, excitement, and euphoria that surrounded the Acid House movement.
In celebration of Liverpool’s dance music heritage, the VR experience will be complemented by a small display featuring archive and other visual materials that map Liverpool’s Acid House scene, offering visitors a deeper dive into the history and culture.
Darren Emerson, Creator In Pursuit of Repetitive Beats, said:
“The whole team behind this project is delighted to bring this exhibition and installation to Liverpool, one of the historic heartlands of UK dance culture. We want to take audiences on a journey and provide them with an experience that really shows off the power of VR. In Pursuit of Repetitive Beats is about the birth of Acid House music in the UK, it’s about communities harnessing DIY culture to bring about change, to create a movement that fused civic freedoms with dance music. Ultimately, it’s about those seminal moments in our youth: those special nights where we find ourselves surrounded by friends, driving to a destination unknown to dance until dawn.”
James Hammond, Head of Operations at FACT Liverpool, said:
“We’re delighted to be partnering with Darren Emerson and East City Films to bring the revolutionary Acid House movement to life in celebration of Eurovision. This groundbreaking fusion of music and technology will transport visitors to a world of pulsing beats through dynamic storytelling, immersing them in the very essence of a cultural phenomenon. We are pleased to offer this unique experience at FACT and believe it will be a great addition to the city-wide celebrations. Eurovision is set to shine a spotlight on our city, and we look forward to taking part in showcasing what Liverpool has to offer.”
Tickets for In Pursuit of Repetitive Beats can be booked at fact.co.uk/beats for £22 per person, which includes admission to the VR experience and subsequent archive display.
Find out more about FACT’s 2023-24 programme here.
