Do webcerts work?

Move over live music performances. Music events at auditoriums or open grounds are passe. The in thing is to enjoy live concerts that are just a click away.
Webcerts are the way forward, allowing music enthusiasts to catch a performance in the comfort of their homes. Audiences may agree that not having to deal with the hassle of getting a ticket and jostling for the ideal spot to watch the performance is great.But the joy of catching a live performance gives a certain rush as opposed to an individualistic experience of a concert. Would they want to pay for the exclusivity that a webcert offers?
50 artists and going strong A webcert was held recently that saw around 50 artists coming together for a live performance. The event went on for about nine hours and each artist got about 10-15 minutes to perform. Soumini Paul, one of the organizers of the concert says, “We’ve been holding webcerts for the last one-and-a-half-years. As the internet is the next big thing, we thought of introducing webcerts to Indian audiences. We’ve had a good response from artists and audiences. We not only have established singers on the list, but also provide an opportunity to new singers.”
Prashanth Pillai, composer When you perform in front of an audience, you know whether people like your music or not. However, in webcerts, this is not possible. You will be flooded with unmoderated comments and profanity on these video-sharing websites. In a live performance, musicians can get away with minor mistakes. But when people are watching your videos, even a small error might appear too large.
SHUBHA MUDGAL, singer Anything that supports music is exciting to listen to. However, I don’t think India is ready to witness such massive changes. Though these concepts are a great boost to upcoming singers, they have their share of drawbacks. Live streaming has huge problems. The site may not be able to handle the increased traffic when many people log in.
Shilpa Rao, playback singer There are no limitations to music and the thought of performing at a webcert is exciting. This gives us an opportunity to reach out to the masses, who may not come to a live performance. Moreover, as an artist you have the option of choosing the songs.
Ankur Tewari, musician It’s definitely a new concept as there will be no audience in front of me and I’ll have to imagine the audience in my mind. I think I’ll end up singing with my eyes shut! Nevertheless, it’s a different experience altogether.