In Pursuit Of Repetitive Beats
Step into the heart of the Acid House Movement with "In Pursuit of Repetitive Beats," an internationally acclaimed, award-winning interactive VR adventure. Produced by East City Films and created by Darren Emerson, this groundbreaking experience takes audiences on a multi-sensory journey back to 1989, immersing them in the euphoric rave scene that revolutionised music and society.
© LEV Festival 2024
© LEV Festival 2024
© Sasha Ljubojevic at Tempo Documentary Festival 2024
© Sasha Ljubojevic at Tempo Documentary Festival 2024
© Adil Boukind at Phi Centre
“It’s hard to comprehend you haven’t traveled in time.”
The Guardian
“In Pursuit of Repetitive Beats” transports you back in time to the height of the rave scene in Coventry, 1989. This immersive experience places you in the shoes of rave culture pioneers, from tracking down an all-night illegal warehouse party to feeling the anticipation, trepidation, excitement, and euphoria of the Acid House movement. The VR adventure vividly brings to life the stories of promoters, police officers, pirate radio stations, and rave-goers, showcasing their rivalries and relationships that fueled a music and societal revolution.
Featuring euphoric rave anthems like “Chime” by Orbital and “Energy Flash” by Joey Beltram, “Beats” uses cutting-edge Virtual Reality technology to immerse you in a meticulously detailed, one-hour interactive experience. You’ll be surrounded by the sounds, sights, and sensations of being young in an era of musical and cultural transformation.
"One person left moved to tears. Others came out buzzing ready to pick up the phone and get some old mates back together."
- NME
© Lais Festival 2022
Upcoming Shows
The Barbican | 22 May – 3 August 2025 | Book Tickets
Wales Millennium Centre | October 2025 | Tickets available soon
*More dates to be announced soon*
Awards
DocLab Award for Immersive Non-Fiction | International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA)
Anidox: VR Award 2023 | Viborg Animation Festival 2023
VR Awards | Location-Based VR Entertainment of the Year Winner 2023
Best Film & Digital: Interactive Award 2024 | Adelaide Fringe 2024
Past Shows
Coventry UK City of Culture 2021 | 29 March – 1 May 2022 | The Box, Coventry, UK
BFI London Film Festival 2022 | 5 – 15 October 2022 | The National Theatre, London, UK
Llais Festival 2022 | 27 October – 6 November 2022 | Cardiff, UK
IDFA 2022 | 9 – 20 November 2022 | Amsterdam, the Netherlands
South By South West 2023 | 12 -14 March 2023 | Austin, Texas, USA
FACT | 20 April – 15 May 2023 | Liverpool, UK
Anifilm | 2 – 7 May 2023 | Liberec, Czech Republic
Millenium Docs Against Gravityc15 – 21 May 2023 | Warsaw, Poland
Audra Festival | 29 June – 2 July 2023 | Kaunas, Lithuania
Melbourne International Film Festival | 15 – 21 August 2023 | Melbourne, Australia
Viborg Animation Festival | 29 September – 1 October 2023 | Viborg, Denmark
高雄電影節 Kaohsiung Film Festival | 7 – 22 October 2023 | Kaohsiung City, Taiwan
Geneva International Film Festival | 3 – 12 November 2023 | Geneva, Switzerland
Electric Dreams at Adelaide Fringe | 16 February – 17 March 2024 | Adelaide, Australia
Tempo Documentary Festival | 7 – 10 March 2024 | Stockholm, Sweden
New Images Festival |24 – 28 April 2024 | Paris, France
Phi Centre | 7 Feb – 8 April 2024 | Montreal, Canada
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery | 19 July – 1 September 2024 | Birmingham, UK
Brighton Dome | 5 – 24 November 2024 | Brighton, UK
Belfast XR Festival | 24 February – 26 March 2025 | Belfast, UK
Press
“In Pursuit of Repetitive Beats” is an award-winning immersive VR experience that has captivated audiences worldwide. It has earned numerous prestigious accolades, including Location-Based VR Entertainment of the Year at the VR Awards 2023, the DocLab Award for Immersive Non-Fiction at IDFA 2022, the Anidox: VR Award at Viborg Animation Festival 2023, and the Best Film & Digital: Interactive Award at Adelaide Fringe 2024.
Originally funded by the BFI and Coventry City of Culture Trust, “Beats” made its world premiere during Coventry UK City of Culture 2021, where it received critical acclaim and played to sold-out audiences. Since then, this groundbreaking experience has toured internationally, captivating audiences at major festivals including the BFI London Film Festival, South by Southwest (SXSW), and IDFA (Amsterdam). It has also been showcased at the renowned Phi Centre in Montreal, cementing its status as a must-see immersive experience.
Accessibility has been a priority for the creative team, ensuring that “In Pursuit of Repetitive Beats” is fully inclusive. The experience offers a seated version for wheelchair users, subtitles, haptics (vibration), access packs, VR explainers, scene descriptions, and touch tours for d/Deaf audiences. In partnership with Woojer, haptic vests enhance the multi-sensory journey, making it accessible to the deaf and hard-of-hearing community.
The UK’s biggest immersive VR experience is currently on a national homecoming tour. Supported by Arts Council England and the BFI National Lottery Audience Projects Fund, the tour will visit seven cities across the UK, including Birmingham, Brighton, Cardiff, and London.
Join us on this unforgettable journey into the heart of rave culture.
Behind The Scenes
