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.

The UK's biggest immersive VR experience returns for a national homecoming tour, commencing at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery from 19 July 2024. Supported by Arts Council England and the BFI National Lottery Audience Projects Fund, the tour will visit eight cities across the UK, including Belfast, Cardiff, and London.

 
 
It’s hard to comprehend you haven’t traveled in time.
— The Guardian, UK
You’ll dance, you’ll fly, and you’ll maybe even cry a little.
— The List, Australia

Exhibition at Tempo Documentary Festival, Stockholm
Photographer: Sasha Ljubojevic

Exhibition at UK City of Culture, Coventry
Photographer: Stefan Lacandler

"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.

"In Pursuit of Repetitive Beats" has received numerous prestigious awards, including:

  • Location-Based VR Entertainment of the Year at the VR Awards 2023

  • DocLab Award for Immersive Non-Fiction at IDFA 2022

  • Anidox: VR Award at Viborg Animation Festival 2023

  • Best Film & Digital: Interactive Award at Adelaide Fringe 2024

Originally funded by the BFI and Coventry City of Culture Trust, "In Pursuit of Repetitive Beats" had its world premiere during the Coventry UK City of Culture 2021, receiving critical acclaim and sell-out audiences. Following this "Beats" has toured internationally, captivating audiences at festivals such as BFI London Film Festival, South by Southwest, Melbourne International Film Festival, IDFA Amsterdam, and Geneva International Film Festival.

The creative team has ensured that "In Pursuit of Repetitive Beats" is fully accessible to all audiences. The experience includes a seated version for wheelchair users, subtitles, haptics (vibration), access packs, VR explainer, scene descriptions, and a touch tour for d/Deaf audiences. In partnership with Woojer, haptic vests will enhance the multi-sensory journey, making it inclusive for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community.

Tickets for the Birmingham launch are now on sale. Don't miss out on this extraordinary experience – get your tickets here.

SHOWS & AWARDS

Upcoming Shows
Belfast XR Festival | 24 February - 26 March 2025 | BOOK TICKETS
Wales Millenium 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

The immersive nature of VR makes it feel almost like a real-life experience.
— Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen, The Guardian
For anyone yet to experience VR it marks the perfect introduction.
— Teddy Coward, Why Now Magazine
With the experience being so crammed with contextual detail, it’s hard to comprehend that you haven’t traveled in time.
— Becky Buckle, Mixmag
One person left moved to tears. Others came out buzzing ready to pick up the phone and get some old mates back together.
— Ali Shutler, NME
 
 

PRESS

BBC Breakfast

BBC 5 Live

BBC Click

BBC Radio 4


BEHIND THE SCENES

Episode 1: A Brand New Form of Storytelling

Episode 2: Embodied Storytelling

Episode 3: Producing an Exhibition


STILLS


CREDITS

 
 

PLAYLIST


For press inquiries and more information, don't hesitate to get in touch with our PR agency Four Communications.


FOLLOW BEATS ON INSTAGRAM