Have you ever looked at an Umphrey’s McGee poster and thought to yourself, “This is cool, but I wish the artwork moved, changed color, shot pyrotechnics to the sounds of UM and then made me a sandwich?” Today, we are very pleased to report that we’ve tackled everything but the sandwich with the release of our first Augmelted Reality poster.

Umphrey’s McGee has teamed up with Flight School — a multi-media creative studio with award-winning expertise in ground-breaking VR and AR content — to bring you a poster befitting of our first triple header at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Conjuring up effects previously only achieved by consuming psychedelics, this first-of-its-kind poster combines music and colors and utilizes AR to play with the viewer’s perception of reality. What now?

Here is how you get in on the fun: Pick up one of the prints during the limited online release happening now through Umphrey’s Merch or at Red Rocks Amphitheatre during any one of our shows on June 30th, July 1st, and July 2nd 2017 (while supplies last). Beginning June 29th, visit umphreys.com/ar to download the Umphrey’s AR App, which will turn your mobile device into a viewing portal to another realm of awesomeness as you watch your poster come to life through the screen. We are not spoilers, but let’s just say the intricately illustrated Colorado spirit animals come out of the woods and need to hold on tight.

Masterfully printed by Baker Prints using five screens on Neenah Rocket Red 80# cover stock, this 18×24 Edition of 800 stands on its own as a work of art — but wait until you see it with the app.

So, how’d you do it?

The Augmelted Reality was created with Unity game engine using Vuforia mobile vision platform to deliver a unique, entertaining and interactive AR mobile experience. The poster art was illustrated using Photoshop to create hundreds of tracking marks to accomplish the AR. The animation was created in Cinema 4D and After Effects using Trapcode Particular and Shine plugins.

Meet Flight School

Flight School Studio is a multi-media creative studio with award-winning expertise in developing and producing high quality, ground-breaking VR and AR content. Flight School represents the combination of the emerging tech team from Reel FX Creative Studios and the creative leadership of Moonbot Studios. This combined force has been responsible for over seventy activations in VR, AR, and 360 video and has been a first mover in these emerging technologies. Flight School boasts one of the world’s largest portfolios of completed projects for a loyal base of blue chip customers including hardware manufacturers, major consumer brands and major media outlets. The company’s creative leadership team has won awards including an Oscar, multiple Emmys, Clios, and Cannes Lions. By merging the best of storytelling with cutting edge technical expertise, Flight School presents boundless opportunities for the creation of world-changing experiences​.

Shout Outs

©2017 Flight School, a division of Reel FX Creative Studios

Executive Producer, Creative Director, Illustrator: Pete Herzog

Sr. Producer: Sulivan Parker

Art Director, Motion Designer: Ryan Hartsell

App Developer: Paul Medcalf

Editor: Chris Collins

Sound Design: TJ Callaway

Technical Director: Joe Kiser

Printing by Baker Prints

Music by Umphrey’s McGee, Red Rocks 2012

Footage courtesy of TourGigs, Red Rocks 2014, 2015