Immersive audio systems are increasingly deployed in large-scale live music contexts, yet there is limited research addressing how immersive concerts are perceived ; experienced by audiences. This paper presents a practice-based; ethnographically informed study of the immersive audio design; audience experience of the band Heilung’s concert at Roskilde Festival, staged in the Arena Tent where a large-scale multichannel loudspeaker system including main, surround,; overhead arrays was used. The study combines insights in technical system design; pre-production methods with qualitative audience research in order to explore how immersive sound alters perception, embodiment,; social engagement in live concerts. Pre-production involved scaled system simulations, reference listening positions, timing strategies,; power-matched test environments to translate an immersive studio mix to a festival-scale venue. During; after the concert, audience experience was investigated through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, participant observation, binaural; ambisonic recordings,; phenomenologically inspired interview techniques. Findings indicate that immersive audio contributes to heightened affective engagement, bodily involvement,; a sense of envelopment that exceeds conventional stereo concert experiences. Audience members described the experience as multisensory, ritualistic,; spatially ambiguous, often lacking technical vocabulary but emphasizing embodied; emotional responses. Importantly, immersion was not perceived as sound alone, but as emerging from the interaction of sound, visuals, architecture, social presence,; narrative framing. The paper argues that understanding immersive concerts requires the integration of anthropological insights with audio engineering knowledge. While technical approaches explain how immersive sound systems operate, anthropological perspectives are essential for understanding how such systems are experienced, interpreted,; given meaning by audiences. The study contributes to the limited body of research on the effects of immersive concert formats by examining how audiences perceive immersion; how they ascribe meaning to immersive sound.
