Wakestock becomes first UK event to fully deploy microchip wristbands

Electronic microchip wristbands have now made their inaugural appearance at a UK festival, following their deployment at Welsh event Wakestock, whereby all fans were made to wear the devices.

While the wristbands have been used on a small number of fans at both the Isle of Wight festival and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers’ recent gig at Knebworth, this was the first time that every fan has had to wear one at a UK event.

In a system that is similar to that of the Oyster Card scheme on the London underground, fans can pre-load money onto the wristbands in order to pay for food and drink, check into social networks and scan themselves into areas of the festival site simply by swiping the device at turnstiles or hand-held machines.

Organisers of Wakestock 2012, which was headlined by Calvin Harris, Dizzee Rascal and Ed Sheeran, also benefitted from the system’s deployment, as they were able to monitor the number of attendees onsite throughout the festival.

Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis has previously spoken of his interest in the introduction of electronic wristbands, while Reading and Leeds festivals boss Melvin Benn has also expressed an interest in introducing the system in the future.

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