By Elazar Abrahams
Amplified, the new immersive experience from Rolling Stone, is currently playing at ARTECHOUSE beneath Chelsea Market. Part video installation, part rock documentary, part magazine tribute, the exhibit runs about 45 minutes and is entirely projection-based. The walls and floors light up with motion graphics, archival imagery, and a booming, nostalgia-fueled soundtrack, all narrated by Kevin Bacon.
There are moments when the show finds a groove. A lighthearted section on the iconography of rock hair is cleverly set to Cyndi Lauper’s “True Colors.” The Beach Boys’ “In My Room” plays as a montage of teenage bedrooms unfolds, each plastered with posters of beloved idols. The surprise inclusion of “Pink Pony Club” offers a burst of modern queer joy. Amplified clearly knows how to pair a track with a visual theme.
The final portion shifts into magazine history mode, spotlighting Rolling Stone itself, explaining the outlet’s evolution alongside rock music, and its role in shaping culture through cover stories and iconic photographs. The show closes with a lengthy cascade of cover images from across the decades, a reminder of just how central the magazine has been to the mythology of pop and rock stardom.
Visitors should know going in that this is not a museum, not a concert, and not a traditional doc. It’s more akin to Immersive Van Gogh or Monet’s Garden, reimagined for fans of guitars and grit rather than brushstrokes. That said, the format may feel a bit overfamiliar. The “immersive art show” trend has already seen its peak, and at nearly $45 a ticket, Amplified might not feel like essential viewing unless you’re especially into the Rolling Stone brand, a huge fan of classic rock, or happen to be in Chelsea Market looking for a way to cool off and tune out for a bit.
For what this is, it delivers: loud music, fun visuals, a few clever editing choices, and a rapid-fire tour through rock and roll iconography. If you manage expectations and come for the vibes, not the depth, you might just leave humming a tune.
Find more information and tickets HERE.
TV and City 