When Sony announced their “Lost in Music” event, it was shrouded in mystery. Their event list promised an “unparalleled music experience,” going on to mention VR, live performances, and above all, a promise to get lost in music. The headliner wasn’t announced until the day of, being The Chainsmokers, and only a handful were able to get tickets when the news was made public. Not much else was known.

The first part of the experience began at an introductory hallway into the large, warehouse-like venue space (held at the L.A. Hangar Studios), where guests were immediately greeted with a dark path, lit only with several small lights attached to the walls. At the end of the hallway, “Are you ready?” was written on the wall, and a turn into the first real space in the building could be made.

It was a large room, impressively designed to look and feel like a wintery forest. Snow softly fell from the sky as large pine trees covered in white towered over guests. There was a perfect amount of mist rolling around the floor and filling the air for the lights’ rays to be seen, convincingly placed to appear just like moonlight flooding through the branches. The temperature was even turned down to a comfortably chilly setting, and music in the room next door could be heard clearly. Everything had been very thought out. It was very easy to find yourself lost in.

At the end of the room, sat a bar where drinks could be bought. To the left, a hallway covered in vines, and a long set of doors. At each door, workers dressed in white helped everyone into rooms, (one worker described it to me as “traveling through different dimensions”), where a VR headset was waiting. Another worker placed the set on you and a pair of over-the-ear headphones, and you began an experience shifting through different worlds – or – exactly what the worker described. You found yourself lost, moving towards a large, stone giant in two different settings, one space themed and one set up to feel like floating down a river-like area, but neither were from this world. The colors were bright and vivid, with an ethereal accompaniment from The Chainsmokers in the background.

Once the several minute long piece finished, you were escorted through another door, out into the setting where The Chainsmokers played, or if you arrived early, their opening acts, Vanic and Lost Kings. Regardless of who was playing at the moment, the immediate response from most entering the space was of awe. Sony transformed the room opposite of the one before it, instead crafting a summer/autumn feeling type space. Trees of various blooming colors were lined the walls with soft, colorful accompanying lights. Beautiful pink clouds conquered the skies, with heaven-like beams of light shining through to select patrons below throughout the whole night. There were two more bars (completely designed to look like carved out trees) on either side of this room, serving guests. In the front, the stage rested with several mountains built up to showcase the artists. There were three VIP spaces – two near the front, and one in the back, up one floor, allowing a very clear view of the stage and clouds.

Lost Kings and Vanic performed an opening set, with The Chainsmokers boasting as the main act. The performances filled the space with a mountainous sound system and an equally attractive lighting set up, designed to shift and completely transform the mood depending on the music. Pyrotechnics were also involved, involving fire that ranged across the color spectrum, along with fireworks at various times. This all complimented a large visual display behind them, projected alongside the entire wall, even curving up around to the ceiling. Everything fit together very well and was clearly very meticulously thought out.

Once the music was finished, guests were allowed to stay for a little bit, try the food truck that had been parked out back, and wait for their rides to come. Leftover confetti laced the floors, where several people stood to take pictures and talk. Several attendees included Victoria Justice, Reeve Carney, and Jared Goff. If there’s one thing that is for certain, Sony definitely accomplished their goal. The night as a whole felt like getting very lost in the world they created, and the music that accompanied it. It’ll be interesting to see what they do next.