Fest Team concerts champion musical equality with a groundbreaking sensory innovation, Music: Not Impossible, that enables deaf audiences to feel the music, complemented by live sign language interpretation
For the first time in Bulgaria and the Balkans, haptic suits will make the concerts of Dream Theater, Guns N’ Roses, Robbie Williams, and the Hills of Rock festival accessible to people with hearing impairments, allowing them to physically feel the energy of the music. With a strong commitment to social inclusion, Fest Team is once again leading innovation in the events industry by integrating world-class technology into the local music scene and providing live sign language interpretation.
Music is a universal language – uniting, inspiring, and electrifying. Yet for those who cannot hear it, music often remains just out of reach. This year, Fest Team is breaking down that barrier by introducing the revolutionary haptic suits from Music: Not Impossible. These innovative suits transform sound into full-body vibrations, creating an immersive sensory experience inspired by and designed for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community.
For deaf individuals, this isn’t just about feeling music – it’s about inclusion. It’s about belonging. It’s about being part of the shared energy, the rhythm, the crowd – things hearing people often take for granted. This is what musical equality looks like.
In 2025, Fest Team will provide six state-of-the-art haptic suits, available to hearing-impaired audience members at select concerts. These innovative suits allow users to physically feel the music through vibrations, creating a deep, full-body sensory experience.
The Music: Not Impossible haptic suit is a lightweight, portable system worn like a backpack, with attachments on the wrists and ankles. It captures sound directly from the stage – via consoles, mixers, and microphones – and translates it into dynamic vibrations, allowing deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals to physically feel the music on their skin.
“This technology isn’t just about music – it’s also about connection”, says Daniel Belker, musician, tech innovator, and co-founder of the company behind the haptic suits, which are now making their way to Bulgaria.
“We believe music is meant for everyone”, adds Ralitsa Merdzhanova, CSR Projects Director at Fest Team. “With this innovation, we’re taking a meaningful step toward a more accessible and inclusive cultural scene in Bulgaria.”
Complementing the haptic technology, audiences will also be able to connect with the rhythm, lyrics, and emotional power of each performance through professional musical sign language interpretation. This inclusive initiative is made possible in collaboration with Stray Sheep, Deaf.bg, the Development and Integration Foundation, FRI, and the Union of the Deaf in Bulgaria.
The project aligns with the Bulgarian Sign Language Act and represents a significant step toward a more inclusive cultural landscape – one where everyone can share in the magic of music. Fittingly, Robbie Williams’ concert in Sofia on September 28th falls during the Week of the Deaf, highlighting the symbolic importance of this moment.
