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Jean-Michel Jarre ’s performance during "The Time Machine" represents the pinnacle of his Electronica World Tour (2016–2018), blending retro-futuristic technology with modern visual storytelling. The Instrument: The Laser Harp

For fans, seeing the Laser Harp live is a ritual. During "The Time Machine," it serves as more than just a musical instrument; it is a piece of performance art.

: The performance starts with Jarre framed by the towering green beams. As the tempo builds, the surrounding LED screens display synchronized 3D graphics that give the audience a sense of traveling through a digital vortex. jean_michel_jarre_the_time_machine_live_laser_harp

: It represents Jarre’s lifelong obsession with the "physicality" of electronic music—trying to make invisible sounds visible and tangible.

: The beams are projected upward into the air. When Jarre's hand "breaks" a beam, a sensor (typically a photocell at the base) detects the lack of light and triggers a specific MIDI note via a synthesizer. Jean-Michel Jarre ’s performance during "The Time Machine"

: Jarre famously wears specially designed asbestos or Kevlar-lined gloves to protect his hands from the heat of the lasers and to ensure better light reflection back to the sensors. "The Time Machine" Performance

: The song itself was a collaboration with Boys Noize, reflecting the album's theme of connecting electronic music's past (Jarre) with its present and future. Impact and Legacy : The performance starts with Jarre framed by

The Laser Harp is Jarre's most iconic stage prop, originally debuted in the early 1980s. Unlike a traditional harp, it uses high-powered green laser beams that act as "strings."