Music fans may soon see concerts beamed into their local cinemas using the latest digital technology if an experiment by rock band Korn catches on.

A Korn gig in New York was shown in 30 cities across the United States in a move that could open up a new way to watch bands.

Some 6,000 people watched the group in 40 cinemas thanks to a satellite link and digital projectors, on top of the 3,000 who saw them in person at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom.

Music companies and cinema chains are considering repeating the project as a way to increase audiences for bands and let fans see gigs without having to travel long distances or pay high ticket prices.

'Wonderful'

The broadcasts follow similar experiments to beam other spectacles - including wrestling matches, Broadway musicals and sports games - onto big screens in other locations.

"It was a wonderful event for us, a larger-than-life screen, great sound, and the kids were dancing in the aisles, literally," according to Ray Nutt, executive vice president with cinema chain Regal CineMedia told the Los Angeles Times.

He said that parents felt more comfortable about their children going to a cinema to see a band than seeing them live, and that the chain may hold concert nights once a month.

But critics have said that seeing a band on a cinema screen would drain the atmosphere of a live performance.

'Ground-breaking'

Fans paid $10 (�6.80) to see the broadcasts - about $25 (�17) less than the average to see the band in the flesh.

Korn's manager Jeff Kwatinetz described the idea as "ground-breaking", saying it would revolutionise the movie theatre business.

But the cost of the digital projectors could be a stumbling block - the ones used for the concert cost $20,000 (�13,500) - but permanent projectors would cost 10 times that amount.

Country group the Dixie Chicks - who share the same management as the rockers - could be the next act to make use of the technology.