Ronnie James Dio has risen again! Well, as a hologram at least. As Dio's Disciples (the group featuring members of Dio's band playing his songs) played at Wacken Open Air this weekend, fans were treated to a surprise. Ronnie James Dio himself sang with the group to the shock and delight of fans watching live.
Holograms were all the rage a few years ago when Tupac showed up at Coachella, and Michael Jackson moonwalked at the Billboard awards. Now, Dio's Disciples are hoping to take this show on the road for fans everywhere to see. The group teamed up with Eyellusion for what is being labeld "the first time a hologram has been accompanied by a live band in a traditional concert setting."
"Eyellusion is creating the best hologram content and live music productions for a completely new concert experience," said Jeff Pezzuti, CEO of Eyellusion. "We're taking every step to capture the excitement and energy that comes from seeing your favorite band perform live. That means when the lights go down in the venue, the amps are loud, the band sounds great and the pyro is blinding. We are creating an entirely new way for fans to experience their favorite music."
"When I first experienced the full production of Ronnie performing with his band as a hologram, I couldn't believe my eyes and ears," said Wendy Dio, who manages Dio Disciples and is also a member of the Eyellusion team, supporting industry relations. "With Eyellusion, we have been able to get Ronnie back up on stage where he belongs, ensuring that his music and memory live on. I want Ronnie's fans around the world to share this experience."
Interestingly, the press release makes it seem they can take the hologram to another level, having one performance streamed to multiple locations via hologram:
In addition to unique shows based around digital recreations of artists, Eyellusion can stream live holographic performances of one show to many locations, opening global possibilities to play new markets and venues.
"The economics of making music are changing, with tours being more important than ever," said Wendy Dio. "For artists who have been blessed with legions of fans around the world, the question is how to continue meeting the demand for your music. At the same time, newer acts are thinking about how to build a following and reach more people. Today, all artists need to find new, modern ways to connect with fans and Eyellusion is supporting those efforts."
"Holograms represent a major opportunity for live music and fan engagement, but they have to be done right," said Pezzuti. "We believe we've cracked the code on delivering the highest quality hologram-based events, creating the ultimate live music experience that keeps fans coming back. The Eyellusion team's unmatched production capabilities and deep music industry ties bring crucial industry knowledge to our collaboration with artists as we work toward a shared vision of creating unforgettable shows. We can't wait to see music fans everywhere on the road."
The press release notes there will be a full tour in 2017 with the Dio hologram.
Ultimately, I'm not sure how to feel about this. How do you feel about it?
