Legendary rock band KISS recently bid farewell to their fans after an illustrious 50-year career with their “The End of the Road” farewell tour. However, despite announcing their retirement from touring, the band has revealed their plans to continue performing through digital avatars of the band members, taking their live shows to a whole new level.
During the final night of their tour at New York’s iconic Madison Square Garden, the crowd was treated to a groundbreaking visual spectacle. Eight-foot-tall holograms of KISS band members appeared on stage, wowing the audience with a robotic rendition of their hit song “God Gave Rock ‘n’ Roll To You II.” This innovative technology, developed in partnership with George Lucas’s special effects company Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) and Pophouse Entertainment Group, co-founded by Abba’s Björn Ulvaeus, allows the band to stay “forever young and forever iconic,” as expressed by the band’s frontman, Gene Simmons.
The use of digital avatars in the music industry is not entirely new. The technology made its debut in 2021 during Abba’s “Abba Voyage” show in London. The Swedish pop group surprised audiences with a digitally recreated version of the band, performing a pre-recorded concert. The success of “Abba Voyage” is undeniable, with the show reportedly raking in over $2.5 million a week. People are clearly willing to pay real-life ticket prices to attend these digital shows, showcasing the potential for this cutting-edge technology in the music industry.
KISS, known for their clever merchandise and branding strategies, seems to have found another golden opportunity to expand their empire. The band has a history of capitalizing on various merchandise and products, including selling an empty bag of “air guitar strings” for $3.99 and even collaborating on limited edition KISS x Hello Kitty toilet paper. Pophouse CEO Per Sundin believes that the digital KISS avatars could be utilized for multiple purposes, from concerts to a rock opera or musical, opening up endless possibilities for the band’s future endeavors.
Interestingly, KISS is not the only band embracing the use of digital avatars. The music industry has seen successful “tours” featuring holograms of deceased musicians like Frank Zappa, Roy Orbison, and Whitney Houston. As technology becomes more affordable and accessible, it is only a matter of time before holographic performances become even more prevalent in the music scene.
With their revolutionary use of digital avatars, KISS has once again proven that they are at the forefront of innovation in the music world. Their farewell tour may have officially ended, but fans can take solace in knowing that the band’s legacy will live on through their stunning digital performances.
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