KISS‘ Gene Simmons has said that the band’s virtual avatars will “get better”, revealing that “about 200 million” dollars is being invested in the technology.
Now, they have shared a teaser clip revealing when fans will be able to see their avatars perform. “50 years is a long time, and what the future holds is in the making,” reads the caption, while the video includes the wording: “2027 a show is coming.”
After 13 legs and 1767 days, Kiss's final tour is finally over. It began the best part of five years ago with a show at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, Canada, on January 31, 2019.
And now the Kiss have played their final ever show, pulling 20,000 members of the Kiss Army to Madison Square Garden in New York for one final pyrotechnic blow-out.
The avatars, made by the same people who designed the digitized ABBA concert series, took over the band’s encore performance of God Gave Rock ‘n’ Roll to You. After the actual KISS band members exited the stage, their giant, better-than-holographic counterparts continued to rock on, flying on demon wings, breathing fire and shooting lightning bolts from their fingers.
The avatars are three-dimensional and approximately eight feet tall. Using pyrotechnics, lasers and other special effects, the avatars are dramatic and made to resemble the rockers in their younger years. Despite being digital, the avatars play instruments and sing, as well as dance a little more nimbly than the real-life members.
Of course, Kiss activity was always going to continue in some way, shape or form, and Gene Simmons has hinted as much. "I’m totally open to that idea," he told Rolling Stone earlier this month. "Why not pass the baton, pass the crown to four new, young people who are deserving?"
Well now we know: a countdown clock on Kiss's official website has just expired, and Kiss have revealed that they're continuing as avatars, following in the footsteps of the hugely successful Abba Voyage show in London, in which the four members of the Swedish pop icons perform a greatest hits set as lifelike 3D projections. (Loudersound)
