*UPDATED* OFFICIAL HOLOGRAM OF RONNIE JAMES DIO APPEARS AT WACKEN FESTIVAL IN GERMANY
Dio Disciples were joined onstage at Wacken by a hologram of the late singer Ronnie James Dio.
The surprise stunt took place towards the end of the band’s set at the German festival last night (August 6) as 75,000 fans saw Dio reunite with former members of his band via hologram for a performance of We Rock .
The production was a year in the making and the firm behind the idea, Eyellusion, say it was “the first time a hologram has been accompanied by a live band in a traditional concert setting.”
Future shows with the Dio hologram are being planned by the band.
Ronnie’s widow Wendy, who also manages Dio Disciples and works with Eyellusion, says, “When I first experienced the full production of Ronnie performing with his band as a hologram, I couldn’t believe my eyes and ears. 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.”
Dio Disciples lead guitarist Craig Goldy adds, “We know how much the fans miss Ronnie and the special and unequaled element that he brought to his live performances. Being able to recreate that same kind of magic for his fans at Wacken was incredible. For so many years Ronnie always invested big in his live shows as his way to give back to the fans, and that is exactly what we aimed to do with this latest performance. We can’t wait to bring this experience to even more of his fans and perhaps even a newer generation when we bring this incredible live experience on the road next year.”
Dio Disciples say they hope to take the hologram on tour, with a rotating set of around 14 songs.
Dio died of stomach cancer in 2010.
additional source: Classic Rock via teasrock.com
I don’t know, I think Ronnie would be appalled, this just seems to go against his principles…
The band just looks stupid up there, what’s funny is how the presence of the hologram just makes the actual humans behave more like robots….
This is where we’re headed, people talk to their computers but text humans, the world is turning upside down…
I saw Dio in Nashville on the Dream Evil tour, it was snowing so bad only a few hundred people showed up to an arena that holds 10,000…
The show started, and there was a curtain of lasers, then an explosion, Ronnie comes striding out of the smoke and looks out and his face turns red, he can’t believe how empty the place is…then he just smiled at us, and gave us everything he had….
I’ll keep my sacred memories, and pass on this distasteful cash grab.
It wasn’t a distasteful cash grab at all. RATHER, it was a surprise for people attending the event. So by way of the organizers funding the holographic Dio performance, and then providing it as an added bonus, it was the exact opposite of a cash grab. Did you read the article before posting your opinion?
Joe Smith, Wendy says in the article she wants to sell this show all over the world….did you read the article?
While I think this technology is pretty cool, I find it very disturbing to have a deceased icon appearing, on stage, in holographic form and “performing” with the band. I hope this is not the wave of the future for some concerts as our music heroes get older.
I think its great to keep the memory and legacy of Dio alive, but this just seems like the wrong way to do it, in my opinion.
I know I am supposed to be impartial, but I completely agree with your comment, Rattlehead.
D 🙂
Weird. Doesn`t look like Craig is in sync with the notes being played ,whats the dealio? Are they only piping in his voice or is there other tracks?
Eerie but very cool…makes me think I would be into an entire simulated show at a venue. It would be different than a real concert in that it would have no audience interaction, but it would be viewed more like a concert film, but instead you would be in an actual arena…this was very cool and I hope to see it live myself
I can see Kiss doing this, as holograms don’t need health insurance, but Dio’s send up of Gene Simmons in *Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey* makes me sceptical Ronnie James would have approved of this.