Kiss confirm they will keep performing as avatars
ABBA Voyage has been dubbed by many as ‘the greatest show on earth’, and with what was originally a controversial concept receiving such acclaim, it was only a matter of time before other artists followed in their holographic footsteps. Well, it looks like the flamboyant (and now retired) rockstars Kiss will be the first to do so.
Kiss played their last ever show on December 1st at Madison Square Garden, marking the end of a career that spans decades and is laced with hits. Up until their final performance, they never struggled to draw in a crowd as rock songs were accompanied by their iconic make-up, pyrotechnics, and high-wire performances.
The end isn’t definite with the band, though. As the show in New York finished, they ran a quick teaser confirming that the band would continue performing as avatars. They made the announcement by having their digital counterparts play out the last song, ‘God Gave Rock and Roll to You’.
After the performance, a press release welcomed people into a “new era of Kiss”. It confirmed that the band is “marking the end of its physical existence by crossing into the digital world”, and the plan is to have Kiss continue to “perform to fans for decades to come”.
The news hardly comes as a surprise, given Kiss are a band who have always heavily relied on spectacle and have never shied away from profit. With the digital show comes new possibilities regarding visuals, and it means the band can continue profiting from their live performances despite being unable to do the actual performances themselves.
George Lucas’ visual effects company has created the avatars, and the gigs will be done in partnership with the Pophouse Entertainment Group, which is also responsible for ABBA Voyage. “We can be forever young and forever iconic by taking us to places we’ve never dreamed of before,” said Gene Simmons, “The technology is going to make Paul [Stanley] jump higher than he’s ever done before.”
Footage of the band putting together their new avatar show can be seen below.
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