RONNIE JAMES DIO Reunites with Bandmates via Hologram At Wacken Open Air Music Festival
Music
and special effects vets at Eyellusion debut rock's first hologram
production based on industry-leading capabilities for the ultimate live
fan experience!
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Over 75,000 fans were rocked at the Wacken Open Air music festival in Germany this weekend as the late Ronnie James Dio
reunited with his bandmates via hologram. The surprise performance took
place at the end of Dio Disciples' set to close the world's largest
annual live heavy metal event. Dio Disciples features members of the Dio
band, which last performed with Ronnie in 2008 before he passed away
two years later, leaving a void in the rock community. Eyellusion, a
hologram entertainment company focused on the live music market, created
the hologram and produced the groundbreaking performance.
Almost
one year in the making, Eyellusion's Ronnie James Dio production
represents the world's first rock hologram performance and the first
time a hologram has been accompanied by a live band in a traditional
concert setting. The Wacken Open Air Festival marked the debut of the
Ronnie James Dio hologram, which features the singer's actual live
vocals and will be toured globally in 2017, with further details to be
announced.
"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."
"We know how much the fans miss Ronnie and the special and unequaled element that he brought to his live performances," said Craig Goldy, lead guitarist for Dio Disciples. "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."
"At
first I did not know what to think or to expect. But after I got over
the initial surprise, it felt like Ronnie was still with us. It was
wonderful, sad and emotional,"
stated David James of California, a fan present for the performance at Wacken Open Air.
"I
have watched quite a few hologram clips online and nothing can compare
to the performance here tonight at Wacken - this was the most realistic
of all. Amazing! Ronnie James Dio and metal will live forever," added Anna Lorenz, a 25-year-old fan from Germany, also in attendance.
"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."
Touring
remains a viable revenue stream for many artists as music industry
business models continue to evolve. However, it is not always
financially or physically feasible to get to every market where there is
demand. Further, massive loyal fan bases still exist for artists that
are no longer able to tour or that can only do a set number of dates
within a year. Eyellusion is expanding touring opportunities for
emerging and established acts alike. 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."
Eyellusion's
hologram and live production focus spans a range of genres, including
rock, country, pop, EDM and more. Key team members include Wendy Dio,
who supports industry relations, veteran rock manager Todd Singerman and
Pat DiNizio of the Smithereens, who support artist relations, and Kenny
Aronoff, world renowned live and studio drummer, who supports business
development and technical live production efforts. Chad Finnerty at
Digital Frontier FX is Eyellusion's exclusive content creation partner,
working directly with clients to help bring every project vision to the
live stage. Legendary Hollywood digital effects executive Scott Ross
advises Eyellusion on overall content production.
"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."
Friday, July 22 saw the release of the CD version of Rhino's new Dio boxed set, A Decade Of Dio: 1983-1993. The set brings together Dio's first six studio albums, each one featuring newly remastered sound, including Holy Diver (1983), The Last In Line (1984), Sacred Heart (1985), Dream Evil (1987), Lock Up The Wolves (1990) and Strange Highways (1993). Order your copy now via Amazon:CD. Pre-orders are still available for the vinyl version of A Decade Of Dio: 1983-1993, set to release on October 4, 2016. Pre-order yours now via Amazon:vinyl.
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