KISS will tour as digital avatars from now on
KISS are the latest to defeat old age by letting the music play on without them, using digital avatars to perform instead.
In October, Mick Jagger alluded to the possibility of the Rolling Stones continuing to tour after they die (if they ever do). He referenced the ABBA shows, where holographic versions of the group took the stage and performed for captivated audiences.
Now, KISS aren’t even just considering it. They’ve made their digital continuation solid. At the final show of their final farewell tour, in Madison Square Garden, New York they finished the set and disappeared amongst the smoke. But the show didn’t end there.
After the band had left the stage, the digital avatars of each member appeared on screen at the back. Announcing that the crowds power had made them “immortal”, they went on to play KISS classics saying a “new era starts now”.
The band leapt off of the digital screen and appeared as huge digital holograms floating above and in front of the crowd. It seems that KISS will go on to do more tours, but not in person. It’ll be no surprise for those who know the band, and especially their love of cashing in on their brand.
Whether fans will want to pay premium prices to see some animations on the screen instead of the real thing… well, it worked well for ABBA. In fact, Bloomberg reported that ABBA’s avatar shows have been pulling in $2 million every week.
So, good luck to you KISS. As long as it pleases your fans. Because it seems that from now on, the avatar shows may be your only chance to see “KISS” live. But who knows? A comeback tour might be just up their street for another cash grab in a couple of years.