Over the weekend, Ronnie James Dio made a surprise appearance, in the form of a hologram, at the Wacken Open Air festival in Germany. The performance featured the song, "We Rock", and took place at the end of the Dio Disciples' set, a group that consists of former Dio bandmates - video of the performance can be seen below. Nearly one year in the making, the hologram was created by the entertainment company, Eyellusion. It is the first time a hologram was been accompanied by a live band and it also looks like it will be the first time a live band will tour with a hologram, as there are plans for a global outing in 2017.
"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, former Dio manager and Ronnie's ex-wife. She 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, former Dio member and 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."
"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."
