You Won’t Believe How Much Kiss’ Avatar Show Will Cost to Create

2023-12-19

Kiss live concert image.

Kiss avatar show news – Author Anne Erickson, Photo via Ken Settle

The upcoming Kiss avatar shows are looking to be really expensive. That makes sense, as the avatars will employ a fairly new technology, which was recently created for ABBA’s “Voyage” show in London. That said, you won’t believe how much the Kiss avatar show will cost to create.

Kiss are using the avatar technology to create Kiss avatars which will help them stay “on the road” even when the band’s members are retired. Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) created the Kiss avatars, and Pophouse Entertainment, the same company behind the ABBA show, financed them.

So, how much will these Kiss avatars cost? “About 200 million,” according to Kiss’ Gene Simmons. Wow. Simmons talked about the KISS avatars during a session with fans at Electric Lady studios in New York City after the group’s final show at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 2.

While signing the very last bass guitar he ever played on stage with KISS for one fan, Gene asked him (see video below):

During an autograph signing, Simmons asked one fan (via Blabbermouth.net), “How did those avatars look when you first saw them? They’re gonna get better, that animated stuff.” The fan said they looked “absolutely amazing” in the announcement video. Then, Simmons replied, “There’s so much being planned, even beyond my comprehension. But they’re spending, oh, about 200 million [dollars] to take it to the next level.”

Then, the fan told Simmons that he saw the Michael Jackson show in Las Vegas that uses a hologram and thought “it was amazing.” Plus, the fan said a friend saw the ABBA show in London and said “it was just incredible.” This fan gets around, huh? Simmons commented that he was very impressed with the ABBA show. “You can’t tell if they’re there, right there, like that,” Simmons commented.

Kiss’ avatars will be available for live shows and for performances in digital online settings. Kiss are actually the first American band to create their own avatar show and be totally virtual.

But, years before Kiss’ avatars, there was another virtual band overseas. The English virtual band Gorillaz formed way back in 1998, so you could say they were ahead of their time. Gorillaz were the brainchild of musician Damon Albarn and artist Jamie Hewlett. The band is still around, although their big hits came in the 2000s. Gorillaz features four fictional band members: 2-D, Murdoc Niccals, Noodle and Russel Hobbs. Their performances features band members as cartoons of sorts. Their music has also featured a bevy of collaborations with different musicians, as Albarn is the main and only consistent musician involved with the group. However, when it comes to America, Kiss are reportedly the first American band to be completely virtual.

The announcement of Kiss avatars came with mixed reviews. Many fans and people in the music industry took to social media to say they weren’t happy with the idea and that Kiss should just call it quits. Rock radio host Eddie Trunk stated on X, “I have very little interest in Kiss or any other band putting on ‘avatar’ concerts. In no way does it replace a concert experience. At least most hologram tours have a live band. Would have much preferred a sanctioned tribute band w/ younger guys.” I commented on X, “Not digging the idea of Kiss or any band doing “avatar” concerts. No disrespect, just saying.” But, time will tell if the Kiss avatars are a success, despite the pushback.

Anne Erickson
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Posted by Anne Erickson | Music, Rock, Rock News

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