Tours headlined by holograms are here, but what does that mean for the living?

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Holograms of Roy Orbison and Buddy Holly are touring together this Fall. That’s right, holograms are now invading the competitive live music marketplace.

The music industry will always find new ways to make money. Anyone needing proof of this need only know that this Fall, for the first time ever, Buddy Holly and Roy Orbison will be touring together! The two deceased music icons have been resurrected through the power of holograms, and none of us are able to stop someone from trying to cash in on their image in the year 2019.

Today, March 26, news of the impending Buddy Holly and Roy Orbison tour made headlines worldwide. The Rock ‘N’ Roll Dream Tour, which will run through North American and Europe simultaneously (because the stars are not real), launches this Fall. It is the first-ever musical hologram tour, though it will feature a live band and backup vocalists.

Roy Orbison Jr. had this to say in a press statement about the connection between the two musicians:

My father’s music meant the world to not just us Orbison’s but to millions of fans worldwide. Being able to reopen his legendary songbook and again hear his voice bounce off great concert hall walls is both a transcendent and cathartic experience. Dad jammed with Buddy in Lubbock Texas and helped change music history by turning Buddy on to Norman Petty Studios; Buddy later returned the favor by recording two of Dad’s songs on his first Cricket’s album. How beyond cool and special that these two great friends, now get to tour the world together.

Buddy Holly’s widow Maria Elena said:

Buddy and Roy were Texans who shared a mutual respect and admiration for each other’s creative musical genius and brilliant songwriting abilities. I am proud to work with a company like BASE Hologram. Their long-time fans and a new generation of fans will now have the opportunity to see these great legends perform together in a unique setting, showcasing two of the finest, most influential, and beloved artists in music history.

Orbison’s hologram made its live debut last year on a tour, while Holly’s has been in the works for a while.

Threats of holograms going on tour have been circling the music business since a projection of Tupac made its ‘debut’ during Snoop Dogg’s set at Coachella 2012. It looked something like this:

Looks pretty good, right?

The response to the Rock ‘N’ Roll Dream tour could determine whether or not similar tours features other iconic musicians happen in the future. There have been mentions of ‘resurrecting’ everyone from Elvis to Prince, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, and even Michael Jackson (though Leaving Neverland may change the likelihood of that last one). Those names, as well as others, could easily sell tickets and generate additional revenue for the families or companies that own the artist’s music/likeness rights.

It’s not likely to be a concern anytime soon, but the rise of holograms could present new challenges to entertainers trying to make a living from live music. If holograms take off, there will be increased competition in the marketplace. Much like tribute acts, holograms offer consumers a chance to see big names for a fraction of the cost to see the actual performer.

On the other hand, the proliferation of holograms in the live music space could also create new jobs. All these performances will require musicians to fill out the sound, and one has to imagine there will be new careers for people able to run and troubleshoot the hologram technology.

Whatever the case, the future first imagined in science fiction works such as Blade Runner is finally here. We might not have flying cars, but we do have the chance to see legends long gone perform once more. Details on how you can see Buddy and Roy can be found on the tour’s official website.

James Shotwell