Kiss goodbye means hello to avatars

Kiss closed out the final performance of their End of the Road farewell tour at New York City’s Madison Square Garden on Saturday. But as dedicated fans surely know they were never going to call it quits. Not really.

Dring their encore, the band’s current lineup – founders Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons plus guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer – left the stage to reveal digital avatars of themselves. After the transformation the virtual Kiss launched into a performance of God Gave Rock and Roll to You.

For after 50 years of Kiss the band is now interested in a kind of digital immortality.

The avatars were created by George Lucas’ special-effects company, Industrial Light & Magic, in partnership with Pophouse Entertainment, which was co-founded by ABBA’s Bjorn Ulvaeus and laid on a full concert in London by the Swedish band – as performed by their digital avatars.

Per Sundin, CEO of Pophouse Entertainment, says the technology allows Kiss to continue their legacy for eternity. “Kiss could have a concert in three cities in the same night across three different continents.”

To create their digital avatars Kiss performed in motion capture suits.

“We can be forever young and forever iconic by taking us to places we’ve never dreamed of. “Kiss bassist Gene Simmons says.