Ronnie James Dio Hologram Makes U.S. Debut [Watch]
Prepare to get a little misty-eyed, metalheads. The loss of powerhouse singer and metal icon Ronnie James Dio left a void that can never be filled, bringing fans around the globe to an emotional breaking point upon the news of his death in 2010. The beloved frontman made an unprecedented return to the stage at Wacken last summer in the form of a hologram and the spectacle has now made its U.S. debut.
The 28th Annual Pollstar Awards were held at The Novo in Los Angeles last night (Feb. 2) and featured a special Dio Disciples performance of "We Rock," featuring the Eyellusion-created Dio hologram. With the drum kit placed on stage left, this setup made room for the hologram to be projected on the center of the stage where Ronnie moved about on a raised platform.
This video is sure to invoke mixed feelings as fans are overcome with joy at the opportunity to relive the magic of Dio onstage, battling raw emotions still coping with the fact that the frontman is no longer with us. The most reassuring aspect of this is that the effort is backed by Wendy Dio, the singer's widow and long time manager.
Fans can look forward to a more extensive version of the hologram on tour later this year. In our exclusive interview with Wendy Dio, she told us, “We’re developing a new [hologram] right now with six songs. So if we do an hour show, Ronnie will probably come out four times. If we do a 90-minute show, he’d come out six times. We’re developing that — should be ready by September.”
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