Ruth Mortimer: Tokio Hotel become space-age holograms to support traditional retailers

Ever been gutted at missing your favourite band live? You need worry no longer; music is going space age as German band Tokio Hotel becomes the first act to appear in hologram form in electronics retailers across Europe.  Tokio Hotel's label Universal Music Group worked with agency Musion to create the band's first-ever "virtual tour", which transformed footage of Tokio Hotel performing live into three-dimensional holograms. This then allowed the band to perform "in person virtually" to local crowds in Media Markt stores around Europe over a three week period. The "performances" apparently drew up to 700 people at each store.  Romain Delnaud, director of operations, commercial affairs, at Universal Music Group International, says that the initiative hoped to accomplish "our aim of supporting the traditional retail landscape which still continues to stand as a key player in breaking new acts on an international scale." You can see amateur video footage of an event in Holland from YouTube here:

It's an interesting idea that mixes the exclusivity of live gigs with the need to bring some more interactivity into traditional retail environments. But will it be successful and will we see more artists signing up for virtual touring?

Comments

[Simon Adams]

Food for thought!

Certainly a crowd drawing event for retail outlets, and of course the band can 'appear' at many venues at once. Natural progression would be a home hologram projector to bring the band into your living room...

Now all that needs developing is a way to virtualise the human soul, the core of any song or presence in the performance, and we're there... :)

[Tony Bennet]

Erm...I think Gorillaz managed this years ago folks....