Second Coming: What Do Holograms Mean For the Future of Live Music?

posted in: Features

Let’s face it, sometimes the past should stay dead. But when an awesome artist fades from popularity,  fans later wonder, Where are they now?  You may not know it, but many artists you’ve loved in the past are still hard at work writing new albums or preparing to tour again. Fortunately, you now have Second Coming to reintroduce some of your favorite acts of the last few decades and give you the scoop on what you can expect from them in the future.

We usually discuss comebacks and reunions in Second Coming, but in light of recent events, we felt it was necessary to address one of the hottest topics being debated in the music industry right now: the hologram. The half-awesome, half-creepy performance of “Hologram Tupac” at this year’s Coachella Festival sparked both excitement and outrage from the music world. Those who were present at the event said the audience mainly expressed confusion at the haunting display of technology (which isn’t technically a hologram…but the terminology has stuck).

After the initial hype died down, many began to question what Holo-Pac could mean for the future of live musical performances. Would we soon be seeing holograms of Michael Jackson? The Beatles? Jimi Hendrix? And is it even ethical to use a person’s likeness in this way after they’re gone? After all, Tupac never lived in a world where Coachella existed, so he never said “What the f*ck’s up, Coachella?” Whether it was the use of voice replication technology or a very good impersonator, it’s tough to say whether or not this kind of performance add-on is morally correct.

Since Holo-Pac, there have been other talks of using this technology beyond Coachella. There were rumors that Dr. Dre was planning a world tour with the ghostly image of his former peer, though he has recently denied having any plans to do this. Last week, the surviving members of R&B/hip-hop girl group TLC added to the hologram buzz when they announced the possibility of bringing late member Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes with them on their upcoming reunion tour. Others have considered the possibilities of a livestreamed hologram of an artist that is actually performing in another city. The introduction of the hologram could clearly have a big impact on live musical performances, but the jury is still out on whether or not they should become commonplace.

Are you for or against hologram performances? Share your thoughts in the comments below!