KISS reveal more details for their avatar shows in 2028 (and new music too)

KISS revealed fresh information about their future ambitions for their live virtual avatar experience, as per theprp. The group first declared that they would continue to exist as digital avatars indefinitely after finishing their final tour in December 2023. In order to accomplish this, they later sold Pophouse Entertainment Group AB the majority of their numerous rights related to the band, including publication rights, names, likenesses, and more, for an estimated $300 million. The band has recently reformed for live concerts, but without their makeup and special clothing, despite the show’s stated finality. In a recently released interview with Pollstar, the band affirms that the makeup designs they wore were included in the previously reported sale.

For the planned production, which is anticipated to start performing in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2028, the band themselves have taken part in motion capture and other aspects. To get the technology ready for the future event, Pophouse has partnered with Industrial Light & Magic, the formidable effects studio founded by “Star Wars” creator George Lucas. Gene Simmons mentioned the planned production in this latest discussion.

Show is not the right word. When you are parachuting into a volcano, I would call it a show. These are semantics, but you know, I’m not anti-semantic.

Simmons made this statement about collaborating with Pophouse in what will be that company’s maiden entry into the U.S. market following its success with a comparable ABBA production elsewhere.

There’s a positive in that. It’s a world view versus an American view. And KISS always wanted to be and is, perhaps, the most recognizable iconic imagery, certainly in pop culture. There’s Mickey Mouse; there are one or two iconic visual images on the planet. So if one of the guys in U2, like the drummer, walked down the street, one or two people might say, ‘Oh, you’re the drummer.’ It’s undeniable that if any of the four KISS faces walk down the street, you get a crowd. In any country in the world. In Africa.

For this project, which has previously been briefly presented in an early prototype version, Pollstar sought clarification on which members of the band’s numerous incarnations would be switching to digital form. Simmons‘ answer was a little unclear.

It’s going to be the iconic face personas, The Demon, the Starchild, and so on. Who you want to place into that lineup is up to you.

Simmons continued by stating that this avatar experience will incorporate new music in addition to fan favorites. Simmons provided this information when questioned about the specifics of this new content.

Exactly what that means, written by us. We have songs done.

Simmons also emphasized the present ambitions for these live avatar experiences.

Pophouse is a terrific bunch of entrepreneurial futurists. They did buy our makeup and the tunes, yes, but what they’re deep into is planting seeds for the future to make it even bigger. I’ll tell you what I mean. But the big move now is what we’re calling, as a place card, “the avatars.” It’ll be less of a show and more of an experience, because as fantastic as virtual reality is – it fools your eyes – but your ears can hear what’s going on around you. So if, hypothetically, you see a dragon that breathes fire into your face, the visuals will give you that, but you won’t feel the heat, so imagine all your senses are being attacked right along with the visuals.

Paul Stanley weighed in too.

It will be a true immersive experience that really magnifies the band and the iconic nature of what we’ve built for 50 years. It’s very different from anything else that’s been out there. It has really no connection to some of the experimental holograms that were tried in the past, which were really very primitive. This will be virtually seeing us. My avatar looks just like me, not a cartoon or an artist rendition. The great thing about being an icon is you can stay young forever.