Show promises to blur “the lines between reality and fantasy.”
Elvis Presley performs on June 27, 1968.
Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
More than half a century after his first comeback, Elvis Presley is combing back, again. U.K. company Layered Reality announced this week that it is prepping an holographic AI concert special entitled “Elvis Evolution” that is slated to debut in London in November.
In a statement announcing the special event, immersive experience specialists (The Gunpowder Plot) Layered Reality promise that the mind-blowing “concert finale” featuring the King of Rock will feature a “jaw-dropping” performance and a “personal invite to the After Party.”
“The show peaks with a concert experience that will recreate the seismic impact of seeing Elvis live for a whole new generation of fans, blurring the lines between reality and fantasy,” reads a statement announcing the show. “A life sized digital Elvis will share his most iconic songs and moves for the very first time on a UK stage.”
The show promises to use Layered Reality’s patented blend of “technology, augmented reality, theatre, projection and multi-sensory effects” to reproduce the late rock icon for his first-ever shows outside of North America nearly half a century after Presley’s 1977 death.
“Elvis fans can look forward to a memory-making experience like no other. Through AI and groundbreaking tech you’ll be able to witness iconic Elvis performances as if you were really there, and celebrate defining moments in Elvis Presley’s extraordinary life and career,” the statement continues. “After the show, the central London venue will also host an After Party at its ELVIS-themed restaurant and bar with live music, DJs and performances.”
At press time the name of the London venue hosting the event had not yet been revealed. In a video tease, Layered Reality founder and CEO Andrew McGuinness promised that the show will go on a global tour after its London debut — hitting Las Vegas, Berlin and Tokyo as well — following a deal reached with the owner of the Presley estate, Authentic Brands Group.
“You’re going to go on a journey and really understand what Elvis went through during his life,” McGuinness said of the show that will revive the hip-swiveling Rock and Roll Hall of Famer using thousands of his personal photos and home video clips. “The end of this experience is a real crescendo, where you’ll see a life-sized Elvis in AI perform some of his biggest hits.”
“We’re thrilled to partner with Layered Reality to give fans a new, immersive way of experiencing Elvis Presley’s life and legacy,” added Marc Rosen, president of entertainment at the Authentic Brands Group, which owns Elvis Presley Enterprises.
The Elvis AI show will follow on the heels of the hit London show “ABBA Voyage,” which digitally recreated the beloved Swedish pop band via digital avatars.
One of the best-selling artists in music history with over 500 million records sold worldwide, Elvis, who died at 42, has been everywhere over the past two years thanks to Baz Luhrmann’s Oscar-nominated biopic Elvis and Sofia Coppola’s Golden Globe-nominated Priscilla. The rock legend was also back in the Billboard Hot 100 top 20 over the Christmas holiday when his 1957 classic “Blue Christmas” hit No. 18 on the chart dated Jan. 6, 2024, marking the first time one of his songs has has charted since “Way Down” peaked at No. 18 in Oct. 1977.
Watch the preview clip below.
