…About the use of hologram-Jerry, CEO Sam Watts said, “We’re very excited that The Grateful Dead have decided to use our holographic Jerry. Once we ensure that these performances are well-received, there’s no telling what we’ll do. We could even be looking at a nationwide tour.”
:eek
This sort of leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I get the idea, and I am one of the young fans who never got to see Jerry live that the article mentions, but this seems like a cheap attempt to cash in on Jerry 19 years after his death. I find this to be an incredibly disrespectful move. You simply can’t replace Jerry with some kind of computer generated image, no matter how cool the science is. Jerry’s spirit and energy flowed through his playing in ways that science can’t replicate. Music, especially the music of the Grateful Dead, is an art, not a science.
It sucks that I’ll never get to see Jerry play, but I’ve come to terms with that. I’ll check out every Further and Dark Star Orchestra show that comes my way, but I can’t get behind this.
As someone who did see the Dead many times, as well as JGB in places large and small, I have to disagree. One theme that ran through the Dead’s years on the road was the embrace of technogies. From recording the acid tests, to crazy light shows, to the Wall of Sound, to allowing tapers with what passed as portable rigs in those days, to putting out the amazingly recorded Grateful Dead movie, to Mickey and Phil’s weird music explorations, etc., etc. the Dead always explored new pathways and tecnologies. Some worked, some didn’t. I say bring it on, and we’ll see how it goes. And I’m sure you noticed this was put out on April Fool’s Day.
despite the april 1st release of this article, i believe this is going to be happening sometime soon…i heard from a source that there will be some trials of this technology at one of two festivals late summer/early fall. and heard another rumor too…that if/when this holographic tour takes off, the band will go by the name of the Grateful Dead as 50th anniversary tour…
I have been to an outstanding Hologram Art Studio in Sante Fe and it was just unreal! I think this is a great idea. Me a lover of music never jumped on the Dead Train. I was into Hendrex, Blues and missed out. Never saw a show and to this day dont know most Dead songs. I have no idea why not. So to me this would be a crazy good exhibit. A small taste of the past. :medal
When this first came out someone suggested using a cardboard cutout of Jerry, it’s not like he moved around that much on stage and would be much cheaper.
The terrific Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ought to run with this idea. Can you imagine the all-star band(s) they could come up with for “new” shows?
:thumbsup
