In 2024, Elvis Presley will “return” to the stage, bringing a new immersive experience and allowing fans to watch him perform on stage in the UK thanks to artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
Elvis Presley’s Grand Return to the Stage: A New Live Experience Thanks to AI
Since his passing in 1977, Elvis Presley continues to captivate millions worldwide, and now, in an extraordinary blend of technology and artistry, he will “return” to the stage in the UK, offering fans a thrilling new way to see him perform live. This experience, made possible by cutting-edge AI and 3D projection technology, promises to let fans witness Elvis as if he were back on stage.
The “Elvis Evolution” concert series, powered by artificial intelligence and holographic projections, is a landmark project honoring one of the world’s most legendary stars. The concert will culminate in a full-sized digital performance of the “King of Rock and Roll,” with fans later invited to an immersive After Party. Here, they’ll walk through the defining moments of Elvis’s life and career, experiencing his legacy as never before.
Layered Reality, the digital technology company behind the project, was granted access to never-before-seen footage of Elvis and his most celebrated films by Authentic Brands Group, the owners of the Elvis Presley estate. Through this exclusive footage, fans will be able to experience Elvis’s most iconic performances as if he were truly there, reliving the monumental moments of his life and career through groundbreaking technology.
The concert promises to recreate the “seismic impact” of watching Elvis live, merging reality with imagination for a new generation of fans. With a life-size digital Elvis sharing his iconic songs and signature moves on a UK stage for the first time, the experience aims to transcend traditional boundaries between audience and performer.
The unique fusion of technology, stagecraft, projections, and Layered Reality’s multisensory effects will allow fans to move through various zones within the venue, guided by immersive audio through headphones. While Elvis never toured outside North America during his career, this AI-powered debut show is set to open in central London in November 2024, with tickets priced at £60 (approximately $76). Though the venue is yet to be announced, fans can look forward to the same experience in Las Vegas, Tokyo, and Berlin.
The success of this project follows in the footsteps of the Abba Voyage concert, where life-sized avatars of the iconic Swedish pop group performed with lifelike precision, replicating their 1979 selves at an east London venue. In 2022 alone, Abba Voyage earned an impressive £322.6 million, and with its run initially slated for just two to three years, it’s now expected to generate £1 billion for London’s economy over the next six years as a permanent fixture.
This project marks another chapter in the evolving world of holographic performances, a medium with which Elvis is no stranger. He once appeared alongside Celine Dion in American Idol in 2007 and was also featured in Blade Runner 2049 with Ryan Gosling. A recent video, overlaying hundreds of graphics, saw the King of Rock & Roll reimagined for U2’s Sphere debut in Las Vegas. Furthermore, the 2022 Elvis biopic achieved widespread acclaim, garnering seven nominations from critics, three Golden Globe nominations, and over £288 million in box office revenue.
With this new project, Elvis’s enduring legacy continues to break boundaries, merging history with innovation, and allowing fans old and new to experience his music, charisma, and spirit in ways never before possible.
