The living dead: we can watch ‘Janis Joplin’ perform or reunite the Beatles, but who are the real winners here?
Advances in digital technology mean that avatars are ever more realistic, and zombie concerts are coming our way. Exciting as it might be to witness the Fab Four, or Maria Calla on stage, I’d rather have flesh and blood live experiences any day.
TL;DR
- Unit1 Studio is developing hyper-realistic digital avatars using AI to simulate human physiological details like tear evaporation and blood flow.
- The company plans to create 'hybrid' concerts featuring avatars of both living and deceased musicians, building on the success of shows like Abba Voyage.
- The technology aims to recreate specific 'moments in time' with absolute fidelity, allowing audiences to witness historical performances like Hendrix at Woodstock or The Beatles at the Cavern Club.
- The author expresses a preference for live, flesh-and-blood performances over what are described as 'zombie concerts' or 'digital homunculi'.
- A significant limitation for recreating historical musicians like Mozart or Beethoven is the lack of extensive digital records compared to more recent artists.
- The article questions the artistic value of these recreations, contrasting them with the interpretive nature of live performance and the re-contextualization of music in the present day.