Dio throws the horns again as Wacken hologram

The late Ronnie James Dio made a surprise appearance at Wacken Open Air on Saturday, following in the footsteps of deceased contemporaries 2Pac, Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley to perform in hologram form with his former bandmates.

The likeness of Dio, who died from stomach cancer in 2010, was created by Eyellusion, a Los Angeles-based developer of holograms for the live music market which officially launched last weekend after “operating in stealth mode” for the past two years.

The Dio-gram joined Dio Disciples, comprising ex-members of his band, to close the German metal festival, which was attended by over 75,000 people and also featured performances from Iron Maiden, Bullet for My Valentine and Testament.

“When I first experienced Ronnie performing with his band as a hologram, I couldn’t believe my eyes and ears”

“When I first experienced the full production of Ronnie performing with his band as a hologram, I couldn’t believe my eyes and ears,” says Dio’s widow, Wendy, who manages Dio Disciples and also works in an industry relations role with Eyellusion. “With Eyellusion, we have been able to get Ronnie back up on stage where he belongs, ensuring that his music and memory live on. I want Ronnie’s fans around the world to share this experience.”

See a pic of ‘Dio’ in action below: