Ronnie James Dio’s Hologram Debuts at Wacken Open Air Festival

A hologram of the late Ronnie James Dio, who led the bands Black Sabbath, Elf, Rainbow, Heaven & Hell and Dio, made a surprise appearance in Germany last Saturday during the Wacken Open Air festival. The hologram, which performed with Dio's Disciples, served as the closing act of the night's event.

The hologram was created by Eyellussion and took almost a year to complete, according to Loudwire. During the metal festival, it shared the stage with Dio's former bandmates Craig Goldy, Simon Wright, Scott Warren and the rest of Dio's Disciples to perform the 1984 track "We Rock."

Metalheads at the event cheered as the hologram mimicked the real Dio's movements, including the hand gesture devil horn which he popularized during his time with Black Sabbath.

According to Wendy Dio, the singer's widow and former manager, seeing the hologram for the first time was surreal.

"When I first experienced the full production of Ronnie performing with his band as a hologram, I couldn't believe my eyes and ears," she told Rolling Stone. "With Eyellusion, we have been able to get Ronnie back up onstage where he belongs, ensuring that his music and memory live on."

Goldy added that Dio's Disciples could work with Eyellusion and its hologram again in their future shows.

"We can't wait to bring this experience to even more of his fans and perhaps even a newer generation when we bring this incredible live experience on the road next year," he said.

Dio died on May 16, 2010 at the age of 67 due to stomach cancer. As a veteran in the music industry, he became associated with various heavy metal acts and released numerous singles with them including "Long Live Rock 'n' Roll," "The Mob Rules," "Holy Diver," "Rainbow in the Dark" and "Stand Up and Shout."

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Ronnie James Dio, Dio, Black Sabbath