Rob Thomas wants you to sing karaoke with his hologram
by Richard Howard
June 27, 2016
The Matchbox Twenty singer offers 'the first ever interactive hologram selfie experience.'
When Justin Bieber decided to stop attending his VIP meet-and-greets with fans because his fans’ energy was bumming him out, he thoughtfully provided a cardboard cutout to act in his stead.
Matchbox Twenty frontman Rob Thomas doesn’t seem to have any such issue with his fans, but he is offering a VIP experience that utilizes a stand in… albeit a far more high-tech one. On his solo tour with Counting Crows, Thomas is offering a VIP package that will allow purchasers to – I shit you not – sing karaoke with a hologram of the singer.
Tech startup VNTANA, which describes itself as a “social augmented reality company,” will be providing the technology for the vaguely creepy fan experience. A custom display will project a hologram of the VIP ticketholder next to a hologram of the singer, which will invite them to sing a duet of his new single “Pieces” or older tracks “One Shot” and “This is How a Heart Breaks.”
A promotional video refers to this project as “the first ever interactive hologram selfie experience,” which is both the most fucking infuriating phrase I have ever heard and a sure harbinger of the end of days. After caterwauling through the mediocre adult contemporary tune of your choice, you’ll instantly receive an email with a video of your duet with tiny Pixel-Rob – because, as Hologram Rob Thomas explains, it “didn’t really happen until you share it with your friends.”
Thanks for the metaphysics lesson, Robert.
[h/t Exclaim!]
Tags: Tech, News, hologram, karaoke, matchbox twenty, Rob Thomas