An Amy Winehouse hologram concert series might be in the works, but first the promoter has to sue to make sure no one else will do it, or anything like it. Alki David is the owner of Musion, the hologram-development company that has generated 3D models of performers such as Tupac Shakur for its performance with Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre at the Coachella Music Festival. He alleges that the hologram-Michael Jackson that appears during Cirque de Soleil's Michael Jackson: One performance in Las Vegas is an infringement on patents held by Musion.
Musion Eyeliner uses a patented system to project three-dimensional images virtually indistinguishable from real life bodies," reads the lawsuit. "Although it has been widely acknowledged that Defendants employ the technology to create a three-dimensional hologram of Michael Jackson in Cirque du Soleil's Michael Jackson: One, Defendants do not possess a valid license to practice that technology."
The results of the case will be interesting, not only for Cirque de Soleil, but for everybody who has ambitions of incorporating holograms into live performances. Cirque has brought in nearly $1 billion in revenues from the show since 2009. David is at the fore for launching hologram concerts, and he wants to make sure nobody beats him to it.
"We already agreed on hologram performances with Flo Rida and the late Amy Winehouse," he said. "Many other shows are coming."
The idea of watching a projection of the deceased Winehouse bothers us, but that's just a personal thing. But why on Earth is he developing a hologram Flo Rida? Is a living Flo Rida not bad enough? Maybe we should be pulling for Cirque de Soleil on this one.
