An ‘immersive’ Elvis show, which was originally announced to feature ‘holograms’ and ‘AI’ has been criticised by some visitors who feel “misled” by the experience.
The show, titled Elvis Evolution The Immersive Experience, was originally stated to feature AI usage, augmented reality and ‘holographic projection’, according to a BBC report from January 2024, where its creators said that visitors will experience a “jaw-dropping concert experience” with a life-sized digital Elvis Presley “will perform iconic moments in musical history on a UK stage for the first time”.
However, some visitors have taken to social media to air complaints that the show was “mis-sold”. Speaking to the BBC, show attendee Tracey Baldwin said that the show was "absolutely atrocious", saying that "you could have seen this at the local theatre for £30. It was a shambles from start to finish, there was no Elvis, it was just a video of him that you could watch on YouTube.”
Baldwin described unhappy attendees leaving the show during the second act, and accused the show’s creators, Layered Reality, as having "taken us for a fool by scamming us with technology that we won't understand".
The swathe of complaints on social media sites from attendees raises questions as to the validity of the term ‘immersive’ and how such terms can influence attendee expectations as a result. Attendees described experiencing “clips” of Elvis on a screen, with a live three-piece band in the second half that play along to the backdrop of Elvis. The experience is followed by an after party, with no live Elvis singer during the performance.
A spokesperson for Layered Reality told the BBC that it is aware of the complaints, citing development changes which were reportedly well communicated ahead of time: “"A small number of people have pointed out that they were expecting a hologram concert, due to the initial announcement made in January 2024. As with many complex productions that are two years in the making, the concept developed from those early stages, and this was made clear when tickets went on sale in October 2024.
"We ultimately took the creative decision not to mimic Elvis's performances. Those moments proved to be too iconic and irreplaceable. Instead, we use AI to upscale archive footage and in moments we know happened but where no footage existed, offering a new lens into his world."
Tickets for the experience range from £75 for access up to £300 for a ‘Super VIP package”.
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