Elvis fans were left crying in the chapel after attending Elvis Evolution, a new immersive show in London that promised cutting-edge AI and holographic projections of the King, but fell short of delivering the main attraction.
The experience, created by Layered Reality, was first announced in January 2024 and hyped as a cutting-edge AI-driven concert featuring a “life-sized digital Elvis.”
With ticket prices ranging from £75 to £300, fans were expecting big things… but Layered Reality failed to deliver.
One attendee called it “one of the most misleading shows I’ve ever seen,” while others felt duped by the lack of any actual Elvis hologram.
Layered Reality responded, saying the concept had changed during the show’s two-year development. A spokesperson explained that they ultimately decided not to recreate Elvis’s performances, calling them “too iconic and irreplaceable.” Instead, they used AI to enhance archive footage and fill in the gaps where no original footage existed. They added that these changes were clarified when tickets went on sale in October 2024.
The experience itself includes a journey through Elvis’s early years, a tropical-themed interval in a Hawaii-style bar (complete with cardboard Elvis), and a recreation of the iconic 1968 NBC comeback special.
For those feeling fancy, the £300 Super VIP ticket includes mid-show champagne, commemorative glassware, three drinks, and cloakroom access.
Critics are split: The Telegraph gave it one star, calling it limp and lacklustre, while CityAM got all shook up, giving it four stars and describing the experience as “incredibly touching.”
So, was Elvis Evolution a Big Hunk o’ Love or just Heartbreak Hotel? Depends who you ask.
