Steve Vai presents an immersive, interactive performance of “Zeus in Chains.”

Fans can download the app to access the content

Steve Vai and 4DR Studios present his first attempt at capturing a performance using a volumetric approach. Content captured during the “Zeus In Chains” performance will be combined with fan-generated images from around the world to deliver a truly collaborative new film.

“The virtual world is the third wave of the digital revolution, after the Internet and then social media,” says Vai. “The main goal of this endeavor is to discover new ways to experience songs and, more broadly, connect immersive fan experiences with the world of artist performances. This is the first step towards a broad vision of exploring a virtual world in augmented reality by co-creating this film with fans.”

The Zeus in Chains app uses the latest technological advancements to deliver this innovative experience. Using volumetric video, the application creates a hyper-realistic 3D model of Steve Vai, which can then be displayed in the real world using augmented reality. This state-of-the-art volumetric video was recorded at 4DR Studios using 4D Views technology, ensuring the highest quality and most immersive experience available today.

A few years ago, Vai and Muziekgebouw Eindhoven director Edo Righini had an extensive discussion. They spent time together in 2022, organizing the Bridge Festival in Eindhoven, Netherlands, where Vai performed with the Metropole Orchestra to great success. At one point in their dialogue, Vai mentioned that he wanted to capture himself performing some of his songs using holographic technology. There was no initial plan, just an interest in capturing this content for future posterity.

The app is available to the public for $2.99 ​​on the Google and Apple App Stores. The first 60 seconds of “Zeus in Chains” is live-streamed using various clips he’s recorded with the app, so fans can start creating the rest of the content by downloading the video and recording Vai performing Zeus in locations of their choosing. Fans can now submit 10-second clips and share them directly with Steve via social media. Once the fan-created content is received, he’ll integrate it into the rest of the video. Fans can submit the content to their platform of choice and simply quote the hashtag #VaiEverywhere.