Attention: Please take a moment to consider our terms and conditions before posting.

Live Music?

Raith_C_ChattonellRaith_C_Chattonell
in Not Sports Related

Is the fact that performers simply turn up enough?  Should they also have to actually sing and play their musical instruments?  

It seems most modern bands use backing tracks, click tracks and laptops - in some cases they’re even miming.  At what point does it become dishonest?  Would you be happy to watch your favourite band delivering a pitch perfect performance, if in reality they’re hardly contributing on the night? 

This is the guy who proved that Celine Dion mimed her way through the Paris Olympic opening ceremony.  He is currently in a spat with Ken Tamplin - which has got very heated.  He recently proved that Don Henley mimes his way through Desperado.  My son happened to be at the featured Eagles performance this year and was quite disappointed to see this damning evidence.  

People spend a fortune on concert tickets, travel and accommodation. Should there be a line drawn between 'live' and 'not live' so that fans can decide how they spend their money. 

https://youtu.be/jJ6DbH-X-L0

For an alternative opinion Rick Beato has a more relaxed approach to the whole thing.  

https://youtu.be/SZXUPuiC9Eo

Comments

  • Pavoren007Pavoren007
    I can’t stand acts or bands miming, even the ones with elaborate and fast paced dance routines. Stand still and sing any day of the week and if you aren’t good at singing live, don’t tour! 

    Because of what I do for a living, I can’t be too specific, but if I take Glastonbury, when on the odd occasion I have seen an Australian act, who does dance a lot and could have been a Neighbour, miming to their songs, I have literally walked away from the stage (to my wife’s annoyance). 

    Clearly not for me and I actually don’t mind one duff singer in a band (for the laughs) as long as it doesn’t destroy a set!
  • Pedro45Pedro45
    No band at a live gig should mime. We know that in the past various acts have not always had their guitar plugged in, while they strum away, but it does seem that nowadays things are taken to the limit (and then some).  Voice enhancers are prevalent, especially amongst the older bands who now gig.  This is sad - if you can no longer sing, then don't!

    I still regularly go to see Marc Almond (who can still sing), ABC (Martin Fry still has a good voice), Patti Smith (just starting to struggle a little I think), but I won't go to see Boy George (his voice went years ago...), Frankie Goes to Hollywood (Holly's voice also went some time back), or some other 80's bands.
  • Covered EndCovered End
    I’m not aware that I’ve ever been to a concert where someone has mimed & I’ve been to @500 at a guess.
  • AlgarveaddickAlgarveaddick
    I think anyone over thirty wants to hear live, live music. Some of those under, are just happy to take pictures of themselves at the "event" for their friends to look at, whether the artist can perform or not is as irrelevant as their music. Of course often today auto-tune is on the studio recording, so the audience would expect that sound to be replicated on stage. 

    Only those with some skin in the game could possibly defend miming.  
  • PopIconPopIcon
    Algarveaddick said:
    I think anyone over thirty wants to hear live, live music. Some of those under, are just happy to take pictures of themselves at the "event" for their friends to look at, whether the artist can perform or not is as irrelevant as their music. Of course often today auto-tune is on the studio recording, so the audience would expect that sound to be replicated on stage. 

    Only those with some skin in the game could possibly defend miming.  
    I would question the integrity of any professional musician who opted to lip-sync or play along as if live during a set.

    Playing live is a thrill, i've done it many times. I couldn't think of anything more dull than pretending  to play live wandering around on stage.


  • SELR_addicksSELR_addicks
    I would say it depends on the performers themselves. 

    Rock acts I'd expect to sing their songs live and play their instruments live. 

    Pop music with auto-tune? I would be more forgiving as they're more often about the 'spectacle' or 'show' rather than the audio performance. 

    Hip hop music usually has a backing track because lines are often punched in, therefore it's not physically possible for the artist to perform those songs live without breathing and missing words. There are some exceptions to this (Kendrick Lamar for one). 

    The interesting genre is house/dnb music. Would you expect the DJs to mix the songs live, or just press play and mime the actions? 
  • SolidgoneSolidgone
    Fil of Pegasus is now saying that he is finding that there are videos of live gigs that are being auto tuned after the gig for publication.
  • JintsJints
    SELR_addicks said:
    I would say it depends on the performers themselves. 

    Rock acts I'd expect to sing their songs live and play their instruments live. 

    Pop music with auto-tune? I would be more forgiving as they're more often about the 'spectacle' or 'show' rather than the audio performance. 

    Hip hop music usually has a backing track because lines are often punched in, therefore it's not physically possible for the artist to perform those songs live without breathing and missing words. There are some exceptions to this (Kendrick Lamar for one). 

    The interesting genre is house/dnb music. Would you expect the DJs to mix the songs live, or just press play and mime the actions? 
    I think I read that it would have been impossible for the Beatles to perform some of their later music live. Assume that's also true of others making complex multi-track music. 

    I would definately expect a DJ to mix live. The whole point of DJing is to adjust in response to the crowd.  
  • Sponsored links:


  • DaveMehmetDaveMehmet
    Mimed or live, you wouldn't catch me at an Eagles gig either way.
Sign In or Register to comment.

Roland Out Forever!