"live instrument" bands v electronic/dance music bands

[Squall Moogle]

Three words I feel that I should mention that haven't been brought up already:

Nine Inch Nails.

I'm sure many of you know about them but for those who don't in the studio they are as electronic as the likes of the aforementioned Chemical Brothers, Faithless and Orbital. Typically only the frontman, Trent Reznor creates the music.

When they are on tour however they perform as a live band (the lineup for this changes between tours in most cases), typically with fantastic light shows and what have you but with the human element very much at the forefront. Most of the music is played live (rather than by computer). I'm going to see NIN in July and I can't wait.

[pedmills]

In the end, festival performances are just about that 'wow' factor. It doesn't matter if its the lighting, visuals, the crowd, the sound, the songs, the musicians, the location..whatever. As long as it is memorable and impressive then that's all that matters.

If a big dance act I like gets booked, I'm certainly not going to be worrying about the lack of musicians or whether its just like a CD, I'm just going to go enjoy myself. Surely that's adding the festival atmosphere isn't it?

[ToxicJesus]

because it's simply impossible for a human to do anything in 100% the same manner twice - the same doesn't apply with a machine.

[eFestivals]

Cuts both ways really - a fair few gutar bands around lacking in the stage-presence department

oh, I agree - I give them a wide berth too.

[eFestivals]

For example, I know for a fact if I put on Altern8 right now, i'm not going to go half as mental as i am in just over a months time when im surrounded by thousands of others, a great light show with an excellent soundsystem.

didn't you miss out naming a very important part of that experience for you?

And that's a big part of it too.

[Kyelo]

Dance music would never be played 'live' if people could get the same sound, feel, sights, atmosphere etc etc in their living rooms. End of. Even the worst djs are not like CDs.

Edited May 14, 2009 by BenchBuddah

[BobbyG]

it might be interesting to watch (particularly the chems, my nieces used to be a part of their visuals, the ones used at Glasto 2000 ), but you might as well stick the CD on to those visuals for all the 'liveness' (eg: none) going on on stage.

Edited May 14, 2009 by BobbyG

[daveinafield]

the only dance band that i was ever blown away by is Faithless....

[eFestivals]

On your latter point, I totally agree, that's part of the reason why Orbital have to be booked rather than an Orbital CD.

but doesn't that really show up the stupidity of us humans?

What I mean is, if a person was told that they'd get the exact same experience - identical music, same soundsystem, same light show - but with the music from a CD rather than the 'band', they wouldn't be much interested. So what's really going on?

The answer is misplaced hero worship.

[daveinafield]

no its talent at live peformance.....same if an actor can do live theatre and film

[eFestivals]

Bollocks, the live mixing and spontinaouty offered by many decent DJs/dance acts make live spectacles far more than just some guy sitting behind a desk.

but while some offer that spontaneity, others do not. They're the ones I'm talking about.

I know of one (not particularly famous) dance act playing glasto this year who will do not a jot more than press the 'on' button - tho I'm sure that the audience will convince themselves there's more going on than that.

[Singularity]

didn't you miss out naming a very important part of that experience for you?

And that's a big part of it too.

[BobbyG]

Dance music would never be played 'live' if people could get the same sound, feel, sights, atmosphere etc etc in their living rooms. End of. Even the worst djs are not like CDs.

[Kyelo]

It's similar to a placebo effect. Let the crowd know it's not say The Chemical Brothers and the atmosphere would be sh*te and the performance probably less technically advanced.

Edited May 14, 2009 by BenchBuddah

[eFestivals]

Yeah I was going to but then youd pick holes in my argument, oh well you did it anyway =-D.

while being spangled is great fun, it does have the propensity for those spangled people to have themselves believing things that just ain't happening.

[pedmills]

but doesn't that really show up the stupidity of us humans?

What I mean is, if a person was told that they'd get the exact same experience - identical music, same soundsystem, same light show - but with the music from a CD rather than the 'band', they wouldn't be much interested. So what's really going on?

The answer is misplaced hero worship.

[BobbyG]

but while some offer that spontaneity, others do not. They're the ones I'm talking about.

I know of one (not particularly famous) dance act playing glasto this year who will do not a jot more than press the 'on' button - tho I'm sure that the audience will convince themselves there's more going on than that.

[eFestivals]

It's similar to a placebo effect. Let the crowd know it's not say The Chemical Brothers and the atmosphere would be sh*te and the performance probably less technically advanced.

It's weird - people *HAVE* to see a specific band/act they like, and nowt else will do, even if an alternative would be just as enjoyable.

Contrast that with live comedy - all that's needed is for them to be funny.

[eFestivals]

Its not so much a physical thing as a mindset.

that's the point I was making - and if you stand back and think about it, it's totally stupid.

(I'm not trying to claim I'm any different with that to anyone else btw).

[pedmills]

It's weird - people *HAVE* to see a specific band/act they like, and nowt else will do, even if an alternative would be just as enjoyable.

Contrast that with live comedy - all that's needed is for them to be funny.

[ukslim]

You could make exactly the same argument about a set of session musicians.

[pedmills]

that's the point I was making - and if you stand back and think about it, it's totally stupid.

(I'm not trying to claim I'm any different with that to anyone else btw).

[spiky_simon]

no, it doesn't take anything away from the enjoyment, but similarly, why bother to go see that act when you could get the same at home from the CD. At somewhere like Glasto, perhaps instead go see something that you couldn't get identically at home?

[eFestivals]

Totally depends on the act, though.

absolutely - I'm not trying to lump them all into what I've said.

[sdaveak47]

If you getting messed up and dancing big dance music shows are great