Back when Madonna was still a thing — i.e. in the early 1980s — she was accused of miming her concerts, with one critic memorably entitling his review: “Like A Concert”.
So I saw this listing at one of the execrable ticketing websites:
For a free box of .22 boolets, name the two acts which will almost certainly feature at least one mimed song.
How about … All the Above *
What I will guarantee is that all of their vocals will be autotuned and otherwise manipulated beyond recognition as “live” music. No one sings it raw anymore or without a click track in their headphones. Why anyone would pay any money at all to see any of those artists “live” is beyond my comprehension.
* with the possible exception of Old George, although his backing vocals might be on tape. Look up George’s YouTube videos from the Gruene Hall a few years back. Very pleasant, if not his greatest work.
Doubtful I’ll ever hear live music again unless it is a local, very small venue. The bigger/more popular the venue the more expensive it is and more assholes that attend.
Last large venue I attended had way more assholes than listeners and at almost $200 per ticket was more than I could bear. Too old for putting up with childish nonsense.
Same here, although I’m sorta in the same boat as Fred Z. Some years back, went with wife and grown kids to see Charlie Daniels at Billy Bob’s over at the Ft. Worth Stock Yards. Loooong narrow tables running out from the stage. You sit at the table facing whoever is seated across from you. Have to try to turn your chair sideways to watch the show, past the head of the person now seated in front of you. We were seated a ways back, yet I still wound up with a bright stage light shinning in my eyes. Now? I hear their prices are jacked up, and all the tables and chairs are gone. Standing room only. It’s a mill–pack ’em in, herd ’em out.
We do enjoy the Stockyards and went there this past Sunday. I’m a bit of a train nut, so enjoy watching this–
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBx_4D7zBaE
RHT,
Thanks for the video. that was really interesting!
The last Live Concert I attended was The Newport Jazz Festival in 1963 — I was going to school at St. Georges ( Private School Summer Session in Newport RI ). Small venues – Live acoustic music – NO Amps.
With the possible exception of the Eagles, I have no interest in seeing any of the others.
My wife desperately wanted to go to a Shania Twain concert July next, so I’m $500 down and will probably have to wear ear plugs. I don’t care if she’s faking it or not, I just do not want to go, but happy wife, happy life.
There seems to be a resurgence of decent music among younger people. We were out at the local steakhouse a few weeks ago with no reservations so they put us in the bar. There was a 3 man jazz group of guys in their 20s, playing great music, not the atonal, unrhythmic modern crap, and at a barely amplified level, perfect, just loud enough to be heard well over the crowd. We had an absolutely great evening eating, listening to the music and dancing a bit on a small dance floor, the only ones doing so.
After their last set their lead guy came over to chat and discuss the woeful state of music and culture – bad fake music played too loud and people who cannot or won’t dance to anything but screaming rock.
I’d love to see George Strait in concert. Tickets for Alan Jackson’s last tour are ridiculous so that’s a pass.
The last performer I saw was John Fogarty and he was great. I’ve seen him twice now.
I’ll bet Taylor Swift and Adele mime some of their songs. Can’t see someone like George Strit lipsyncing, and Eagles fans would probably riot if they thought they were miming.
The last two live shows I went to were the Go-Go’s farewell tour in 2016, and the Moody Blues in 2018. No miming at either. Belinda Carlisle’s voice was a little rough for the first couple songs, but once she warmed up she sounded very good, and though Justin Hayward and John Lodge of the Moodies are in their 70’s now, and have lost some of their range they still sounded pretty darn good for their age.
I don’t really care for concerts, have only gone to one (back in the early 90’s), and can’t understand the appeal.
Huge crowds, long lines, over priced everything, few and filthy bathrooms, horrid parking, worse traffic, and with the distortion of the sound systems blasting away so loudly that you need earplugs the quality of the music is poor.
At home I have he choice of a studio recording or live performance recordings, with none of the drawbacks.
Now, seeing a performer in a small venue…say a local club with a maximum of a hundred or so occupants? Cozy, might be worth it.
What he said, a thousand times.
Taylor Swift, Eagles