re: laptops and performance

["L.A. Angulo" <labaloops@yahoo.com>]

my final thoughts to this debate are:
laptops are fine with me as long as you stay away from
that mouse
racks are fine as long as u get somebody to help you
carry them
and both are fine as long as you make good music
perhaps youll even see me (the ol skool hardware snob)
with a laptop soon!
Luis

--- RICK WALKER <looppool@cruzio.com> wrote:

> mech wrote:
> "I'd agree that if an audience pays good money for a
> "traditional"
> performance, they should most likely get what they
> pay for.  However,
> it's also perfectly viable to "erase" yourself from
> the performance
> and let the music itself be the center of attention,
> IMNSHO."
> 
> I see what you mean but this one thought hits me
> strongly
> thinking about your post:
> 
> If the performance (and musician) is not so
> important and only the music is,
> why will people NOT pay to go see a show where you
> just put
> your latest recording on with a fantastic sound
> system?
> 
> There's no denying it,    there is the potential for
> a lot of interactive 
> energy
> between performers and audiences (even if the
> interaction is only that
> the crowd is really excited to see the performer
> play) that makes the live
> experience distincly different from the recorded
> experience.
> 
> I've seen so many boring computer Goth shows in the
> past few 
> years..........most
> of them , really,   and yet,  the lead singer of VNV
> Nation (a band that I"m 
> not even
> particularly enamored of)  can just make a huge sold
> out crowd go crazy just
> because he is so passionate and throws himself into
> his singing.
> He just plays to a backing track with another of my
> pet peeves,   an 
> electronic
> drummer who is obviously not playing all the drums
> on the track and it's
> compelling as all hell.   I don't even own his
> records but I love seeing him 
> perform.
> He's totally inspirational.
> Go figure!
> 
> At the same time,  I just saw the Police play their
> reunion concert last 
> night.
> They had a hundred thousand dollar light
> computer/led light show.
> Sting was in fantastic voice............just blew my
> mind what a much better
> singer he is now than even back in their heyday.
> Band sounded good and they played all the hits to an
> adoring crowd.
> The band was animated and hopped all over the stage,
> lit incredibly well.
> My wife and I both confessed afterwards that it just
> hadn't touched us
> as at all, emotionally (and we're big fans).
> Go figure!
> 
> It's the anima of the performance that connects a
> lot of times.
> Of course, it helps if the music is fantastic and
> compelling.
> 
> All anyone needs to do is to go see Kid Beyond do a
> performance with a mic,
> an FCB1010 and a laptop looping solution to know
> that
> playing with a laptop is NOT INTRINSICALLY BORING.
> 
> the point of all of this dialectic is that it is the
> gestalt that makes the 
> most difference:
> that frequently elusive combination of wonderful
> music,  interesting visual 
> presentation
> and audience committment to the performance.
> 
> It doesn't matter whether Hendrix would have used a
> strat or a Sony VAIO,
> the question is,  would you go to see him if he were
> still making compelling 
> music.
> 
> rick walker 
> 
> 


www.myspace.com/luisangulocom


      
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