I have some perhaps conflicting opinions on live music:
I think it is alive and well for original bands that do a great show. With the ease of recording and the ease of making your music available in other formats though, bands crop up all over the place and I think that puts more pressure on a band to play something good live.
On the other hand, I think the public are put off just going out to the local venue to see what is playing due to a decline in the quality of music on offer. I blame 2 reasons for that:
1. It's easier and easier to get instruments. You can get an electric for about £50 these days. You can find all you need to learn on the internet. The same goes for recording and basically all aspects of music. Anyone can 'be a band'.
2. Perhaps in times gone by, the above point wouldnt have mattered. They wouldnt have got a gig or quickly been told they needed much much more work. But now, it's all about getting people through the door for the venue owner. And now I think this is the crux of the problem. A venue will typically give anyone a gig if they promise 10 or 20 people. They then lump them in with perhaps 4 other bands each guaranteeing to bring people. Often regardless of genre. Now, for a band, the gig should be their promotion. Instead, they are required to somehow do their own promotion (based on what, by the way?) before the gig to bring in punters. Of course, it just comes down to them bringing their mates. That creates a kind of inflammatory atmosphere in the venue. Youve got 5 different sets of mates to see different bands. They usually only turn up for their friends and leave straight after. I've even been to 1 concert where the friends of young (15 year olds) band pretty much booed every other band automatically.
And then, there is the problem that no matter how good your band is, you cant ask you friends to come and see you every month. Not even a major band can do that (I saw fleet foxes twice last year. They are coming to uk again in march but of course Im not going - Ive already seen them!).
What I dont understand is why most venues take this road....ok, its an easy way to guarantee punters and its not easy running a venue. But it does not reflect well on your venue. You have bands playing, not based on their musical ability, but how many mates they have. You have a rubbish atmosphere, with no-one who is actually bothered about seeing good music.
They could define a style (Can be broad) of music for their venue, hunt out great bands to play and invest a bit in promotion themselves. Much like a label would. Your venue will get a reputation and people will start to come just for the atmosphere, or on the knowledge that there will most likely be someone good playing. Then on the nights where a band doesnt bring any friends, it's alright because you still have fans of the VENUE coming.
On the other hand, I think the audience is there for good music. Going back to my first point, I just think there are a lot bands that just havent got clued up on what makes a good show (playing good music, but also playing it WELL). They leave too much in the hands of the soundman (who didnt hear them until 5 mins ago in the drastically short sound check), they confuse 'good show' with 'showmanship' and do all kinds of crap jokes, stupid jumping around/trying to look animated at the expense of playing in time.
Some of my favourite concerts of the past 2 years were just music. Noone said a word between songs, they didnt jump around much - they just concentrated on playing and it sounded great.
We are putting together a gig to play our music in the summer/autumn. We have a list of equipment we will need, we've had many discussions with the (new) drummer and bassist about the 'sound', purpose, what the feel of the gig should be. We are trying to find a good place to set up a rehearsal room, finalising the setlist, getting things ready to promote the gigs - and of course we need things ready for after; what does a person do when they see a band they like? They want to know where they can hear them, where they are going next, what there next project is, is there anything to buy? etc...
This is all before I've even moved back to the UK to talk to the new part of the band in person and before having any practices (other than running through vocals)....
Maybe it sounds like overkill, but I think it's what is needed to make sure you play it well. Some of the quick fixes that you find in home recording just arent there in a live gig and I think bands dont realise: Autotune, time fixing, edits. Even effects. I went to a friends bands' concert after hearing an mp3. There was loads of reverb on the song giving it a kind of cool shimmering sound. There was no reverb in the concert; sounded totally different and kind of rubbish. I asked about it after and got the reply;
'Well, we asked the sound engineer if he could add reverb, but I guess he couldnt or didnt have the same one or something...'.
These are the kind of things that you cannot expect a sound engineer who has known you for 5 mins to do. Bring the effect with you or lose it on the recording!
Anyway, Im getting off topic now....
