how to performe electronic music?

spc · June 2012

I've just been discussing "live acts" with a few friends after reading this (and the dangermouse link there).
What do you expect from an electronic music live act and what is a no-go ?

In the past few years I've seen around 10 live acts live (plus perhaps 20-30 via video) and actually only two were ok, the rest was mostly embarassing. I've seen guys operating their laptop with a mouse only, triggering pre-warped tracks from ableton live's clip view and stuff like that. For me the most important thing is what comes out audio-wise, the soundquality and if it's something unique. If that is whack, then all the drum machines and synthesizer in the world can make up for this. If the performer can somehow operate his gear in a way that translates visually for what one can hear then I think it is an additional benefit and if the performer is doing something that not many could repeat or imitate, something which requires skills then more respect to him.

What do you think?

HarveyCanal · June 2012

One of the best electronic performances I've been to was Plaid at Bimbo's in San Francisco. Besides the music itself, what made it great was being able to chill on a couch instead of crowding up against a stage to stare forward at nothing.

jaysus · June 2012

spc,

Something like this is what I expect for a live pa. I couldn't care less about your deadmau5 ableton master files and silly digifilters

spc · June 2012

jaysus said:
spc,

Something like this is what I expect for a live pa. I couldn't care less about your deadmau5 ableton master files and silly digifilters

Dope video!

I don't know how come to think I like that deadmaus guy or ableton live "live performances", I'm a gear nerd non-plus-ultra ;)
I wasn't trying to make a case for "I don't care what and how they do, it just has to sound good". I actually saw a pretty good sounding "live act" two years ago and if I weren't next to him I'd really had a good time, but seeing him using a mouse triggering whole songs in ableton just broke the whole thing for me. I couldn't understand how he couldn't not be embarassed calling himself a "live act" with such a "performance".

finelikewine · June 2012

with two turntables and a mixer, the dj somewhere in the corner on the level with the dancefloor. No starring at the DJ, no fistpumping, a good bouncer who sorts out people with sunglasses, muscle shirts and stuff like that.
"live acts" iseem very pretentious to me in general.

sno · June 2012

Methinks people like Daedalus who plays the chopped up loops on his Monome units or (to a certain extent) Nosaj Thing who trigger loops and adding EFX to the music are "playing" electronic dance music in a live context.

That said, I would much prefer integration of live instrumentations than straight triggering tracks on Ableton Live. One has to play something in order to fulfil the definition of live, right?

dj_cityboy · June 2012

the dopest live set i saw was Dubtribe, they played here back in 1997, blew my mind, they had a huge mixing board laid out on the floor, keyboards and racks full of gear all around them, they rocked beats, lyrics and it was ill, i have still yet to see anything like that again.

for me watching dj play is dope and everything, watching djs play their own music is cool, but watching it being made in front of you from a production stand point blew my mind, being behind the scenes a lot back then and hanging out with dj's and promoters i never would have expected anything like that was possible or that people even did that..

phatmoneysack · June 2012

I like my "live" electronic music done two ways

1. in an immersive audio/visual environment where the button pushing is linked to some kind of VJ set up, or 3D mapping situation. This can mean that if the performer isn't actually doing much, you can at least get a rather animated concert experience.

Here is Aphex Twin. He barely moved the whole set. But there was much power and energy in his synced up audio/visual display

Of course its always better when the performer is getting into it, like Daedalus at the Kubik Gigi below.

2. in a dark basement/room with not much light. That way you only focus on the music. This is really the ultimate test. The performer/producer has to be really good at what they do to pull this of.

sno · June 2012

phatmoneysack said:
I like my "live" electronic music done two ways

1. in an immersive audio/visual environment where the button pushing is linked to some kind of VJ set up, or 3D mapping situation. This can mean that if the performer isn't actually doing much, you can at least get a rather animated concert experience.

May I also add Amon Tobin's ISAM to that list?

phatmoneysack · June 2012

sno said:
phatmoneysack said:
I like my "live" electronic music done two ways

1. in an immersive audio/visual environment where the button pushing is linked to some kind of VJ set up, or 3D mapping situation. This can mean that if the performer isn't actually doing much, you can at least get a rather animated concert experience.

May I also add Amon Tobin's ISAM to that list?

yeah definitely. He's really tried to do something special with that concept.

BeatChemist · June 2012

Amon Tobin is coming to Toronto soon with his ISAM 2.0 tour... seriously thinking about going to check it out. I like the music and have seen him perform before, but this 3D projection visuals setup looks like a great experience!