Poor babies…

[frankie5string]

They are still a performing, touring act. You are just here posting threads like "Poor babies..."

A lot of music has additional production and if that production doesn't happen live, it doesn't sound right. It takes a lot of precision to create and then play to backing tracks, anyway. Go ahead, try staying sane up on stage through 2 hours of click tracks and trigger tones just to give your audience what they came for. It's not as easy as it looks and it takes skill.

 

[Killing Floor]

This quote is ALL you need to know about a band that cannot perform without laptops yet somehow they have no backup files handy:

"Blame it on our crew, I guess."

 

[coy garcia]

They are still a performing, touring act. You are just here posting threads like "Poor babies..."

A lot of music has additional production and if that production doesn't happen live, it doesn't sound right. It takes a lot of precision to create and then play to backing tracks, anyway. Go ahead, try staying sane up on stage through 2 hours of click tracks and trigger tones just to give your audience what they came for. It's not as easy as it looks and it takes skill.

So true... I've done it both ways and it takes skill and precision either way.

 

[Nuage420]

It doesn't actually say that the laptops had backing tracks on them. Maybe the laptops contained all of the band's sheet music.

Exactly!
I have followed this and although I'm not a huge fan on this band I've heard some songs that are pretty darn good. I also understand they put on a SHOW. Those laptops are not just for backing tracks. They control the visual elements of thier performance. They also are coming off tour and have that set down pat. If the artist doesn't want to perform if he can't perform to his best then that's on him. People need to chill. Thier songs aren't exactly camp fire tunes they're heavy in the hip hop and techno beats.

 

[fdeck]

Out of pure curiosity, what are the laptops doing? I can imagine bringing along more than just an MP3 of your backing tracks, like maybe a DAW that lets the artists adjust the mix or even arrangement as the tour progresses. But are things like light sequencing to the point where you can bring a laptop to a gig, and expect your software and data to be compatible with the hardware running in the venue?

 

[Nuage420]

Out of pure curiosity, what are the laptops doing? I can imagine bringing along more than just an MP3 of your backing tracks, like maybe a DAW that lets the artists adjust the mix or even arrangement as the tour progresses. But are things like light sequencing to the point where you can bring a laptop to a gig, and expect your software and data to be compatible with the hardware running in the venue?

On a tour that size? They bring their lights.

 

[Will_White]

Out of pure curiosity, what are the laptops doing? I can imagine bringing along more than just an MP3 of your backing tracks, like maybe a DAW that lets the artists adjust the mix or even arrangement as the tour progresses. But are things like light sequencing to the point where you can bring a laptop to a gig, and expect your software and data to be compatible with the hardware running in the venue?

Tracks, Drum samples, MIDI triggering, vocal processing, instrument effect processing, etc. For a band like FiR it's like showing up without amps, I don't know why they couldn't get new machines up and running overnight.

 

[fishdude101101]

Absolutely this. Finding someone to play key pads isn't easy. Or the occasional sax solo without a saxophonist present. I get it.

And yet people don't seem vexed when watching old Led Zeppelin videos of "Kashmir" and don't ask "where's the orchestra?" Duh - backing track.

Zeppelin could have done a show without it.

 

[Nuage420]

Tracks, Drum samples, MIDI triggering, vocal processing, instrument effect processing, etc. For a band like FiR it's like showing up without amps, I don't know why they couldn't get new machines up and running overnight.

I would guess the file sizes are massive. Beyond the time it takes to transfer files, reinstall and reset everything, getting replacement laptops with the right specs could be an issue, I doubt they are using anything off the shelf from best buy. Hell my humble home studio runs off a gaming laptop I paid a pretty penny for and I know it couldn't handle the processing power of all the programs one would need to run a show like that.

 

[Nuage420]

Zeppelin could have done a show without it.

They'd need the laptop for drum tracks.

 

[crazyBassClown]

But are things like light sequencing to the point where you can bring a laptop to a gig, and expect your software and data to be compatible with the hardware running in the venue?

Depends what you mean by compatible. DMX has been industry standard for remote control of lighting fixtures for decades, and I'd bet any big screen or projector these days takes hdmi or some similar commercial standard.

Could you just plug in your laptop and have a fully functional light show? If you have enough money to send a very specific rider through to get set up for you then yes, but more realistically some configuration to the venues lights would be required i'd imagine. All the lighting and video cues would already be sequenced to the setlist though once the individual lights are configured.

 

[pbass2]

Out of pure curiosity, what are the laptops doing? I can imagine bringing along more than just an MP3 of your backing tracks, like maybe a DAW that lets the artists adjust the mix or even arrangement as the tour progresses. But are things like light sequencing to the point where you can bring a laptop to a gig, and expect your software and data to be compatible with the hardware running in the venue?

The laptop can be doing all kinds of things. Running backing tracks that are also sync'd to the lights for example, and to the FOH mix-it can be a whole integrated performance system. Big acts usually have a tech running it all, and is able to makes changes on the fly as needed, even to the arrangement if the band starts jamming out or whatever. It's super flexible. You could even have control yourself from your onstage rig over all kinds of parameters. We're way past Milli Vanilli.

 

[flojob]

They'd need the laptop for drum tracks.

Nuage comin' in hot haha

 

[MoireBass]

It just makes touring so much easier. You can sit at home and send your laptop to play the gigs.

 

[Nuage420]

Nuage comin' in hot haha

Pitch came in slow, had to swing!

 

[pbass2]

I would guess the file sizes are massive. Beyond the time it takes to transfer files, reinstall and reset everything, getting replacement laptops with the right specs could be an issue, I doubt they are using anything off the shelf from best buy. Hell my humble home studio runs off a gaming laptop I paid a pretty penny for and I know it couldn't handle the processing power of all the programs one would need to run a show like that.

Actually, there's usually nothing particularly special going on with these rigs--it's all stuff many amateurs have. Usually a Macbook pro and an external drive. Then whatever audio interface you're using to send your feed to FOH. Ableton is the most-used for backing tracks--I know some people still use Logic for that though, but not so much. Mostly consumer grade stuff, really. File sizes? Rarely would anyone be running the actual full multi tracks of a recording along with all the plug-ins used, but rather stems of the tracks that are combined to be as efficient as possible, with still enough flexibility. Keeping it as simple as possible so there's little room for train wrecks is key. What's REALLY important is redundancy - you'd usually have a second identical rig running alongside the main one, so it can be switched to at any moment. So, really just a laptop and a drive with the files, and then a second exact mirror image of those, running parallel in case the first glitches.

 

[crazyBassClown]

File sizes? Rarely would anyone be running the actual full multi tracks of a recording along with all the plug-ins used, but rather stems of the tracks that are combined to be as efficient as possible, with still enough flexibility.

I'd imagine the most intensive task and definitely the largest file sizes would be video playback and even a phone these days manages that without any problems.

 

[pbass2]

....I don't know why they couldn't get new machines up and running overnight.

I mention redundancy above. Yeah, it's a little baffling. I know folks who do this kind of tech work and the backup laptop system is not in the same road case or whatever as the main one. Actually, often they're carrying a backup in their backpack. Just in case. And for easy hotel room tweaks they can later import into the show in minutes.

 

[fdeck]

I have a friend who has a tribute act, and once ran into him in an airport. He was on his way from gig to gig, and hires a small jazz band in each town. Anyway, he was sitting there with a giant briefcase, containing all of his charts for a 7 piece band. He told me that pretty much anything can go wrong, but if he has his charts, the show can go on. All of his other stuff, clothes etc, was in his checked baggage. That stuff is easier to replace.

I asked him about carrying his charts on a computer disk. He told me that he had one along, but by the time you know something's wrong, it's usually too late to print out replacement charts. The paper charts always work, and they "boot up" instantly.

It does shed a bit of light on the difference between having a backup, and actually being able to deploy that backup in the fog of battle. I work in R&D, developing complicated and often unique computer controlled hardware prototypes. A colleague and I have created a policy for our group, that you have to prove that your installation can be reproduced -- installed from backups on a new computer by following documentation -- before any major review or deployment. The only way to get there is to actually try to do it.

 

[pbass2]

[

you have to prove that your installation can be reproduced -- installed from backups on a new computer

This right here. If I was an artist touring these days relying on a system running tracks, etc for playing my music, even if my tech had it dialed, you can be damn sure I'd have a copy of the system myself as well, on my own laptop and on a bootable drive, fully tested, that could be run on another computer, that I could have up and running in no time.