Live vs Recording

Submitted by IHaveAWalkingCastle t3_zxuzp0 in Music

I'm sure this has been discussed here before, but I haven't seen it on my time in this subreddit. How much leeway do you give a band for the difference between their live and recorded performances. I personally think I give a lot more leeway when vocals are worse in live performances in the case of bands like Bring Me the Horizon and Enter Shikari, and when it goes the other way, and bands are better live, like Envy on the Coast, and most late 2000s alternative bands, I give them extra points even though the mix is absolutely terrible. I've obviously exposed my tastes here, but I wonder how other music fans feel, because I feel like a lot of bands trend one way or the other. Worse live vocals or better live instrumentals.

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[deleted] t1_j22jq67 wrote

None. I prefer studio version. Of anything. I won't give live the time of day unless it's classic rock.

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IHaveAWalkingCastle OP t1_j22l3hc wrote

Fair enough. It's better 98% of the time, but I just always feel like I'm searching because I love live music. It's what got me into most of the genres I follow now.

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[deleted] t1_j22lg0s wrote

Don't get me wrong I totally understand the value of live music to people. I guess I just prefer it to be "perfect" otherwise I obsess about whatever flaw it might be that I hear while listening to live. It's more of a flaw in myself rather than the music.

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IHaveAWalkingCastle OP t1_j22mt6f wrote

I prefer it that way too. I just find the bands I like the most impressed me more live. The aforementioned Envy on the Coast have a very "recorded in the same room" sound for their first album, and watching them live with proper sound engineering blew my mind. Most other bands have disappointed me live, but knowing there is that dichotomy just makes me so curious about what everybody else's percentage is, or what bands they feel the same way about. You mentioned classic rock?

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[deleted] t1_j22nacm wrote

I can listen to Fleetwood Mac live all day! (Mainly Stevie)

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IHaveAWalkingCastle OP t1_j22nzgu wrote

Okay. Same. No offense, but damn you're not helpful. Haha

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[deleted] t1_j22o91d wrote

😂 I am semi-aware. I am only capable of answering simple things. My brain may be slightly damaged.

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NotOK1955 t1_j25r98u wrote

Zero tolerance if the band puts out a crap live album. Don’t waste my time or money if that band can’t deliver something special not found in the studio. With todays road-ready recording gear available and affordable, the quality of the music should be high…and that leaves the onus on the band to give 100%. Oh, and spare me the overdubs in post-production.

James Brown’s “Live at the Apollo” set the high bar for what a live album should have…and it was recorded using only two microphones.

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