A recent video from Rick Beato provided an
historical explanation of bands using backing tracks. The video is well thought
out and informative. The 12-minute video is included in this post.
Beato’s
video caused us to reflect upon our opportunities to see Lorde. She puts on a
highly enjoyable live performance. Lorde’s 2017 visit to the Outside Lands
festival is memorable, particularly when Jack Antonoff joined her in a cover of
Paul Simon’s “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard.”
On
the other hand, we were disappointed in an early Lorde performance, and it was because
of the use of backing tracks. Within two months of the release of her debut album,
“Pure Heroine,” she visited the San Francisco Bay Area to join a strong
lineup for the 2013 Not So Silent Night concert. The issue with Lorde’s performance
was that it did not feel “live.” Our conclusion from the experience was that backing
tracks should have only a minor importance to the overall presentation. This
conclusion does not disagree with Rick Beato.
Lorde’s
early songs were highly dependent upon backing vocals and her early performances
tried to reproduce the songs as her fans knew them from the radio and her
albums. She was successful, as evidenced in the below video of “Royals” at the
2013 show. But attempting to precisely reproduce the content of the recorded
version caused questions as to what contributions were live and which were recorded
playbacks.
This
post is not intended to trash Lorde. She is talented! And she now puts on live
performances that we fully appreciate. She does not have the limitations that she
carried as the breakout artist that she was 9 years ago. We raise her name only
because her early performance is relevant to Rick Beato’s interesting video on
backing tracks.
Rick Beato: Is Performing With A Backing Track Cheating?
Lorde – "Royals" Live @
Not So Silent Night 2013:
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