I disagree, but I think this whole argument should be prefaced with
- there is no accounting for taste, and
- opinions are like a*sholes, everyone has one and they all stink.
with that in mind, I definitely don't think
quoted 3 lines IDM artists should> IDM artists should
> undestand that to play a show they should know something about performing
> first.
it's about the music for me, not the pyrotechnics. I think some IDM artists
are coming around to your viewpoint though, cex comes to mind as a
particularly appropriate example.
After a long string of punk/ska/indie shows, I've gotten pretty damn sick of
crazy live performances. I actually kind of prefer the guy staring into a
laptop. It adds some mystique for me. but then, I'm a software engineer, and
a nerd, so maybe alot of people don't share that opinion. Also, anything that
distances the show from what is being sold to the kids on MTV (andrew wk, the
boy bands, the girl bands, all these bands with their choreographed dance
moves or craaaaazy performance junk) is good in my book. The music is created
for the fringe, and in my opinion, the guy staring into the glow of a mac
powerbook suits an idm show alot better than the aforementioned scene.
however, I will admit the idm scene needs an injection of cash money
millionaires style jiggy, and idm artists should begin sporting more bling as
soon as possible.
YMMV,
gabe
quoted 40 lines In a message dated 4/18/02 1:30:25 PM Eastern Daylight Time, adm226@nyu.edu> In a message dated 4/18/02 1:30:25 PM Eastern Daylight Time, adm226@nyu.edu
>
> writes:
> > Well, I've been feeling pretty jaded about this stuf lately. Most of
> > the time, in my experience, there is someone behind a laptop doing god-
> > knows-what or messing around with faders or eq on their mixer. That
> > stuff is not fun to watch. However, I don't have much of a problem
> > with this if its in a kind of dance oriented atmosphere.
> >
> > A lof of the time I find that the performer doesn't drop enough of a
> > hook or beat for dancing to happen. Either that or its just sort of
> > ambient stuff. In the case of ambient stuff, I can deal with it
> > sometimes if I have a comfortable place to sit down and its especially
> > nice if there are some decent visual projections. However, experience
> > has taught me that I get really tired of those kind of things if I
> > can't sit down. Maybe its because I'm flat-footed and my feet get sore
> > easily or maybe its because I'd much rather listen to that kind of
> > stuff on headphones in the comfort of my room rather than standing
> > often without breathing space.
> >
> > But then there is the upside of live IDM. Acts like Matmos and Mouse
> > on Mars that bring in live instruments to mix with their laptops. For
> > me, this is the kind of thing I'd like to see more of. There just
> > always seems to be more energy in these shows. Laptops just have a
> > very alienating nature. The person HAS to stare directly into their
> > screen. It's as if they are permanently distracted from the audience
> > they are performing for. With a guitar or keyboard, most of the time
> > people don't have to keep their eyes on what their hands are doing, but
> > I've never seen someone using a laptop like this. And its not even the
> > case that people playing traditional instruments are always or ever
> > engaging the audience with their face or otherwise, but its still a lot
> > different from the laptop performer who might as well be alone in a
> > room with their laptops.
> >
> > Which is another thing: interplay. Another thing acts like Matmos and
> > MoM have going for them. And the sense of spontanaity. Alright...
> > sorry if that rant wasn't to cohesive, but I hope some of these
> > thoughts might lead to further exploration in your article.
> >
> > -Aaron
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