WARNING: This Concert Features Lip Syncing

[NSL]

Australia is all at once completely awesome, and a little slow. Tons of people were pissed off that Britney Spears was *gasp* lip syncing her last show in Australia. They are now demanding warnings be advertised for shows where the artist may be lip syncing.

I'm all for it, because it would stop artists from cheating their way through a set, but I can't believe they were amazed she didn't actually sing during her show.

What are your thoughts?

 

[Viola Moonlight]

Sounds like typical Australia to me... we want to everything straight-up. No bullshitting around. I have to say that this idea is one of the most idiotic ideas in essence though. How can you ask for an advertisment about someone who will be lip syncing in a concert? This would completely kill everything about the concert and ultimately a lower draw rate. People do realise that performers like Britney do indeed go for the entertainment side more than the actual singing, but having signs being posted around claiming "Oh, Ms. Spears ain't singing" is just a stupid business move... if people already know, why even bother with the sign?

 

[SSJPhenom]

I don't get what the big deal is about lip syncing. Why does everyone care so much if an artists doesn't sing a song on stage that they have already sang one hundred times before?

Is it going to take away from the performance? Not likely. You might hear a little difference in their voices but not enough for it to matter. You are still going to get all the glitz and bright lights of the live performance. You are still going to get to see the dancing and all of that.

If it is a song that the artist has recorded and made famous, I don't see why they can't lip sync it since it is their song. If it isn't their song, then they should, by all means sing it.

 

[NSL]

As a metal fan, I'd be pretty pissed off if I went to see Slayer or Megadeth, and never once saw Tom or Dave open their mouths. I'd demand a refund, and never see either band ever again. That's why I'm all for the "warnings".

If anything, it'll stop shitty performers from going there, and work towards them achieving any more undeserved success. Trust me, seeing a real artist on stage is far better than seeing a group of wannabes dancing around like they did something amazing.

 

[SSJPhenom]

As a metal fan, I'd be pretty pissed off if I went to see Slayer or Megadeth, and never once saw Tom or Dave open their mouths. I'd demand a refund, and never see either band ever again. That's why I'm all for the "warnings".

Well I'm not a metal fan and have never seen a metal performance, so I don't know about that.

If anything, it'll stop shitty performers from going there, and work towards them achieving any more undeserved success. Trust me, seeing a real artist on stage is far better than seeing a group of wannabes dancing around like they did something amazing.

So you aren't into the whole dancing around and stuff like that? I guess it is a matter of taste. Trust me, people didn't go to Michael Jackson concerts and worry, "OMG is he going to be actually singing or lip syncing?" They went for his spectacular shows. People have heard him sing the songs before, so it doesn't matter if he did it again on stage or not.

I've been to an Usher concert before and it was amazing. Not once did I wonder if he was lip syncing or not. He had so much in his performance that it didn't matter. You were going to be entertained either way.

I guess it's a matter of taste really.

 

[HBK-aholic]

Have you seen the energy some of these people put into their shows? They're dancing and running around the stage for at least half the show, and a majority of the songs. With them exerting so much energy dancing how bad do you think the singing would be? Basically, they can't win either way, they'd be criticised for sounding bad, or they'd be criticised for not singing. Clearly, you all want to go to a show simply to see the singer stood in the middle of the stage singing song after song with nothing else. Sounds fun.

Having a disclaimer maybe at the bottom of an advert that they were lip-synching could easily happen, and I'm with NSL it'd be a good idea. Again, would stop people complaining they paid to see a performer 'sing' and they didn't. But I have no problem with an artist lip-synching in a big concert.

 

[X]

Does this surprise anyone, seriously? It's fucking Britney Spears, she has the talent of a rotting corpse in a dumpster. Of course she's lip syncing, to do otherwise might actually require her to be talented at something other than shaking her ass, so you know that's out of the question.

I have no respect for those that lip-sync, particularly at a live concert. That's just bullshit and a big "Fuck You" to the fans.

 

[MattMoses]

Lip-syncing is a pile of shit, it really is. There should be a disclaimer if an act is going to choose to pretend to use their apparent talent to perform infront of an audience who pay good money to see them. I see it as nothing but paying to listen to a CD you could listen to at home on your stereo or your computer; essentially that's all it is. Personally I've never been a big fan of watching acts stumble around stage who more often than not half-ass some generic dance routine with a bit of pyro thrown in to make it seem more spectacular.

Even artists who aren't great at singing (Robbie Williams, James Hetfield) always perform their shit live, and let me tell you, it's a hell of a lot more energetic than watching an act mime their words and walk around the stage. As for the "they dance and run around so they'd be tired to sing" comment, lord, give me strength. Bruce Dickinson, a 51 year-old man runs around on stage for two hours every performance giving stellar vocal performances.

 

[NSL]

Even artists who aren't great at singing (Robbie Williams, James Hetfield) always perform their shit live, and let me tell you, it's a hell of a lot more energetic than watching an act mime their words and walk around the stage. As for the "they dance and run around so they'd be tired to sing" comment, lord, give me strength. Bruce Dickinson, a 51 year-old man runs around on stage for two hours every performance giving stellar vocal performances.

Listen to the man.

I saw Ozzy twice within the last 4 years, and as sober as he was, he made sure to turn the show into a spectacle. He ran from end to end, jumped around, and sang his heart out. Except for Road To Nowhere, you couldn't understand a word he said, but you loved it. You were witnessing a great stage performer. There's no excuse for not giving your fans their money's worth.

 

[SSJPhenom]

Lip-syncing is a pile of shit, it really is. There should be a disclaimer if an act is going to choose to pretend to use their apparent talent to perform infront of an audience who pay good money to see them. I see it as nothing but paying to listen to a CD you could listen to at home on your stereo or your computer; essentially that's all it is. Personally I've never been a big fan of watching acts stumble around stage who more often than not half-ass some generic dance routine with a bit of pyro thrown in to make it seem more spectacular.

You've obviously never been to the types of concerts that I have been to. The performers that I like to watch, Michael Jackson, Usher, Beyonce, and so on, perform their routines with so much energy and percision that it's amazing to watch. They don't stumble around and do generic moves. I've heard them sing their songs before, I don't need to hear them sing it again live. What's going to change about it?

I have a solution though. I'm going to go back to MJ, because, let's face it, he was the greatest entertainer that the world has ever seen. He would often record a completely different version of his songs for his live performances and he would lip sync them on stage. However, they were different from the CD so it made everyone happy. Like this one below:

[youtube] <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/BKXRaylP_ng&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/BKXRaylP_ng&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> [/youtube]

Would that work for you all?

 

[My$terio_Fan]

Britney Spears has maybe sung live 10x in her life(and that was when she was younger), so it shouldn't have been a big surprise. Britney barely dances in her shows anymore, let alone sing live. But for some reason she has the 2nd highest grossing female tour this year(2nd to only Madonna, and only U2 are ahead of her for males).

I guess they should put a "warning", it makes sence, but if your going to a Britney Spears concert you should automatically expect it. But really only Britney Spears, Janet Jackson and maybe Ciara lip synch their whole shows anyway(not including no name shit artists).

Then theirs artists like Madonna, Mariah, and others who sing to a backtrack(meaning they do sing live, but theirs a pre-recorded tape also singing along in tune) but at least their still singing. I don't no way someone would pay 100 dollars to see Britney Spears stumble around, lip synching. It seems like a waste. But then again so people aren't as talented as some, and can't sing live.

Warning Real Talent

 

[NSL]

You've obviously never been to the types of concerts that I have been to. The performers that I like to watch, Michael Jackson, Usher, Beyonce, and so on, perform their routines with so much energy and percision that it's amazing to watch.

Warning Real Talent

You picked a song where she doesn't have to dance...It's a slower song. I bet she lip syncs her faster songs.

This goes to both of you: You're watching "shows", not "concerts". You're not going for the musical aspect, you're going to be entertained by anything that isn't the music. I go to shows to hear the songs I know and love, not see the artist(s) dance around with the song playing as a backing track.

I'd be pretty pissed if I went to a Mudvayne show, and they just played the song while jumping around and headbanging on stage. In fact, I'd probably jump on stage and kick their ass.

 

[My$terio_Fan]

Naw. Beyonce has been noted by fans, critics, and haters alike that she doesn't lip synch. Not to say she has never done it(it is public knowledge she lip synched at this years oscar musical segment, they all did). But Beyonce is one of the few who can actually sing and dance.

And your little "this goes for both of you" doesn't apply to me. I go to hear them sing, hence why I'm a fan of Beyonce who can sing pretty great while still being super entertaining. I love Beyonce's voice and would be entertained just by hearing her sing, but she goes above that and puts on a overall performance.

But I'm against Lip synching and think it's a cheap cop out. But like I said, if your going to a Britney or Janet or Ciara concert, these things should be expected.

 

[Blade]

I really don't get what the big deal is about not being able to sing and put on a good show at the same time. I saw Muse last Friday and Matt Bellamy was singing and playing guitar and running around like a lunatic. He had 4 microphones set up on stage so he could run between them during solos or whatever. And there was no lip synching at all. If he can do that then surely pop stars can sing while dancing.

I hate lip synching. I go to concerts to hear a band's songs done live. It's mildly amusing to watch Matt Bellamy throw his guitar around and run around the stage, but he'd never let it stop him doing the concert 100% live.
When I like a musician, I tend to like them for, y'know, their music. Not their dancing skills. Call me crazy. If I went to a concert and found out that an artist wasn't doing what I paid to see them doing, I would be so pissed off. They can dance and have great live shows without having to lipsynch.

 

[SavageTaker]

Like everyone else has said, Britney doing this comes as no surprise nor should it.

As far as lip-syncing goes, I assume that people go to concerts because they want to see the real thing. Not artists lip-syncing. If they wanted to go see singers lip-sync then they should just buy the CD&#8217;s instead of wasting money on the concert tickets, money that could have been used on something better. Anyways, the problem I have with lip-syncing is that I feel cheated knowing I wasted some amount of money to see something I didn&#8217;t want to see when I could have used the money for something else I really wanted too.

As far as giving a warning that an artist is going to lip sync, we would all think that it&#8217;s a great idea for us, the paying customers. But they would never do it because they would be risking a lower attendance therefore making less profit.

 

[theviolentmessiah]

I think this is a great idea, people spend obscene amounts of money to see an artist live, they dont want to just put on their CD extremely loudly, they want to hear and see it for real, I think its extremely important. If a person doesn't care about lip syncing like some people have said they dont then they wont mind going anyway. Of course this wont improve sales but its not the business that should get to decide whether they say its lip synced or not, I'd happily see it come into place in Australia, and then hear.