The way it is

[swepett]

If the monitor mix isn't getting the recorded lead feed then the bands live BV harmonies would be awkward to reference.

The recorded feed would need to be in at least some of the monitors. But then again, as long as someone is making sure they're keeping time to the click track, it's not needed, at least not in theory.

Schon's intro guitar parts varied quite a bit during the 3 shows I saw because he played around with different versions of scottish songs (edinburgh) and different tracks for Manc and MK.

And when he is done with the intro, switch on the tape and count in the song. Even with a system like this there is room for improvisation. You don't need to follow the tape until it is switched on. The entire band can go into an improvised blues, or play a cover or whatever. You're not tied to the tape. But if you want to be able to use pre-recorded stuff, then you of course have to follow the machine. As fas as I have seen, no one has accused Neal of having guitar parts on tape.

There is no way they'd use anything other than a ProTools rig or similar and Elson wouldn't have control from FOH.

Define control. No, he can not start and stop the system (although that could be arranged too) but he can get all those channels fed to the board and do whatever he wants with them in the mix.

I suggest that if someone is going to a show then they shoot a phone video from behind the FOH console to see how much work Elson is doing on the board. See if he is riding faders or hitting mutes.

At the show I saw, Elson was standing backstage. If you didn't know this already, I am sure you will say "but that's not possible" and that is what I thought too. I did not see who or what was standning in the FOH tower but someone told me they just had a systems guy out there making sure the system was tuned right. And that could work. I've mixed FOH for many years and it would feel awkward to mix a show like this but it would sure work if I had a guy I knew I could trust listening out front.

[barneyrubble]

Do you think they cue up each song individually and then hit 'play' then? Or does it run from start to finish.

[Citygirl]

no one has accused Neal of having guitar parts on tape.

That'll be the next thing. Don't rule that out.

[barneyrubble]

Hands up then how many people have seen Augeri from less than 10 feet away 3 times in 2006 already and still believe the sync idea?

I've never posted an all out defence of Journey just discussed the technical implications as professional sound engineer (TV by the way) and as someone who can tell immediately when watching a band what is real and what is memorex! 3 shows this year and only a few BV's and some keyboards washes were outta knowhere.

The live lead vocal isn't good enough to be tracked, Steve A does struggle at the moment it clearly isn't being masked. Can't speak for the US tour but then Def Leppard live is karaoke.

[swepett]

Do you think they cue up each song individually and then hit 'play' then? Or does it run from start to finish.

I don't know if you have seen my story from the show I saw, but I saw a guy with a blue hat sitting by those multi-track recorders. He was handling tapes and he was fiddling with the machine. Someone claimed that guy was Cain's keyboard tech and I didn't ask who he was so what do I know. I do know that it looked like he had a rack with two multitrack machines in it and at the bottom of the rack, a drawer with tapes.

Here's a somewhat blurry pic:

http://www.blackpage.se/journey/DSC05060.JPG

If you look in that /journey/ directory you will also find a couple of pics of the FOH position backstage.

[barneyrubble]

Looked through my pics and can't find him on any. Shame it's not a closer shot though.

[JrnySuxBalls]

no one has accused Neal of having guitar parts on tape.

That'll be the next thing. Don't rule that out.

No it won't.

[captexshreve]

If the lead singer is having problems then they need to take a break. If he's "just having difficulties" and hey are using tape, then I want to know, becasue I'm paying to see a LIVE show, not just a show. I'm not much of a person who is into theatrics.

Yep. I'm with you on that one. Do we know for sure that these alleged lip-synched performances haven't been just the odd occasion when he had a cold or something? Does the alleged proof really confirm it's a regular thing? I'm still not sure.

I'm curious, how often are they doing live gigs in the States? They haven't graced the UK with their presence for 26 years, so it was good to have them back whatever the situation.
Seriously, how many gigs in a row do they actually do? And how many nights off in between?

What I'm getting at is - why should he need to take a break? A singer in a musical can sustain 8 live shows a week. OK they aren't singing lead for 2 hours or so, like a lead singer in a rock band is, but that's still a lot of singing.
If he isn't gigging every night for months without a few nights off, or straining his voice by singing out of his range when he IS gigging - why does he need a break?
It should be possible to comfortably do 3-4 live gigs a week if the voice is rested in between.
Unless there are serious vocal issues. Which is I guess what everyone is suspecting and why they are suggesting it may be time to hang up the mic and retire?

And they can't be gigging purely for the money, so surely they could do one gig, have three nights off, do another gig, have three nights off etc?

It works for Bryan Adams! He's almost always 'on tour' but he has loads of nights off in between gigs.

Or they could just transpose the tricky songs for him so he isn't straining?

It's all very interesting.

http://defleppard.com/tour/

There is the link for the current tour schedule...