STEVE HACKETT live in Leipzig 5th May 2019, gig review

    • Official Post

    Steve Hackett's recent show in Leipzig, Germany, was reason enough for me to go and see them and to write a review about the show


    https://www.genesis-news.com/c…more-gig-review-s725.html


  • A really thorough and balanced review, which has whetted my appetite for Gateshead in November. I had been really disappointed when Gary left but it sounds as though Steve has found a more than able replacement, although I know what you mean about Phil’s drumming on SEBTP, it is subtle, dynamic and full of seemingly effortless, complex little wrist and finger driven touches on cymbals and snare. Thanks for the detail Christian

  • A well written review with Nad Sylvan given a lot of praise. I have enjoyed Sylvan's performances immensely because I think he is charismatic and looks so dramatic. It is a very hard job to interpret songs from 3 careers.

    I have my ticket for the Hammersmith Apollo.

  • A show fully of playback...entire song completely mimed even in the solo voice....Beasts of our time...Under the eye of yhe sun.......ect......i feel cheated.......really dishonest..........

    • Official Post

    Playback ? I saw some videos and this is just Steve’s vocals - as usual - in playback, not the music...

    Christian, what do you think ?

    it's quite obvious that Steve uses some "support" for his live vocals. He sings live, but certain stuff regarding vocals comes from tape / hard disc.

    Apart from that, everything is live.

    I mean Phil Collins also used a drum computer on stage - and he was a drummer!

  • Some support? Complete vocal track.........Beasts of our time...Under the eye of the Sun.....are the same vocal track of the album....solo voice either.......completely mimed at the show......really disonesth......sorry...........

    • Official Post

    Some support? Complete vocal track.........Beasts of our time...Under the eye of the Sun.....are the same vocal track of the album....solo voice either.......completely mimed at the show......really disonesth......sorry...........

    that's not true. As I said, they use the album vocal part, regarding Steve's voice. He is not a singer at all and the album production also uses a lot of effects on his voice.

    He does not only mime, but there is of course the vocal track from the album that you can hear during the show.


    For the Genesis stuff, Nad Sylvan sings everything.


    And a question: Do you go and see Steve Hackett because he is such a wonderful singer with nice pop songs?


    and what do you mean with "are the same vocal track of the album....solo voice either"?

  • I ask you instead .... but if Phil Collins during his shows took up a guitar and pretended to play it what would you think ....... what Steve is doing is just that ..... he pretends to sing ....... not honest I repeat ......

    • Official Post

    Phil even used drum computers during his shows!


    Coming back to Steve: so you think it was a Bad Show?

  • Lip-synching, in and of itself, has no moral value at all. Where morality comes in is why one is lip-synching. Is it just for a gag at a party or nightclub? no harm done. Is it done in the hopes of portraying yourself as a professional singer/performer to people who don't know that you are lip-synching? That's fraud. Fraud is lying, and lying is usually (if not always) wrong.



    In the Australian state of New South Wales, the government is considering new laws that would require pop singers to print disclaimers on tickets "to alert fans if [the singers] intend on miming throughout their shows". Fair Trading Minister Virginia Judge stated that "Let's be clear – live means live." Minister Judge stated that "If you are spending up to $200 [on concert tickets], I think you deserve better than a film clip". She indicated that "The NSW Government would be happy to look at options, such as a disclaimer on a ticket which would warn consumers a performance is completely pre-recorded."

    A writer on ethics calls lip-syncing an "affront to all legitimate live performers who risk lyric mistakes and cracking voices to give an authentic performance". The author argues that lip-syncing in live concerts will "...destroy our ability to enjoy great live performances the way we once could, thrilling to the certain knowledge that we are witnessing something extraordinary from a great talent". The author argues that this "...makes lip-syncing in public performances wrong. Not only is the audience being lied to; it is being made cynical".


    It is a moral issue.



  • Erm, I’m a little confused/ignorant about this. I’ve no problem with Steve treating his voice live or on record— I would if he was a lead

    singer, but it is clear that he is not and his voice is like an instrument, and a secondary one for him. But miming would be quite different. Can anyone tell me how much miming is going on here please? If he is singing along to a recording of his own voice I think that crosses a line into Karaoke, but heavy treatment and auto tune in his case would be just about ok for me

  • strange discussion for me, actually. We are talking about a couple of solo tracks and I don't even know whether or not that sounds like from the tape. I go to see Steve Hackett play the guitar and he has got an incredible live band. Haven't seen anyone complain so far about these shows. In fact, people were very enthusiastic.

    ... make tomorrow today!

  • Quite right. I love seeing him live and he's a nice bloke as well. I just mean that I think in live performance the main bits should start out live, if they are treated and enhanced and improved that's OK, especially when Steve is a guitarist, not a lead singer. I've seen him throughout his solo career and always thought the bit of echo etc and layers of harmonies work fine, he doesn't need to do anything else. Personally I'd prefer the odd fluffed note, it's all part of the live experience. Either way, as you say, he gives great value and entertainment.

  • There is a small number of artists I like who have used recorded backing vocals on stage in a limited way, merely to reproduce a vocal harmony or a layered vocal effect.

    I don’t have a great problem with that.

    But I think I would draw the line at an artist miming the lead vocal.


    My feeling is if you can’t do it live, then don’t do it all.

    Play something else - in Steve's case, he could play to his strength and tap into some of those great instrumental tracks he's recorded over the years.