Music is not all about music.
According to many, today’s live performances aren’t what they used to be due to the excessive use of technology, wether it be in studio or on a stage, which either takes away the “live” dimension of concerts or simply draws a clear line between the performers recorded material and his or her actual ability and talent. But the aspect of today’s live performances the majority is ignoring is the visual experience reaching a subpar level according to 20th century standards. To be clear, we’re not talking about the crazy lighting (often associated with EDM shows) or decor extravaganza (such as driving a vehicle on stage or hiring stuntmen, etc.); that part is more alive than ever.
However, in recent years, few acts have taken seriously the importance of visual effects during their live performances, and even fewer have actually tried experimenting and pushing boundaries in this particular aspect of their -conveniently named- shows.
Now, some of these “purists” of 20th century music may have a point in saying “It didn’t use to be like that…” even though discussing music with them can sometimes be tiring. What they actually mean, perhaps, is that the concert-going experience was optimized thanks to efforts in involving the most senses possible on behalf of the artists and their staff.
Take the typical progressive and experimental bands for example: from King Crimson to Genesis to Kraftwerk, all of these acts had a certain je ne sais quoi that made their performances not only fun to listen to, but to watch as well.
Pink Floyd (yes, them again), for instance, have, ever since their debut back in 1967, never stopped evolving, especially in terms of visual effects. From total darkness to simple spheric spotlights to an actual wall separating them from the crowd to a huge circle screen falling down during their finale, this band earned the status of pioneers in terms of visual effects.
But what’s the point of all this? Well, what would be the point of paying that much money to listen to the exact same material you can hear for free on YouTube? The purpose of live visuals isn’t, in most cases, to say “look at me, look at me! I have flashing lights and disco balls and whatnot”. Fans will always be present no matter the lighting or the special effects. The goal here is to keep the audience captivated, keep them wanting more and show them that what they hear coming from the studio can be matched with a similar level of awesomeness on stage. And it doesn’t even have to be costly: with simple laser beams and a computer, anyone can impress everyone during live performances. Just take a look at electronic music legend Jean Michel Jarre, forgetting what “sanity” means while playing his signature laser harp:
Now to be fair, although less and less artists actually focus on this aspect of their shows nowadays and would rather leave it to engineers who mainly do it for the money, others really put in an effort in order to make their concerts look better.
Nine Inch Nails, Daft Punk, Blue Man Group, Public Service Broadcasting and Tame Impala are arguably way ahead of the rest when it comes to visual effects, using screens, oscilloscopes and even paint to create extraordinary atmospheres which, of course, match their audible material. So, fortunately, thanks to some acts, even though it has known a dark period, the future of live visuals looks bright. Literally.