Backing vocals in concert - totally live?

[Ehwmatt]

Hey guys,

I've watched Live in Amsterdam over and over and I'm eagerly awaiting FIB live. I was checking out the sample clips posted on the Toto site and I couldn't help but notice how good the backing vocals sounded throughout. I'd expect good backing vocals from a band full of consummate musicians and several lead singers, but I think I've heard that Toto occasionally uses some canned backing vocals live. Anybody here "in the know" about how live the backing vocals are at their shows? Watching the Bottom of Your Soul video over at the site, the harmonies just sound so big, layered, and exactly like the album, it got me wondering. Can anyone appease my curiosity?

[mriesenb]

Hey guys,

I've watched Live in Amsterdam over and over and I'm eagerly awaiting FIB live. I was checking out the sample clips posted on the Toto site and I couldn't help but notice how good the backing vocals sounded throughout. I'd expect good backing vocals from a band full of consummate musicians and several lead singers, but I think I've heard that Toto occasionally uses some canned backing vocals live. Anybody here "in the know" about how live the backing vocals are at their shows? Watching the Bottom of Your Soul video over at the site, the harmonies just sound so big, layered, and exactly like the album, it got me wondering. Can anyone appease my curiosity?

They have some supporting backing vox on some songs. Typically Simon plays to a clicktrack then (headphones).

Cheers,

[JohnH]

Yep backing vocals for Bottom of Your Soul and Africa are defintely on tape as is Lenny Castro's percussion parts.

[Ehwmatt]

Thought so

[JohnH]

And some keyboard parts are sequenced, like parts of the solo of Rosanna. It's because there's one million parts on there. But god, it's only two songs, I complained about another band's use of no keyboards, just taped keyboards, and a member of that band pmd me all pissed off and all but called me a hypocrite because I said Toto were great and taped vox were ok. There's a huge difference between taped vox on a couple of songs and not even having a full member doing an instrument for the whole show except on tape.

John

[brandonx76]

I think the fine ethical line to walk is to use backing tracks and various sounds to compliment an at-least 90% all live show, particularly for rock bands, or performers that actually play live music. For pop-1-hit-1-album acts, and the Britney Spears ilk of today (and tomorrow), they don't even come close. When they do they sound like complete dog-shit...

That said, I thought Toy Matinee had a pretty funny intro to Last Plane Out...This recording was 'touched' up after the fact (particularly Sheryl Crow's keyboard playing), but alas a great mostly live performance.

Check it out: http://download.yousendit.com/F7606BDA4DB3014C

BTW where are the legacy bands like Toto, Journey, and Steely Dan's of tomorrow?!?! We should be thankful these bands are still putting out new music and playing it 'mostly' live, rather than busting their balls for popping some 'live-performance-viagra' to get the job done!

my .02