How to detect bands that are miming on stage

[Dom Tuk]

What are the best ways to detect if a band is actually playing the music on stage or just miming to taped music. The easiest detection point is when the singer misses a word or forgets to bring the mike upto the mouth with no loss of sound. Any other pointers??. Also in live open air shows if the whole song and instrumental accompaniment is note perfect (as in the recording) would it mean that the band is miming on stage??

[WaldoMcFroog]

Lots of bands can give near perfect live performances. Some bands closely replicate what you hear on record. Others choose not to (or can't, either because of lack of talent, or because the music is simply too complicated - cf. Queen and Bo Rhap live)

With a rock band, it's always worth checking to see if you can see cables to their instruments, and if not, can you see the telltail bulge of a wireless system on their back somewhere.

Without being too prejudicial, you're more likely to find a chart pop act miming than most other bands, but there's no guarantee that this is the case.

If it's anyone from Atomic Kitten, they're miming.

[corganiser]

Would generally agree with Waldo re pop acts but witnessed something strange when the Manics played Nottingham Arena last year. The PA system went down part way through Australia because somebody had poured water on the mixing desk. After a short delay (10 minutes) they started playing again exactly where they left off halfway through the song. It left me wondering.........

[Dom Tuk]

The manics doing that sort of thing. Now I have lost all faith in mankind. Having said that, I was not so sure of their performance of 'Design for life' at the ....wait for this.....Smash Hits poll winners party for teeny boppers. Obviously i saw this on TV and bands have to earn a living and play all sorts of gigs but atleast a band with the calibre of the manics would not stoop so low as to mime...even if it is to teenageers. What is this world coming to.