Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with live

Stellar Concert Performances on DVD

netbros — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 13:46:11 -0800

What are the live performance concert DVDs that stun you with their excellence and excitement? I recently purchased The Way Up concert DVD by the Pat Metheny Group and found it mesmerizing. The combined talent, the cohesiveness and preparation of PMG on this particular tour is astounding. Surely there is other contemporary live concert footage on DVD that is equally inspiring.

While I am a big fan of jazz, I'm an even bigger fan of music in general. Just about anything that is stellar from a tight, talented individual or group is what I'm looking for.

Please suggest your favorite live concert performances.

complex scene triggering in Ableton Live

moonmilk — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 22:06:20 -0800

I'm making a sort of a jukebox using Ableton Live, and I have some fairly complex and specific needs for launching scenes. I thought I had the entire thing solved a few months ago, but now I can't figure out what I was thinking! Each song has several scenes, all the same length. Each scene is the same tune, but with increasingly complex orchestration.

This is the desired interaction: when you put in a coin, the first scene of a song starts playing. If you put in another coin while the song is still playing, it triggers the next scene in the song, unless you're already at the last scene, in which case it retriggers that scene. The effect is that the more money you put in, the fancier the song gets.

When the song ends (i.e. the longest clip in the current scene ends), prime the first scene of a different song but don't start playing it.

I built a little Arduino-based box that sends a midi note every time you put in a coin, so I'll be using that note to trigger the scene changes.

I thought I had figured out how to do this using only follow actions, but now I'm stuck- I'm not sure it's even possible. Please help me figure out how to get the effect I'm looking for. I can change the structure of the Live Set; I could use the python API or write a helper program in pure data or processing if I have to; the coin box could get smarter and send more complex messages.

Small Claims Court Question

scottbass — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:15:02 -0800

I'm trying to figure out which party to take to small claims court or if i should take both. The band i play in was hired to play at a bar by a promoter we have worked with before. At the end of the night there was no check and still is no check. We have sent a demand payment letter to both club owner and promoter and both claim they are not responsible for paying us. Do we sue both or just the club owner ?

Definition: Experience you must experience?

mcarthey — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:20:09 -0800

What is the word for an experience that you have to live through in order to fully understand or appreciate, such as having a child or parenting? My Google-Fu is failing me. Thanks!

What was this website?

I like to eat meat — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 13:24:24 -0800

Long shot: Anyone know what site this was? It's an old musician, kinda kenny rogers looking, who used to be moderately big I think, but now has people play at his house and films it. It's kind of like La Blogotheque, but american. It's a pretty professional looking site with quite a bit of content. I remember stumbling on an episode on it where they're cooking ribs in a Big Green Egg grill and this young band maybe in their late 20's with a female singer plays in a barn-looking area. I think the background of the site was black.

I'm really hazy on the details, but I figure I'd give the hive mind a try!

What's the real story with Elvis Costello and SNL?

DecemberBoy — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 19:57:11 -0800

Does anyone know the real story behind Elvis Costello's performance of "Radio Radio" on Saturday Night Live, specifically the real reason he wasn't invited back for so long? OK, so I've always heard that the reason Lorne Michaels was so upset with him was one of two reasons, or a bit of both. Everything one could find with, say, a Google search for "elvis costello snl" will tell one of these two stories, without quoting anyone or citing any sources, so I'm hoping for actual quotes from people involved, etc.

1. "Radio Radio" has very anti-media, anti-corporate lyrics, and the network had specifically refused to allow Costello to play it for that reason, he agreed to do "Less Than Zero" instead, then played it anyway. This got Michaels heat from above. The problem with this story is while "Radio Radio" is certainly something that 1970s network exec types might balk at, SNL was doing far more controversial stuff than that, and it doesn't seem like that big a deal compared to all the blatant drug references, etc. that they got away with every week.

2. Costello had done "Less Than Zero" at all the dress rehearsals, etc. and the show's format, which has to be accurate down to the second, had planned for "Less Than Zero", then he played a completely different song and fucked up the whole show. The problem with this story is that I have Season 3 on DVD, and in the episode with Costello (hosted by Miskel Spillman), "Radio Radio" is the second song he does (after "Watching The Detectives"), and it's done right before the closing credits. The only thing it could have screwed up is cutting the closing "I'd like to thank...", etc. scene's time. Now, it could be that the DVD version of the episode is edited from what originally aired, but the musical guests on SNL did play their second song right before the end of the show quite often.

If anything, given the hip, countercultural image that SNL tried to cultivate in the 70s, you'd think that everyone would have been happy. It's certainly one of the show's most celebrated moments. So why was Costello blackballed for over 10 years? Is the whole "he wasn't invited back" story even true at all? Maybe he just didn't happen to play on SNL for that long.

Event Production A&R? Corporate theater producer?

lothar — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 17:23:56 -0800

Authors have agents. Musical talent has A&R reps. Startups have VC. What is the category of representative, or who is the aggregator, for my business? We do live interactive performance visualization. It's live in the sense that nothing is prerendered (no video loops).
It's interactive because we hook up wireless controllers and cameras to stuffed snakes, eyeballs, and magic wands.
It's a performance when the audience plays with the snake and sees an onscreen snake mimic the motion they're making.
And it's visualization because the output is high-res, high frame rate, HD on multiple screens, usually large scale projection.

We need to get repped to the production companies and event designers who do corporate theater and live performance. The main "problem" is that we're almost the only folks doing what we do, so clients don't know they need us yet.

Please help us tech geeks find the marketing agency category or people who handle large scale procedural blinky pixels.

Sync Windows Live Calendar with Iphone?

jjderooy — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 18:33:31 -0800

Is there any way I can sync my Windows Live Calendar with my Iphone? The significant other and I have been using Windows Live Calendar for years (we both started with Hotmail accounts long ago) to coordinate our busy lives.

I'd like to sync it with my otherwise unused Iphone calendar.

Any ideas, hivemind?

looping live - a good, cheap setup?

figTree — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 17:05:53 -0800

help with hardware for live music looping setup Alright, i have a vision of what i would like to do live musically and am looking for a translation into what actual hardware i need. (the key is i DO NOT want a laptop involved, and i would like the setup to be as cheap as possible - im poor:P ):

Here is the scenario: I am in the street with a little synthesizer and a guitar (2 people). Basically I would like some sort of foot controller to first record some loops live. However, i would like to be able to control these loops in more fancy ways - for example:

1. Record one measure in the key of G with the guitar.loop this
2. overtop of that loop, record one measure in the key of G with the synthesizer.

With this loop that includes two instruments, we now play over the looping for 4 measures. Now I want to switch things up - I want to record a loop in the key of D, so i press the foot controller, and record that. Now I want the looping to include what we first recorded in G for one measure, then insert the new one in D.

Now we play overtop of this new G-D loop that is 2 measures long. I next press a button on the foot controller, and we go back to the first recording of just the G loop.

Now in the G loop, i want to play with effects of the synth sounds while the guitar plays live overtop of the looping.

----

Ok, so that is a simple situation of something i would like to do - so what do i need in terms of hardware? I assume i need at least:

1 - a foot controller of sorts to que recording, and preprogrammed setings for types of loops and the channels involved
2 - the hardware that controls the loops and its sequences and variations (can this be the same piece of hardware as the foot controler?)
3 - some sort of effects/channel mixer to play around with the sounds that have been recorded.
4- the guitar/synth/amps

In addtion, i would live to be able to upload the samples recorded into mp3s or wavs or whatnot when i get home.

Alright - what what are my options? is there some sort of one piece of hardware that can take care of all this? Ive got some extra fancy things i would also like to do live as part of such a performance, but i guess ill save that for now, id like to first find out what this first vision entails.

thanks for any help musicians!

I just want to see my Consey!

radioamy — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 20:22:09 -0800

I am going to be in LA the week of August 10th, and I'm dying to see a taping of the Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien. I put in a request for tickets, but the website said they are only taking reservations for September. Any MeFites have any inside tips on how to get tickets? I know, I know, I should have requested tickets months ago, but I just finalized my trip today. I'll wince in the corner here while you wag your finger at me.

I understand that there are standby tickets available and that about half the people get in...but I was hoping to get a concrete confirmation ahead of time instead of driving to Burbank during rush hour and waiting in line.

I figure we have Mefites in just about every industry, from funeral directing to mythbusting, so I am crossing my fingers that someone has an inside connection maybe?

Mefi, can you hope me?

Search for Xbox Live gamers via email address

billtron — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 16:07:38 -0800

Is there a way to search for xbox live friends by email, the way there is for everything else on the internet these days? I am certain that some of my friends and acquaintances have xbox live gamertags, but I don't want to write a general email to everyone who might. Also, if you want another xbox live friend, you can find my gamertag in my profile. Right now I have three friends, and they are never online when I am. Please help me correct this affront to humanity, metafilter.

Where can I find live, low-key music in (North) Chicago?

Seeba — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 11:17:18 -0800

Where can I find live, low-key music in (North) Chicago? I'm lookin' for live, low-key-- uh, make that low(er) volume, any key :^)-- music in north Chicago.

M'girlfriend gets really nasty headaches from loud music (so we're trying to avoid loud amplification, and we're trying to find a place to go somewhere between the Northern Suburbs (where she lives) and probably about Wrigleyville.
(Sure, most places'll have some kind of sound system, but we're tryin' to get away from loud-bar/Flogging-Molly-on-St-Paddy's-Day noise. I'd be curious about other places closer to downtown, but admit they won't be quite as useful in this particular situation)

Jazz, blues, swing, big-band, lounge (Sinatra/Darin), that sort of thing is what I'm lookin' for, but any suggestions would be appreciated

Any suggestions?
Thanks!

Where did this mystery song come from?

FatherDagon — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 12:53:19 -0800

Trying to track down the source of a very early ('82) Minsitry song. I've got a large chunk of Ministry tracks from across their early years - unreleased remixes, live recordings, etc. One of the songs is called "America", and there's a few different live versions dated around 1982. I'm guessing this is a track from before 'With Sympathy' or around the same time, but it has a more aggressive edge to it than most of their pop-type work around that era. It sounds halfway between 'With Sympathy' and 'Twitch', really. However, I can't find any reference on an official release, either from back then or on the 'Early Trax' comp that came out in '04. Anyone have any idea what release it was off of, if any? Was it just a live track?

What's it like in Fort Erie?

lockedroomguy — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 08:35:50 -0800

What's it like in Fort Erie, Canada? This is long-term planning for a place to live, nothing imminent. I am wondering if I should include Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada on my places-to-check-out list.

It seems to be in a good location, close to the many doings in the Niagara region, close to highways, on the water, and it seems like it might still have a viable, walkable downtown.

Or maybe it's a dead dying town with no future that borders and emulates the Buffalo wasteland.

For those of you who have been there, what's it like?

Thanks!

Calling all live video ninjas.

liquado — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 10:05:51 -0800

I needs me a good/simple/cheap video switcher for live production. Every year, I'm part of running a live event (nonprofit fishing tournament) that uses multiple cameras for a live, switched video signal projected on a screen on top of the stage -- like the big screen at a live concert.

We've historically used a borrowed Videonics MX-1 Digital Audio/Video Mixer Switcher, but the borrowed one has developed signal glitching issues with the crossfade slider -- and, we'd really like to have one of our own. I have no idea what brand/type I should be looking for; so many of them seem far more complex than is required. I know what we need:

-Minimum four inputs (five or six would be ideal)
-Slider/Fader
-Multiple outputs (four or five would be ideal)
-*Maybe* text overlay capability

That's it. Doesn't have to be fancy, or need any audio capability or filters/special effects. I can also work around only a single output with a video amp, if I have to.

I'm open to any options, but cheaper is better -- I really like the idea of working used machines rather than new.

Thanks!

Help me help you know what I'm doing.

eatcake — Wed, 20 May 2009 08:03:39 -0800

I'm walking to raise funds for an institution that provides health care to children and I want to set up an online page or site to let donors know of my progress live on the day of the event. How can I do that as painlessly as possible? What I'd like to do is to have a central online location where the donors who sponsored me can go to and view (among other things) information like my current location, live tweeting info as I'm on the walk, or live updates on the trail (it's a 7-mile walk), maybe mobile photos of the event as seen through my eyes before, during and after the event. It would be cool to have the ability to let donors or other people contribute (comments etc...) to the website/page.

This will also serve the purpose of eliminating a mass of emails for me to send out for updates.

What I'm ultimately looking for here is to enable people to participate or be involved or to know what is going on, how their contribution is being "earned". It's one thing to donate some money to a charity and get a thank you card in the mail weeks later, it's another thing to be able to know and see the event you're sponsoring. It'll hopefully allow people/donors to better connect with the abstract of "requesting a donation, donating to this cause" thing.

I tried to figure out a way to do it on Facebook but creating a group for the event requires inviting people and then hoping that they join the group. Not every donor is on Facebook but they all can go online to a website for example.

Any thoughts, ideas, suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

Where to see live music in Sydney?

Admira — Wed, 13 May 2009 23:29:27 -0800

Where to go to see Live Music in Sydney? Given I'm into music, I really should know this but I don't tend to get out and see live music much. I have some friends from overseas who have tasked me with finding something on Saturday night. I'm looking for something that won't be so loud you can't talk to each other, isn't necessarily a cram everyone in to dance kind of place, possibly some jazz or latino style music. Usually I would go to the basement, but they are doing some Pink Floyd tribute which isn't my thing at all. I was thinking maybe vivaz at the rocks, but last time I was there it was a bit sleazy. The only other thing I can come up with is a gig by Chris McNulty at the Seymour Centre, but I have no idea what kind of music that is (other than jazz). Any other suggestions? Close to the city would be nice, but I'm open to ideas.

How to prevent Outlook 2007 & Live Messenger from resetting username and password?

thomasck — Sun, 10 May 2009 01:07:49 -0800

Hi this problem occurs on my wife's PC where her Outlook 2007 (Gmail) & Live Messenger (Version 2009) password settings occasionally get 'reset'. It happens maybe once a month. How do I prevent this from happening? My wife saves her username and passwords to Outlook and Live Messenger so that she doesn't have to type them each time she turns on her PC. Normally when she opens up Outlook, it will start downloading emails. Same as Live Messenger. When she opens the program, it just logins automatically.

But on rare occasion when she turned on her PC, her username and password is no longer 'saved' - Live Messenger. As for Outlook, her passwords are gone, meaning she has to type them in again. Both problems happen at the same time.

I just want to know what could be causing Outlook to forget the 'passwords' and Live Messenger to completely delete her login info (both username and password). I have tried scanning her PC for viruses using Kaspersky online scan and Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, but didn't pick up anything. Her PC is currently running a live subscription of Norton Internet Security 2009.

PC details:
Microsoft Windows Vista SP1
Intel Core 2 Duo E6300
4gb RAM

How high and or low can you go?

tylerfulltilt — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 13:23:01 -0800

Help me set up my bass rig. I've got a nemesis 2x10 combo and a peavey 1x15. I'd let to set these up in some kind of configuration so that only highs get sent to the 2x10 and lows get sent to the 1x15.

But I've never messed with anything like this before.

Where should I start?

Looking for integrated on-screen live video commenting.

LongDrive — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 22:04:59 -0800

Did I dream up this MST3K video player, or does something like this actually exist? Years ago I remember seeing something which was a video player but had characters on the bottom where you could type in comments on whatever was playing, and it would display them below the video that was playing.

The reason I ask is because I have a night with friends every month where we play video clips on a projector at a local bar, and I'm trying to find a more streamlined solution for some sort of live commenting feature. (I'm on a mac, but running parallels with xp as well)

Right now we have this sloppy solution of using niceplayer, loading the clips up in the playlist, and then using this buggy program that keeps windows in front, and just using stickies to comment.

Does this fantasty MST3k-like software, live subtitling, or anything like it actually exist for these purposes?

Innocuousness is not in vogue

Franklin76 — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 13:01:18 -0800

Help me making an inflammatory, filter-friendly but ultimately cute/funny Xbox Live gamertag. The elements here we need to keep in mind:

(1) 15 letters or numbers is the cap.

(2) There are some obvious words that won't make it through the filter (Sex, most swear words, etc.), but some that will (Taint, Nuttz, etc.)

(3) I am gay, and since being on Xbox Live = being called a "fag" by some 12 year-old, I would like to put this out there in the most amusing and inciting manner possible. For example, names like "LanceBassOwnzYu" or "ActuallyGay" or "THATkindofBear" are all contenders for my final name.

(4) If it isn't explicitly gay, then it has to be something really eye-grabbing, like "AnitaBottomlick" or "VinceFrmShamWow." Let your creative juices flow.

(5) "HeyDadHowzJail" is my current frontrunner, but it seems very weak. Please help me break through my lack of creativity. :-(

While my guitar gently weeps...and I stand here like I am waiting for the bus.

oflinkey — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 10:15:39 -0800

Popular musicians on the absolute farthest end of the emotion scale during live performance: looking for the stiffest of the stiff. While watching a Youtube video (from a MeFi post) of Kraftwerk's Autobahn, my husband remarked that he could not understand why anyone would have wanted to see them live. All they did was stand there at computer terminals. I countered that there were plenty of musicians who made wonderful music, especially live, but who were like watching paint dry. I said that getting Kraftwerk together with Robert Fripp would probably sound fantastic but look like a morgue. Husband said he heard ZZ Top was an awesome concert but they are like sloths onstage.
So, who are the other artist who make wonderful live music but who push the boundaries of what we would even call "performance"? Which artists would you nominate for Stiffapalooza?

how can i turn off windows live one care backup...???

minsid — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 12:55:21 -0800

Need to turn off Windows Live One Care Backup How do I turn off windows live one care backup...

it keeps asking me to do backup but i have other method...

please advise..

when i go to settings and click back up tab and then click "configure backup".. it doesn't allow me to uncheck "turn on backup on this pc"

I want to stream my desktop on popular sites such as Justin.tv. However I'm on a Mac. What software do I need?

spinko — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 04:14:32 -0800

I want to stream my desktop on popular sites such as Justin.tv. However I'm on a Mac. What software do I need? I can record my desktop through Screenflow and save as Mov, however I would like to do a live screencast of my desktop. With the latest beta of Skype I can share my desktop which is great.

On Justin.tv, I've seen people live streaming their desktop live. What applications do I need to do this on a Mac?

Help me run a live linux distro off a usb key on my Macbook Pro.

dkleinst — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 21:18:52 -0800

My MacBook Pro is broken. Or, more precisely, its cd drive and hard drive are kaput. Repair of either of these parts is not an option. I'd like to not replace them, and simply have it run a live linux distro off of a usb drive. Possible?