More and more I hear artists flirt with the idea of going unplugged. Ditching their playback tracks and jamming with a band of their own. Frankly, I’m impressed. Good thoughts! There’s nothing worse than trying to enjoy a gig and hear the performing artist whisper (all too loudly) to the DJ, “sio hiyo track bana, track four, track four”.

It gets even more comical when the artist has to exit stage, head for the sound booth and assist the DJ find said track. Track four. So they find this track four. Finally, track four. It starts playing. The crowd lay aside their irritation and finally get into it. Just then, the track starts skipping. Goodness me. Now the unprepared and embarrassed artist has to stop the performance. “DJ. Track five”. Of course they have to find a way to plug the dead space. Oh no! Not “rusha mikono juu” and “Scream for Jesus” again! Arrggggghhhhhh! Like Steve Harvey famously quipped about hip-hop concerts, “I paid $9.95 to see this concert. You scream!”

And if I had a dollar for every time I saw an artist lip-sync their way through their own song, let’s face it, I wouldn’t be writing this article stuck up in a four by five cubicle, I’d be emailing it from a sandy white beach in the South Coast. Lip-syncing is plain ugly! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – quote me if you like – the remedy for all lip-syncing is…weka tyre! (When you quote me please realize I am just joking.)

OK. I may be a tad bit dramatic here. By and large we have good capable DJs these days, and to their credit, artists are a little more prepared than they used to be. But you get the point. Using recorded tracks can be quite a nuisance.

So you can see why I’d be optimistic when artists consider a live band sound. Some of the strongest performances I’ve come across, even from our pop acts have been unplugged. I’ll never forget watching Jemimah Thiong’o and later Zaidi Ya Mziki crew bring down the house at our very own Mwafrika.com Celebration Carnival when backed by the Villagers Band. You’d have to be there to believe it! I saw one of our biggest lip-syncing culprits (name withheld), who also happens to be one of our top-rated solo male acts backed by the Heart n’ Soul band – it was electric. And I could go on and on, but again I think you get the point.

>> Hmmm…Let’s Reconsider

But before we ditch our scratched Imation CDs and go gaa-gaa for live bands, let’s consider the cons, if any, of going unplugged.

Ever been at a gig where the instrumentalists absolutely drown out the artist? Or where the rhythm guitar is so loud it distracts you from having a good time. Yup, engage a poor sound engineer and you’re bound to regret it. And let’s face it; they are the rule rather than the exception in Kenya – unfortunate, but true. A poor sound engineer can destroy a perfectly good event. Another sad reality is that the acoustics of many of our performance venues do not lend themselves to rich auditory experiences – what with sounds bouncing off the walls and creating annoying echoes.

Technical hitches are also more prone to occur with live bands. The sound system is more likely to trip from a couple of guitars than from DJ Soxxy’s Technics decks. And we know what that’s like – another ten minute delay. Not to mention that “imma-kill-you-if-you-start-your-rusha-mikono-nonsense now” moment.

And then think about the turn-around in real-time. Any event with multiple performers, and multiple bands, is bound to rob the audience of consistent energy – a high energy act is followed by a ten minute change-over interval.

Goodbye energy.

Five minutes later, the crowd is bored and the zing is lost. Yup, a live band can be a minefield. And interestingly enough, the biggest ka-boom does not come from the myriad of potential technical hitches or even the sometimes long turn-around time, but from the band itself. Pick a sub-standard band with ordinary players and you write your own musical epitaph. You need a good pianist. You need a good guitarist. You need a good drummer. You need a good percussionist. You need good back-up singers (if necessary). And if that’s not enough, you also NEED good chemistry between them.

Plus don’t forget the unplugged temptation – the singer wants to be spontaneous and ad lib. But if any member of the band is unable to play along (no pun intended), the whole thing ends up with egg on its face.

>> Bottom Line

So here are my quick tips. Definitely work towards getting a live sound if you can. It’ll do amazing things for your performance. But be sensitive to the technical and other inherent challenges. Go for live band after you’ve considered these:

(1) If you haven’t rehearsed properly, don’t even try to wing it. You’ll just embarrass yourself and your band. Carry your Imation CD.

(2) If you haven’t done a proper sound-check and been completely satisfied with it, carry your Imation CD.

(3) If the sound engineer is shaky, carry your Imation CD.

(4) If you don’t have a tight band (remember the Commissioned song, Ordinary Won’t Do?), carry your Imation CD.

Bottom line? Live bands sound amazing, and when well utilized they not only add amazing quality to your sound, but also allow the performer greater freedom. But a live band costs. Both time and money. And it takes a lot of hard work. If you’re up to the challenge, you’ll be glad you invested! Watch as your music and performances soar to a level your peers could only dream about. But if you are not prepared for the hard yards, don’t expect the glory. Stick to your Imation CD.

Just make sure it doesn’t skip.