This is interesting.

[aaronm360]

 

This video is also a giveaway. The fan in question held up a large sign that some band members, and surely Chris, must have seen, asking to play Clocks. He ignored it, but then returned after they'd put the sign down to throw them his shirt during HFTW.

[aaronm360]

Interesting to know that such a thing happens in the industry. Chris definitely knows though. A little while ago they let a fan play Clocks on the piano with the rest of the band during a rehearsal (which is quite cool in itself) and Chris asked explicitly for his vocal track to be activated.

The fan was blind, so Chris lip-synching while right next to her is quite the irony. She didn't know it was happening at all, apparently. I'm not sure if it's a good idea to link to her personal Facebook profile (links were deleted from ColdplayAtlas's Twitter page it seems) so I downloaded and re-uploaded the audio:

https://mega.nz/#!hqRlxBoI!RB4eKqJYohG3rksgl_uLPg4Y3_TUmosFdBSO0CFnPNE

 

Actual video is here, but for some reason, that audio section is cut..another giveaway:

 

I've really done my research on this..:joy:

[I ran away]

and Chris asked explicitly for his vocal track to be activated.

The fan was blind, so Chris lip-synching while right next to her is quite the irony. She didn't know it was happening at all, apparently.

Wow. I had read about that fan rehearsing Clocks, but I didn't know that. He couldn't even be bothered to sing it live that one time with her ??

I'm really disappointed. :(

[nowayme]

What era was that from? It doesn't sound like it uses the backing track from AHFODT.

I wish I had a full visual of that.

[aaronm360]

What era was that from? It doesn't sound like it uses the backing track from AHFODT.

I wish I had a full visual of that.

 

No full visual exists - that is very suspicious. Even if you dig deeper to find the video, the fan actually says she wasn't given a full length video.

 

It's definitely the AHFOD era, just with the fan playing along at the soundcheck. You can see Matthew Miller (the playback rig roadie) filming in the reflection of the piano. Chris says "LB please", whatever that means, as a code to start the playback track and the exact AHFOD lip-sync track starts.

[AMDB9]

 

This video is also a giveaway. The fan in question held up a large sign that some band members, and surely Chris, must have seen, asking to play Clocks. He ignored it, but then returned after they'd put the sign down to throw them his shirt during HFTW.

That's so cool! I've never seen that video. I met that lady at the Denver concert and told her about Coldplaying haha.

[nowayme]

No full visual exists - that is very suspicious. Even if you dig deeper to find the video, the fan actually says she wasn't given a full length video.

 

It's definitely the AHFOD era, just with the fan playing along at the soundcheck. You can see Matthew Miller (the playback rig roadie) filming in the reflection of the piano. Chris says "LB please", whatever that means, as a code to start the playback track and the exact AHFOD lip-sync track starts.

LB stands for Live Feed Back. OK now it gets reductive.

[Captain Crieff]

Interesting to know that such a thing happens in the industry. Chris definitely knows though. A little while ago they let a fan play Clocks on the piano with the rest of the band during a rehearsal (which is quite cool in itself) and Chris asked explicitly for his vocal track to be activated.

The fan was blind, so Chris lip-synching while right next to her is quite the irony. She didn't know it was happening at all, apparently. I'm not sure if it's a good idea to link to her personal Facebook profile (links were deleted from ColdplayAtlas's Twitter page it seems) so I downloaded and re-uploaded the audio:

https://mega.nz/#!hqRlxBoI!RB4eKqJYohG3rksgl_uLPg4Y3_TUmosFdBSO0CFnPNE

 

Actual video is here, but for some reason, that audio section is cut..another giveaway:

 

I've really done my research on this..:joy:

 

No full visual exists - that is very suspicious. Even if you dig deeper to find the video, the fan actually says she wasn't given a full length video.

 

It's definitely the AHFOD era, just with the fan playing along at the soundcheck. You can see Matthew Miller (the playback rig roadie) filming in the reflection of the piano. Chris says "LB please", whatever that means, as a code to start the playback track and the exact AHFOD lip-sync track starts.

 

Wait, so the full audio is available and was given to her, but she only got video footage of the parts where there are no vocals? This whole thing is pretty... horrible.

[nowayme]

I would just let the whole track go without any vocals.

[aaronm360]

Wait, so the full audio is available and was given to her, but she only got video footage of the parts where there are no vocals? This whole thing is pretty... horrible.

 

Yes, that’s exactly right, she said it herself in a comment. My only guess is that he did it to save his voice before the show.

 

LB stands for Live Feed Back. OK now it gets reductive.

 

I think it’s just important and interesting to get the full picture:relieved:

[JM-42]

http://www.coldplay.com/oracledetail_pop.php?id=5736&page=0&iframe=true

 

oh well

[aaronm360]

http://www.coldplay.com/oracledetail_pop.php?id=5736&page=0&iframe=true

 

oh well

 

Well that response was a lie, even back in 2014, since the question referred to the whole band and not just Chris. Pretty much all of Jonny and Guy's backing lyrics in the A stage songs, such as the Fix You choir and Jonny's "Every tear, every tear, every teardrop is a waterfall" aren't live (they sound the same in every show and just like the record), as well as some of Chris's backing lyrics in Viva during the Viva tour and in some MX shows, which is especially noticeable in the iTunes Festival show from 2011. I noticed at every recent Coldplay show I've been to (AHFOD and MX tours) that the roadies didn't even test Jonny and Guy's mics on the A stage.

[mfmcgreal]

What's actually interesting re. Glastonbury 2016 is he actually did sing it live, as heard from the crowd recording's below:

 

Note: 02.41 & 03.10 in the video where he screams

 

 

 

However the broadcast version uses the pre-recorded vocal

 

Note 4.26 in the televised version, and how the scream doesn't register

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=othUkcLUi4M

Mobile Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=othUkcLUi4M

 

 

I actually had both the pleasure and complete luck of bumping into a few of the crew in a bar in Frankfurt after the first show there, and got speaking to one of the audio techs (Jack, if I can remember correctly) for a good hour or so .. A conversation which started from simply being a British guy in a German bar, and seeing fellow Brit's (the crew) in the same place, little did I know until about 20mins into the conversation they actually worked with the band .. Ben the video director was there too! Anyway, after a few drinks with Jack, I rather ballsy and politely asked the question about Chris lyp-syncing Clocks, and while he politely and expectantly said the vocals were live, he did admit Chris's vocal - like every singer - is boosted with pre-recorded vocals for particular parts of songs etc, and how this is both completely normal and required for any vocalist touring worldwide for 2 years (strain of voice etc.) .. So he essentially answered the question re. why Clocks is lyp-synced, without actually saying it was.

[nowayme]

That's what I meant that the audio gets replaced without the band's knowledge in a stage between the actual performance and the released product. I knew that something like this was happening. My suspicion was proven right!

[Captain Crieff]

What's actually interesting re. Glastonbury 2016 is he actually did sing it live, as heard from the crowd recording's below:

 

Note: 02.41 & 03.10 in the video where he screams

 

 

 

However the broadcast version uses the pre-recorded vocal

 

Note 4.26 in the televised version, and how the scream doesn't register

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=othUkcLUi4M

Mobile Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=othUkcLUi4M

 

 

I actually had both the pleasure and complete luck of bumping into a few of the crew in a bar in Frankfurt after the first show there, and got speaking to one of the audio techs (Jack, if I can remember correctly) for a good hour or so .. A conversation which started from simply being a British guy in a German bar, and seeing fellow Brit's (the crew) in the same place, little did I know until about 20mins into the conversation they actually worked with the band .. Ben the video director was there too! Anyway, after a few drinks with Jack, I rather ballsy and politely asked the question about Chris lyp-syncing Clocks, and while he politely and expectantly said the vocals were live, he did admit Chris's vocal - like every singer - is boosted with pre-recorded vocals for particular parts of songs etc, and how this is both completely normal and required for any vocalist touring worldwide for 2 years (strain of voice etc.) .. So he essentially answered the question re. why Clocks is lyp-synced, without actually saying it was.

wow what the hell, I had no idea

this just raises the quesion... why? Why did they take the risk of Chris going out of sync with the prerecorded vocals (which happened) by making it seem like he lipsynched on the broadcast? His live singing was totally fine too, not perfect but no one expects that. I'm quite lost right now.

 

and yeah, of course he wasn't going to tell you, even after a few drinks haha

[jossec]

What's actually interesting re. Glastonbury 2016 is he actually did sing it live, as heard from the crowd recording's below:

 

Note: 02.41 & 03.10 in the video where he screams

 

 

 

However the broadcast version uses the pre-recorded vocal

 

Note 4.26 in the televised version, and how the scream doesn't register

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=othUkcLUi4M

Mobile Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=othUkcLUi4M

 

 

I actually had both the pleasure and complete luck of bumping into a few of the crew in a bar in Frankfurt after the first show there, and got speaking to one of the audio techs (Jack, if I can remember correctly) for a good hour or so .. A conversation which started from simply being a British guy in a German bar, and seeing fellow Brit's (the crew) in the same place, little did I know until about 20mins into the conversation they actually worked with the band .. Ben the video director was there too! Anyway, after a few drinks with Jack, I rather ballsy and politely asked the question about Chris lyp-syncing Clocks, and while he politely and expectantly said the vocals were live, he did admit Chris's vocal - like every singer - is boosted with pre-recorded vocals for particular parts of songs etc, and how this is both completely normal and required for any vocalist touring worldwide for 2 years (strain of voice etc.) .. So he essentially answered the question re. why Clocks is lyp-synced, without actually saying it was.

Wow that’s very interesting and weird. For the first part of the first verse the live audience certainly got the prerecorded track; I recognize it since I’ve heard it way too many times. Then near the end of the verse I think I can hear a bit of both mixed in, until it’s fully live. I guess the intention was for the broadcast to be live as well but something got screwed up. Reminds me a bit of what happened with Up&Up on the Rose Bowl stream.

[aaronm360]

wow what the hell, I had no idea

this just raises the quesion... why? Why did they take the risk of Chris going out of sync with the prerecorded vocals (which happened) by making it seem like he lipsynched on the broadcast? His live singing was totally fine too, not perfect but no one expects that. I'm quite lost right now.

 

and yeah, of course he wasn't going to tell you, even after a few drinks haha

 

Exactly..why?! The Glastonbury show wasn’t a normal AHFOD setlist, and Clocks was only the 8th song, so he wouldn’t have needed to rest his voice so much.

[dieselbenz]

wow what the hell, I had no idea

this just raises the quesion... why? Why did they take the risk of Chris going out of sync with the prerecorded vocals (which happened) by making it seem like he lipsynched on the broadcast? His live singing was totally fine too, not perfect but no one expects that. I'm quite lost right now.

 

I actually think the live, slightly imperfect one sounds much better. Because it sounds live.

 

Maybe at this point they were just experimenting with it and using it as a backup in case he struggled with his voice (iirc there were points he struggled with his voice a little last year, like maybe was under the weather). You could tell he was singing even in the broadcast, because you can see his breath ... but until the crowd video above I didn't realize it was what the live crowd was hearing. Interesting. Yeah, it's weird. My guess would be they played around with it a while, and then just decided to bag it and use the lip-sync the rest of the tour. Unfortunately. I hope that will change next tour, but I'm guessing we'll see more of it ... the tours are long, he's not that young, and they prioritize the bouncing-around songs to the point they'll sacrifice the old songs. Discouraging to me, but honestly most people have no idea and I'm fine with letting them stay that way ... I hear so many people over the moon they heard Clocks after the shows. Wish I were none-the-wiser too but it kind of got obvious, even if I hadn't seen this thread.

[mfmcgreal]

Personally, I don't see a major issue with it myself anyway. As the audio tech himself put it to me, it's merely a small sacrifice/strategy made to keep Chris's voice in pristine condition so it can sustain the amount of shows undertaken per week for 2 years. Want to witness the entire show live? Then be prepared to see less dates/legs. We can't have the best of both worlds. The tech mentioned how he's worked with Adele etc. and how she's likewise supported/boosted by pre-recorded vocals for sections of the show to sustain her voice for the demand per week date wise. Coldplay are by no means the exception.

 

That's what I meant that the audio gets replaced without the band's knowledge in a stage between the actual performance and the released product. I knew that something like this was happening. My suspicion was proven right!

 

I'd say the band are fully aware of the pre-recorded vocal - as the tech made a point of how Chris (the band) has final say across everything re. the show. e.g. The roof was closed for the Frankfurt shows due to the weather warning, which as a result, resulted in the worst sounding show on the tour alongside Singapore (tech's words, not mine, though I can testify, the sound at Frankfurt was horrendous), and he stated how it was in Chris's power to have the roof open, despite productions demand for it to be closed, due to the risk of thousands of pounds of lighting/audio equipment being soaked/ruined - of course it remained closed for both shows, but the point stands.

 

It's actually an interesting point re. the roof, as I always under the impression the band would demand for it to be closed at venues where possible, for the sake of the visuals/Xylobands, however the tech said it's always in the bands best interest to have the roof open, for better sound, unless weather permitted otherwise. e.g. Cardiff 1 the roof was closed due to weather, however Cardiff 2 it was open.

 

Food for thought for future tours i.e. Selecting venues with roofs based on the (wrong) assumption the band will close them for visuals.

[nowayme]

Well I will never know. I took holidays and traveled to Germany to watch them in Munich and the sound was stellar, I could make out every single word he said, it wasn't even near to the mess I was expecting it to be, actually it was exactly the opposite, which left me impressed with what technology and know-how was involved in that venue.

[dieselbenz]

it's merely a small sacrifice/strategy made to keep Chris's voice in pristine condition so it can sustain the amount of shows undertaken per week for 2 years.

 

There were four songs from their first three albums regularly in their AHFOD set (not counting C stage), and they sacrificed one of them. So it's not that small to me. I mean, it's not the end of the world and I understand they're doing the best they can to make everyone happy, and yeah I get that I had many years to hear those songs and it's not their fault I was too dumb to. It's just kind of extra salt in the wound on top of the stuff that's most special to me already being near-irrelevant. For the record I feel much differently about backing tracks, and bits and pieces of vocals patched in; I expect that as part of any large show and it's not news to me at all that they use that and have for a while (so do most bands that size). A whole song lip-synced is a bit different. Like I've said before I can forgive it -- the man runs about a half-marathon every show and that energy is what most people come to see -- but it's discouraging that it had to be one of the dwindling oldies. I'm sure some of the reasoning was it's pretty easy to hide in the lasers and since he's seated and the piano is a bit tucked back, rather than not caring about the song. I dunno, it is what it is.

[mfmcgreal]

I'm sure some of the reasoning was it's pretty easy to hide in the lasers and since he's seated and the piano is a bit tucked back, rather than not caring about the song. I dunno, it is what it is.

 

That's exactly the reasoning. If you can lip-sync any song in the set, and get away with it, Clocks is it (Up & Up too).

 

I'm willing to accept this may be a reoccurrence for future tours, however I just hope it isn't Clocks next time around, since well, it's my favourite song.

[nowayme]

I compared Up & Up too and it didn't seem to be lipsynced.

[Captain Crieff]

I compared Up & Up too and it didn't seem to be lipsynced.

 

It was for a couple of shows in 2016, but then they stopped doing it again.

[dieselbenz]

That's exactly the reasoning. If you can lip-sync any song in the set, and get away with it, Clocks is it (Up & Up too).

 

I'm willing to accept this may be a reoccurrence for future tours, however I just hope it isn't Clocks next time around, since well, it's my favourite song.

 

I'm holding onto the faint hope they maybe do some shows where they prioritize the musical performance over the acrobatics. Though I do realize if they stay in stadiums, which is likely the most fair thing to allow more people to see them, you kind of need the bells and whistles to make it engaging for everyone in such a huge place. At this point, that's what they're known for and what most of their fans want. Not saying I don't enjoy it, the energy is thrilling and Chris's enthusiasm is infectious. I'm just saying I'd rather they rein it in a little to the point he doesn't have to take a pass on signing one of my favorite classics. But yeah, I'd settle for it just being done on different song than Clocks next round. I should be careful what I wish for, though ... watch it be The Scientist, my very favorite, next. :joy: The answer is probably in the future I should try harder to keep my head in the sand, lol.