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zmcgill · Jun 8, 2006, 02:57 PM

I saw Salty mention that Paul Wright uses a Powerbook, and I was thinking about another band I know that uses Macs exclusively for their live performances. Know of any bands that do?
The one I thought of was David Crowder Band. Their DJ/Violinist uses a PB G4 and the bassist/keyboardist uses a midi keyboard hooked to an iMac G5.

d4nth3m4n · Jun 8, 2006, 03:02 PM

jesus, know any that don't?

edit: oh, you mean ON stage.

Todd Madson · Jun 8, 2006, 03:03 PM

I also do. I've used Macs intrinsically with my rig since 1997 or so.

In some cases where I've had to get up there and get down I've actually
used raw .AIFF tracks right off the DAW onto an iPod and used the iPod
right into the audio mixer for really small gigs.

I'm nominally a guitarist but since getting the Mac into the setup I've
been playing keyboards for the last six or seven years too and that's
part and parcel of the whole rig.

Doofy · Jun 8, 2006, 03:06 PM

Ummm... ...all of them.

...except for these weirdoes.

adster · Jun 8, 2006, 03:07 PM

My mates in Belle & Sebastian use Macs, well, in the studio they do. Snow Patrol ( I used to play with them). Lots of musicians I know use them, mostly studios, though.

Jawbone54 · Jun 8, 2006, 03:08 PM

Watch any of the late night shows like Leno/Letterman/Conan. Almost all of the musicians have a PowerBook somewhere on stage with them, especially drummers.

Professional musicians almost always use Macs.

scaught · Jun 8, 2006, 03:21 PM

Originally Posted by funk ride

My mates in Belle & Sebastian use Macs, well, in the studio they do. Snow Patrol ( I used to play with them). Lots of musicians I know use them, mostly studios, though.

CLUNK

ak1nza · Jun 8, 2006, 03:25 PM

Originally Posted by funk ride

My mates in Belle & Sebastian use Macs, well, in the studio they do. Snow Patrol ( I used to play with them). Lots of musicians I know use them, mostly studios, though.

You use to play with snow patrol? Thats awesome! You must be pretty good.

adster · Jun 8, 2006, 03:29 PM

Originally Posted by MacManiac

You use to play with snow patrol? Thats awesome! You must be pretty good.

Nah, I'm ****, It was back in 200/2001. We were a mess, Gary, the singer, would start arguing with the drummer, then we'd start fighting in stage - just full of drugs at the time lol. Not really heard any of their stuff recently, but I see Gary now and again (we used to live next to each other).

adster · Jun 8, 2006, 03:30 PM

It's quite a small music scen in Scotland (Glasgow), so everyone knows everyone else. But yeah, there are Windows-based people here in the studios, but much of it is Mac, though.

zmcgill · Jun 8, 2006, 03:31 PM

Here you can see the powerbook, I think this was taken before they got the iMac.
Youtube

Doofy · Jun 8, 2006, 03:33 PM

BTW guys, I'm not sure if I should be letting you into this little secret or not... ...but a lot of times the Mac is for show, especially with anything dancey. Ripping the entire backing track to DAT in the studio and then just pressing "play" when you hit the stage is far more reliable when you've got a set to perform.

adster · Jun 8, 2006, 03:39 PM

This is where we recorded a lot, http://www.cavastudios.co.uk/ The engineers are just amazing; if you like Belle, Snow Patrol, V-Tiwn and so on, that's where they record. Franz Ferdinand recorded there, I think, not sure. He did when he did a stint with, 'Quinn'.

They're Mac-based.

zmcgill · Jun 8, 2006, 03:41 PM

Well, as far as david crowder's concerned, the iMac is used along with a keyboard to play live, which is pretty cool to see. He does a Mario joke and the guy plays a bit of theme song, gets people to laugh.

adster · Jun 8, 2006, 03:42 PM

I use a Mac for my music - but I'm sh!t and unkown, haha.

chris v · Jun 8, 2006, 03:45 PM

The keyboard player for Porcupine Tree had a Powerbook on stage when I saw them in Houston. I think he mainly uses it to trigger samples, I know not what software he uses to do so.

My band is mulling over using my Powerbook & Logic to automate effects for live shows for house sound.

Todd Rundgren uses Macs in the studio, as apparently does Pete Townshend, and Peter Gabriel's last album was done in Logic.

Dakar · Jun 8, 2006, 04:04 PM

Keane.

ort888 · Jun 8, 2006, 04:11 PM

When I saw MC Chris his DJ used nothing but a Powermac G4 to supply the beats. I'm pretty sure he was just standing back there and hitting a button to start the track though.

olePigeon · Jun 8, 2006, 04:12 PM

Metallica

seanc · Jun 8, 2006, 04:13 PM

Originally Posted by Dakar

Keane

Damn, you beat me to it.

Dakar · Jun 8, 2006, 04:17 PM

Originally Posted by seanc

Damn, you beat me to it.

IN YOUR FACE!

seanc · Jun 8, 2006, 04:20 PM

Originally Posted by Dakar

IN YOUR FACE!

lol

chris v · Jun 8, 2006, 04:25 PM

Originally Posted by olePigeon

Metallica

I thought he said "musicians."

*ducks*

olePigeon · Jun 8, 2006, 04:30 PM

Originally Posted by chris v

I thought he said "musicians."

I thought he said "Music that doesn't suck."

hickey · Jun 8, 2006, 04:44 PM

Gold Chains, and my teacher http://www.justinpaul.net/site2/justin.html

adster · Jun 8, 2006, 04:45 PM

Originally Posted by chris v

I thought he said "musicians."

*ducks*

haha, i was gonna say that, too! Metallica and music? Maybe pre-Masters of puppets; but now they're just pure sh!t, fookin crap.

adster · Jun 8, 2006, 04:46 PM

Originally Posted by hickey

Gold Chains, and my teacher http://www.justinpaul.net/site2/justin.html

niiiceeeee!!!! You listen to Betalounge?

willed · Jun 8, 2006, 04:48 PM

Was in a concert with Brian Eno the other day, he ran his stuff from a PowerBook (or maybe a MacBook Pro)

Nexus5 · Jun 8, 2006, 04:55 PM

British band Underworld uses Macs in studio and on stage:
audiohead.net

Check this DVD, great!
Underworld Live - Everything Everything (2000)

Nexus5.

Nexus5 · Jun 8, 2006, 04:56 PM

Originally Posted by willed

Was in a concert with Brian Eno the other day, he ran his stuff from a PowerBook (or maybe a MacBook Pro)

Thats right, saw this too.

nexus5.

davesimondotcom · Jun 8, 2006, 05:11 PM

Some guy named Trent Reznor uses Macs, or so I've heard. Not sure what kind of music he makes.

I heard he's pretty popular though. Must be some sort of Christian rock - I guess all his releases are calle "Halos" like he's an angel or something.

adster · Jun 8, 2006, 05:22 PM

moby - another Mac user.

Doofy · Jun 8, 2006, 05:32 PM

Have we not sussed out how pointless this thread is yet?

Please, someone just list every musician who's been active since 1993* and we'll be done with it.

(* demise of the ST)

Salty · Jun 8, 2006, 05:58 PM

I know Mars Ill had a 17 inch PB on stage with them when they played my school... that said I'm not a big fan of them. Oh I had a friend at school who actually worked as an Assistant for one of girls in Avalon, and they essentially made her buy an iBook hahaha! Apparently Matthew West also tours with a PowerBook no idea if he uses it on stage. Oh so does Audio Adrenaline. OH And Switchfoot of course has a whole freaking studio set up in their house.

zmcgill · Jun 8, 2006, 06:16 PM

Originally Posted by Doofy

Have we not sussed out how pointless this thread is yet?

Please, someone just list every musician who's been active since 1993* and we'll be done with it.

(* demise of the ST)

Sorry, the title was misleading. I was leaning more towards Macs used for live performances.

adster · Jun 8, 2006, 06:33 PM

Originally Posted by Gossamer

Sorry, the title was misleading. I was leaning more towards Macs used for live performances.

Ah.,, My mates have a night here called, 'Optimo'. Basically a club nighht, but they cut together lots of tunes and mix 'em up - really great night. Anyway, they use a powerbook for their nights.

Doofy · Jun 8, 2006, 06:52 PM

Originally Posted by Gossamer

Sorry, the title was misleading. I was leaning more towards Macs used for live performances.

Fair enough.

IceEnclosure · 09:11 PM

Thievery Corporation

Velocity211 · Jun 8, 2006, 09:27 PM

U2, yo yo ma

Briareus · Jun 8, 2006, 09:38 PM

The use of Macs in the live performance scene is outside my sphere of experience. However, I've been a session musician for several years and not only have I never come across a studio that isn't running a Mac & Pro Tools, but every artist to come in brings their existing tracks on top-capacity iPods or FireWire externals.

Along with that, they'll tote along the usual assortment of PowerBooks for general business & communications work. Our local on-site copyist is also usually at these things with his PBook and printer to do on-the-fly edits and reprints to arrangements.

Oneota · Jun 8, 2006, 11:04 PM

I used a MacBook Pro with GarageBand's Symphony Orchestra Jam Pack in the pit for a production of "Into the Woods" not too long ago...does that count?

zmcgill · Jun 9, 2006, 12:40 AM

Originally Posted by Oneota

I used a MacBook Pro with GarageBand's Symphony Orchestra Jam Pack in the pit for a production of "Into the Woods" not too long ago...does that count?

Nice, they did that when I was in high school. I was only in one high school musical, just the chorus, so I brought my N64 and spent most of rehearsals destroying anyone who'd play in 007 or Perfect Dark.

Salty · Jun 9, 2006, 04:27 AM

For the record... never been able to get into David Crowder... A) His hair freaking scares me! B) He seems too sloooooow paced.

zmcgill · Jun 9, 2006, 09:16 AM

Originally Posted by Salty

For the record... never been able to get into David Crowder... A) His hair freaking scares me! B) He seems too sloooooow paced.

He's the funniest looking dude!

If you see him in concert, try to get on his right side. When he starts really singing, the vein on his neck sticks out literally a half inch or so.

In concert, they often put the lyrics up on the screen so people can sing along, they're really cool to see.

zmcgill · Jun 9, 2006, 09:22 AM

Originally Posted by Salty

I know Mars Ill had a 17 inch PB on stage with them when they played my school... that said I'm not a big fan of them.

I saw them in concert with John Reuben, and now that you mention it I do remember them having a powerbook.

I really liked them in concert so a grabbed a couple of their CD's but I didn't really like what they had.

B Gallagher · Jun 9, 2006, 11:23 AM

Bt

Macfreak7 · Jun 9, 2006, 03:29 PM

Originally Posted by davesimondotcom

Some guy named Trent Reznor uses Macs, or so I've heard. Not sure what kind of music he makes.

I heard he's pretty popular though. Must be some sort of Christian rock - I guess all his releases are calle "Halos" like he's an angel or something.

Yeah he does, and he's a Fundy all right, with lyrics like "god is dead, and no one cares..."

IceEnclosure · Jun 10, 2006, 04:46 AM

Originally Posted by davesimondotcom

Some guy named Trent Reznor uses Macs, or so I've heard. Not sure what kind of music he makes.

I heard he's pretty popular though. Must be some sort of Christian rock - I guess all his releases are calle "Halos" like he's an angel or something.

Coulda google'd it, eh? Unless you're being silly. While he may think he's an angel, he surely isn't Christian rock.

Cipher, Christian rock isit??

Salty · Jun 10, 2006, 05:16 AM

Originally Posted by Gossamer

I saw them in concert with John Reuben, and now that you mention it I do remember them having a powerbook.

I really liked them in concert so a grabbed a couple of their CD's but I didn't really like what they had.

Yah I thought they were good live, didn't enjoy their recorded stuff so I didn't buy I felt kinda bad. They performed with Dogwood... and I gotta say... if I never see Dogwood live again... I'll be OK with it... the lead singer was genuinely obnoxious.

That said Rueben, the Supertones, and Bleach are probably my favourite live performances by major bands. Sadly we don't get that many band that come up here, Superchick was also very good live.
Worst bands live that I've seen, Pillar, and Reliant K... I was expecting not much from Pillar and even then was disappointed, and Reliant K I had previously liked, and then they just put on a lame show, so I didn't buy their third album, they've kinda redeemed themselves with Mmhmmm which is a very good album.