yorks5stringer Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 (edited) Went to see this last night as I'm in London at the moment. Great show but everytime I thought the guy playing bass on stage was actually live, it then became clear he was miming. Right at the end the actual playing musicians got 2 minutes to show some chops. Anyone know who the live Bassist is? Could not find a clue on the website. Edited June 12, 2014 by yorks5stringer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zenitram Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 West End musicians dep in and out of shows so much (they have easily the best contractual arrangements out of anyone in musical ttheatre) that they never release the names of the "official" band, as there's absolutely no guarantee they'll be the ones playing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zenitram Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 A great "muso" show to watch is The Commitments, where there's a tricky balance between the band starting out a bit crap, but still being pleasing enough to sit and watch/listen to, and to have them progress as they improve. They're backed up in the pit by pros, but the chaps on stage do play live (most of the time) (and with help). The MD is a friend of mine. And the guy playing Declan, or whatever his name is, is just INCREDIBLE. He practically delivers up his innards each night on stage, he takes it that far. A nutter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakenewmanbass Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 (edited) I know a chap that deps on this show, on guitar, as far as I'm aware the onstage stuff is all live. I know this because he was shedding the parts in our dressing room a couple of weeks ago and he told me about having to memorise the songs as they had no charts onstage. I'm also quite sure that miming is not generally allowed where a show is advertised as having a live band. Tracks are used with vocals and bits on but the rhythm section will almost certainly all be live. Edited June 12, 2014 by jakenewmanbass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zenitram Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 [i]Once[/i] is also a show with proper actor/musicians performing. I haven't seen it, but it's supposed to be AMAZING. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zenitram Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 Does Jersey Boys advertise itself as having a live band, though? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakenewmanbass Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 (edited) I'm not entirely sure but I think the MU/TMA agreement only allows a 'musical' to be performed with a live band. Hence the debacle over War Horse at the national which saw the Union taking them to court over firing the band under very spurious claims. [url="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-27034895"]http://www.bbc.co.uk...t-arts-27034895[/url] Edited June 13, 2014 by jakenewmanbass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zenitram Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 Oh yes, it has to have a "live" band, but that means the band in the pit, off stage (usually). But the fact there's someone on stage strumming a guitar (or whatever) doesn't mean that's what you can hear. It's more than likely (as in very, very likely) that it's the guitarist in the pit doing the actual playing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zenitram Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 (edited) Kewl. So is he the actor on stage, playing live, or the muso in the pit, playing the other bits that need playing? Your friend, that is. And yes I wasn't very clear myself; I was referring above to non-muso shows where a character happens to play an instrument for a bit. But then, that can also be played live (by the actor, I mean) sometimes. So, er, it depends. Shows with characters who are musicians, well, it seems to be mainly live, backed up by the band in the pit, to give it oomph. And even the singing is recorded sometimes. That high note in Phantom is on tape, for example, in case the actress can't hit it on the night. Anything with lots of dancing and singing at the same time will generally be on a click with pre-recorded vocals (belting stuff out and making it intelligible, while busting a gut dancing about on stage like a loon, eight times a week, isn't practical). Edited June 12, 2014 by Zenitram Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakenewmanbass Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 (edited) I've just texted him to get the absolute word to find there is a mix of live and miming to the pit players going on onstage. But there is definitely some live playing onstage too, and singing BVs and doing dance moves... sounds like a nightmare dep to me!! My mate has just been offered the UK tour. He and I have just finished a month long run of a show in Stratford East theatre royal, where funnily enough we had Ryan Molloy in the cast who played Frankie Valli in Jersey boys and is just about to join the show on Broadway.... what a great singer he is! BTW Bass player is Greg Thomas Edited June 12, 2014 by jakenewmanbass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zenitram Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 In fact I'm not actually typing these words, but just pretending to, while a professional typist crouched below my desk does it for real. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakenewmanbass Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 [quote name='Zenitram' timestamp='1402599577' post='2475245'] In fact I'm not actually typing these words, but just pretending to, while a professional typist crouched below my desk does it for real. [/quote] I'm not even me, I'm my dep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakenewmanbass Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 And yep I've been in pits where other stuff is on track and we play to a click, often vocals perc and effects. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zenitram Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 A friend of mine was Ryan's cover on Jersey Boys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakenewmanbass Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 [quote name='Zenitram' timestamp='1402599852' post='2475254'] A friend of mine was Ryan's cover on Jersey Boys. [/quote] Aha, small world... Ryan's a dude. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zenitram Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 And another friend was in Fings! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakenewmanbass Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 (edited) Missed your earlier question, the guitar chair is a mixture of pit playing and onstage playing with singing and dancing thrown in for good measure.. Edited June 12, 2014 by jakenewmanbass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakenewmanbass Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 (edited) [quote name='Zenitram' timestamp='1402600007' post='2475257'] And another friend was in Fings! [/quote] Pray tell, who? Loveliest cast I've ever worked with we had an absolute blast. I opened the show at the front of the stage with a walking bass line on DB, then onstage for the rest of the show, great fun, we are hoping it will have a future life, it had massive critical acclaim, a big buzz and completely sold out, not to mention the long list of celebs who came to see it, and I got an appearance on This Morning with Jessie Wallace and Mark Arden... Edited June 12, 2014 by jakenewmanbass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zenitram Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 (edited) G Watson An acquaintance rather than a 'friend' friend, from previous shows him and my GF have been in. Edited June 12, 2014 by Zenitram Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakenewmanbass Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 [quote name='Zenitram' timestamp='1402600714' post='2475271'] G Watson An acquaintance rather than a 'friend' friend, from previous shows him and my GF have been in. [/quote] A very lovely chap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorks5stringer Posted June 13, 2014 Author Share Posted June 13, 2014 Thanks for that info! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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