Best Live Backing Band for a M Tour?

[mr00mister 901]

we all love a good M show, don't we? we love the lights, the choreography, the stage, the screens! the energy!

 

but, as I said in a post before this tour started, if it wasn't for a good band, we wouldn't have any show to listen to. that's the main reason we go to see her, don't we?

 

so this is a post for us to talk about the musicians who have shared stage with M on her 10 tours.

 

which one's your favourite band?

which one do you think has got the best out of every song?

who was the best musical director for her?

 

The Virgin Tour:

• Patrick Leonard - music director, keyboards
• Billy Meyers - keyboards
• James Harrah - guitar
• Paul Pesco - guitar
• Bill Lanphier - bass, synth bass
• Jonathan Moffet - drums

Who's That Girl Tour:

• Patrick Leonard - music director, keyboards
• Jai Winding - keyboards
• James Harrah - guitar, bass
• David Williams - guitar
• Kerry Hatch - synth bass
• Jonathan Moffett - drums
• Luis Conte - percussion
• Donna DeLory - backing vocals
• Niki Haris - backing vocals
• Debra Parsons - backing vocals

Blond Ambition Tour:

• Jai Winding - music director, keyboards
• Kevin Kendrick - keyboards
• Mike McKnight - keyboards
• Carlos Rios - guitar
• David Williams - guitar
• Darryl Jones - bass
• Jonathan Moffett - drums
• Luis Conte - percussion
• Donna DeLory - backing vocals
• Niki Haris - backing vocals

The Girlie Show:

• Jai Winding - music director, keyboards
• Michael Bearden - keyboards
• Mike McKnight - keyboards
• Paul Pesco - guitar
• Victor Baley - bass
• Omar Hakim - drums
• Luis Conte - percussion
• Donna DeLory - backing vocals
• Niki Haris - backing vocals

Drowned World Tour:

• Stuart Price - music director, keyboards, guitar
• Marcus Brown - keyboards
• Monte Pittman - guitar
• Raymond Hudson - bass
• Steve Sidelnyk - drums
• Ron Powell -percussion
• Donna DeLory - backing vocals
• Niki Haris - backing vocals

Re-Invention Tour:

• Stuart Price - music director, keyboards, guitar
• Mike McKnight - keyboards, programming
• Marcus Brown - keyboards
• Monte Pittman - guitar
• Raymond Hudson - bass
• Steve Sidelnyk - drums
• Ron Powell - percussion
• Donna DeLory - backing vocals
• Siedah Garrett - backing vocals

Confessions Tour:

• Stuart Price - music director, keyboards, guitar
• Marcus Brown - keyboards
• Monte Pittman - guitar
• Raymond Hudson - bass
• Steve Sidelnyk - drums
• Donna DeLory - backing vocals
• Nicki Richards - backing vocals

Sticky & Sweet, MDNA and Rebel Heart tours:

• Kevin Antunes - music director, keyboards, programming
• Ric'key Pageot - keyboards, piano, accordion
• Monte Pittman - guitar, percussion, backing vocals
• Brian Frasier-Moore - drums
• Kiley Dean - backing vocals
• Nicki Richards - backing vocals

[madgefan 10,187]

The Girlie Show and Madonna definitely gave them a lot of credit.

[Independent Thinker 160]

The Girlie Show without a doubt!!!!

[Enrico 16,012]

Listen to the rock version of Holiday on WTG Tour and you realize how the sound is fake now. It used to be so pure and energetic, now it sounds like a bad karaoke. Think of Take a bow and how they transformed a pure gem in a song without soul...

It was interesting to see that video of RHT where you realize they actually play the sounds live on a drum machine, but ain't nothing like a live band with a bass player!

Oh how I miss that Girlie show moment when M introduced her band while singing Sly and the family stone's Dance to the music💓💓💓

And strangely this happened to the background singers, too. Apart from the fact that Niki and Donna could also dance and perform and be part of the show, you can always recognize their voices. Their trios are unforgettable: Causing a commotion, Rain, Holiday on DWT just to name a few. Now I hardly hear Kiley and Niki, most of the times I think I hear the original cd background voices😕

 

So my votes go to Jay Winding, Paul Pesco, Mike mcKnight, Patrick Leonard, Louis Conte and Omar Hakim.

[mr00mister 901]

It was interesting to see that video of RHT where you realize they actually play the sounds live on a drum machine

 

which video? O: I'm still trying to figure out how the heck do they play now.

as a drummer, i still don't understand Brian's drumkit. 

 

I miss the "live" sound.

 

Oh how I miss that Girlie show moment when M introduced her band while singing Sly and the family stone's Dance to the music

 

that was when you realised the level of those musicians. that band was so amazing!

[Enrico 16,012]

which video? O: I'm still trying to figure out how the heck do they play now.

http://www.keyboardmag.com/gear/1183/exclusive-video-synth-secrets-of-madonnas-rebel-heart-tour/56721http://www.madonna-infinity.net/forums/index.php?/topic/6439-dl-kevin-antunes-interview/?hl=interview

[Enrico 16,012]

I don't understand why the wznt to recreate the exact sounds of the records, the nice thing is to hear a different arrangement, a live sound. I hate all these prerecorded voices and effects...

[me1981 1,366]

Girlie Show. So good in fact it made Madonna think about doing a live album with them. Wish she had. 

 

Blond Ambition is a close second. 

 

Even my sister, who disliked Madonna thought her band for Girlie Show was awesome at the time.

 

I think her tours today make it hard to tell if she is using backing tracks or real musicians. Only time you get the truly real feel is when she and Monte do acoustic together.

 

I will say Into the Groove on WTG tour sounds epic still. WTG might be 3rd spot. Some dated sounds, but the band was tight on that tour. Lucky Star is also a fave from that show. 

 

 

ETA: If you notice, Madonna changed musical directors every couple of tours. Do wish she would change again. She needs to be pushed back to a more grounded sound. It might actually be revolutionary if she went back to a full 9 piece (or more) band, like the old days.

[Dazedmadonna 17,844]

The Girlie Show, best backing band show ever

[Enrico 16,012]

From Madonnatribe's Donna+Niki recent interview:

 

Interviewer: Rain was also truly an highlight of The Girlie Show and one among the most magical moments in Madonna’s touring career. It featured an hint to Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me) by The Temptations and a Singing In The Rain theme inspiration.
What do you remember about rehearsing that routine together? A funny or a tough moment on those sitting stools wearing those long black robes?

Niki: Aye Yi Yi!!! After so many years of singing, rehearsals are challenging to decipher. I remember that she had an excellent band that tour and they were funky! Tons of great ideas to open the music up to different possibilities for interpretation. Lots of fun!!! Black robes were a cinch and easy to get on. Someone under the stage to simply slip them on our arms, snap and sit on the stools until we were lifted up onto the main level. By the way, it felt great to sit down after all that dancing!!!

 

http://www.madonnatribe.com/interviews/madonnatribe-meets-niki-haris-donna-de-lory/

[madgefan 10,187]

ETA: If you notice, Madonna changed musical directors every couple of tours. Do wish she would change again. She needs to be pushed back to a more grounded sound. It might actually be revolutionary if she went back to a full 9 piece (or more) band, like the old days.

 

I doubt she really wants to go way back to "those roots". Madonna doesn't want to sell "reality" on her live DVDs, what makes us think she will change her opinion because a couple fans daydream of her hiring those kind of musicians again. Times have changed and it isn't like we have to agree with it... But she changes constantly and tries new things every other year. Probably the next couple tours won't even have real musicians and everything will be directed from a Macbook (snap!) they do it already! LOL 

 

Sticky & Sweet's version of Hung Up is still in my memory for how great those drums sounded in the stadium. The beginning of Express Yourself (purposely extended in Chile) was amazing! The Iconic studio beats were also great in Miami so not everything has to be "real live" to be perfect. IMHO.

[Enrico 16,012]

If she tries the less-traveled road of smaller acoustic show and focuses on singing rather than extravaganza, a nice band could be back. Otherwise I think @@madgefan is right, everything can be don with a Ma, unfortunately. We almost had the big drums on Hold tight, but they gave up the idea. But also the flamenco version of LIB sounded great and "real":

 

[mr00mister 901]

as much as I love Stuart Price's bands, I've noticed that M feels comfortable with the current band she has. But, at the same time, none of these bands has done more that 3 tours in a row.

[vesalii 1,321]

The Confessions Tour

[me1981 1,366]

I doubt she really wants to go way back to "those roots". Madonna doesn't want to sell "reality" on her live DVDs, what makes us think she will change her opinion because a couple fans daydream of her hiring those kind of musicians again. Times have changed and it isn't like we have to agree with it... But she changes constantly and tries new things every other year. Probably the next couple tours won't even have real musicians and everything will be directed from a Macbook (snap!) they do it already! LOL 

 

Sticky & Sweet's version of Hung Up is still in my memory for how great those drums sounded in the stadium. The beginning of Express Yourself (purposely extended in Chile) was amazing! The Iconic studio beats were also great in Miami so not everything has to be "real live" to be perfect. IMHO.

Don't get me wrong loved Rebel Heart tour and would see her again in a heart beat. 

 

Look Broadway is the same, a lot of canned music and not real musicians. Oh well, just a shame is all. Yeah I doubt she'll go back to those days, though maybe if she does Tears of a Clown type shows she might (who knows)

[Enrico 16,012]

Look Broadway is the same, a lot of canned music and not real musicians. Oh well, just a shame is all. Yeah I doubt she'll go back to those days, though maybe if she does Tears of a Clown type shows she might (who knows)

 

Why do you say Broadway is the same?

I often sat close to the orchestra pit (especially in London, tbh) and they play for real!

Of course there can be some prerecorded sounds...

Or do you have anything in particular in mind?

[Daniciccone10 32]

Girlie show

Donna and and niki slay

Nikki and Kylie

Suck

[me1981 1,366]

Why do you say Broadway is the same?

I often sat close to the orchestra pit (especially in London, tbh) and they play for real!

Of course there can be some prerecorded sounds...

Or do you have anything in particular in mind?

I don't know about West End. But it has been known and stated even by actors on Broadway that the orchestra is not a full one anymore, to cut costs they use a mix of live and canned music. Some shows might still do a full orchestra, but since the early 00's they have cut the orchestra down and used pre-recorded music. 

[Enrico 16,012]

I don't know about West End. But it has been known and stated even by actors on Broadway that the orchestra is not a full one anymore, to cut costs they use a mix of live and canned music. Some shows might still do a full orchestra, but since the early 00's they have cut the orchestra down and used pre-recorded music. 

 

Yes this is true, they cut the number of musicians to cut expenses. But still there are people in the orchestra pit who play live. And the renditions have always to be the same because of the choreography.

But in the past M tours everything seems prerecorded, the sound is too similar to the original records, while in show like WTG and GS you can clearly hear different instrumentations.

[mr00mister 901]

But in the past M tours everything seems prerecorded, the sound is too similar to the original records, while in show like WTG and GS you can clearly hear different instrumentations.

 

i think the last shows which felt "live" were the Drowned World and Re-Invention tours.

[me1981 1,366]

I will say I am sure BAT had some pre-recorded music. The horns on EY (which were not used on every show) and the string section of PDP couldn't have been live. Although funnily enough the string section of PDP at the very end of the song sounded different in different concerts. Unless she somehow had a few violin players under the stage, but I doubt that.

[Pretender1978 999]

Funny, it's rare to see such consensus on a topic, seems everyone agrees on GS :-) so do I! best ever!

From the "modern era" I like RIT the best, it has the larger than life sonics, that are favored these days whilst stil maintaining a live feel, and I love all the arrangements. Even though Stuart's impact is a bit over now, I do feel he understood M and how she should sound the best

[mr00mister 901]

Unless she somehow had a few violin players under the stage, but I doubt that.

 

i think it's impossible that Jason Yang, the violinist on The MDNA Tour, played live on Papa Don't Preach. I do believe he played live on Like a Virgin, but whatever he played on PDP was impossible to hear, obscured by the main track. maybe he was just miming.

[livng2tell 108]

So my votes go to Jay Winding, Paul Pesco, Mike mcKnight, Patrick Leonard, Louis Conte and Omar Hakim.

Luis Conte - Without him, the music literally has no rhythm.

 

I will say I am sure BAT had some pre-recorded music. The horns on EY (which were not used on every show) and the string section of PDP couldn't have been live. Although funnily enough the string section of PDP at the very end of the song sounded different in different concerts. Unless she somehow had a few violin players under the stage, but I doubt that.

On BAT, all the strings were done on the keyboard or triggered samples.

 

 

I'm glad to hear everyone saying The Girlie Show band - I have always thought that. That band was so funky and that bass player? - OMG (I just refer to him as Victor Baby), brought so much life. Remember how funky he made "Little Star" sound on Oprah?

 

DWT was the start of the downfall of real music on tours. Yeah, some backing tracks and samples were triggered in previous concerts, but it was underneath the real music. Now all the backing tracks and samples are over the real music. Disheartening to say the least, even though the show is still incredible and enjoyable, but I miss the energy of the real musicians. I will say though, that I think some real drumming came back during SS tour, even though I don't like that tour.

 

2nd place would go backwards from GS. So, in order (#1 being the best)

• Girlie Show Band
• Blond Ambition Band
• Who's That Girl Band
• Virgin Tour Band

 

On a related note, I think her voice was best for Virgin tour. I loved the raw soul her voice had then.

[Enrico 16,012]

The question is WHY?

Madonna has different tastes, she feels more confortable when listening to the original sounds, and it is easier to have background vocal tracks, or us it to save money? I'd give up 2 dancers to get a bass player!!