FortWayneMusic.com

As much as most of you loathe American Idol, I am really surprised that no one has mention/complained about American Band.

I like it (despite my connections with FOX)

http://nextgreatband.msn.com/ngb/bands

Granted it should be suffixed with:
"..of the bands that showed up for the auditions"

Anyone seen this? Thoughts?

There are a couple of the bands I kinda dig. It would be interesting to see where this show goes.

I heard about this on the radio but I had no idea that it had already started airing. Now that I see it airs on Friday, it's no wonder I've missed out on it. I couldn't tell you the last time I watched TV on a Friday. I may have to set the DVR to check it out though.

totally digging Franklin Bridge. Other than that, blech.

I wouldn't have known about it until my cousin called and told me his band (Denver and the Mile High Orchestra) is on the show. I've never seen any of the shows like this, but this is a pretty cool show.

Sixwire

i can never seem to catch it... I did watch a little bit of it on Friday and was surprised/horrified to see that the hardcore band was still there with all of it's cliche moves.

Yeah, I'm diggin' Franklin Bridge and Denver & MHO.

What I hate about this show is that they are actually lipsynching!!! Watch the drummers if you don't believe me.

I doubt it.

There's too many dropped notes, forgotten lyrics and crappy singing to be synching it.

There *could* be a slight audio synch issue... that would not surprise me at all.

It could just be the drums or the instruments that are prerecorded. I really noticed it on that sloppy kid metal band. He isn't playing what the drums are doing.

could be they're pre-recording performances to avoid major screwups onstage, but the kid's so green he can't replicate what he played on the recording.

Always the conspiracy...

In a time where where synching is frowned upon, on a show where bands are judged on the playing ability, in an arena where they are scrutinized on their technical prowess, where they are given a week to learn a song and twist it to their particular style.

I would think/hope that they DEMAND a live performance without trickery.

But yeah, I am sure its all faked.

What conspiracy? It's TV. Of course it's "faked."

What I don't understand is this: why would anyone interested in music have any interest at all in yet another overwrought TV program that is so profoundly anti-musical? You b*tch endlessly about how the industry destroys souls, and then you tune in and watch them do it. I don't get it.

I tuned in once to see if there was anything decent. There was one band I thought was pretty damn cool (Franklin Bridge), so I looked up some information on them. Haven't watched the show since. I'm too busy playing my own music, and I'm sure the band of 12 year olds will win because the people most likely to dig Franklin Bridge are also most likely to be out playing their own music on Friday nights.

I watch(ed) because its real people playing real instruments, with thier own songs and their own arrangements.

Depsite what people might hope, there is some *actual* talent in *some* of these bands.

I don't live and die by this show, I accept fully what it is....entertainment.

I watch knowing this and don't project any false facade onto this like they are *really* finding the next best thing.

Its a show. I watched it. I was amused and entertained.

I certainly dont sit there, shake my fist and curse the participants or the premise.

It's set up to generate controversy and draw in viewers, hence the 12-year-olds and the all-girl punk band. It's set up for heartwarming stories - the guy who plays bass with his feet. In the end, they will draw in viewers, sell lots of advertising and one of the bands will record a couple of CDs that will garner moderate success, after which they will likely vanish, or if they really love music will return home and start over disillusioned with the entire industry... same thing that happens to most other bands that sign contracts and meet with moderate success.