Bands who rely on secret backing tapes when they play live are "conning" fans, a rising musician has claimed.
Concert-goers are used to the likes of Britney Spears lip-synching, but even credible indie bands have their whole performance pre-loaded onto a laptop, according to J Willgoose Esq, of dance-rock duo Public Service Broadcasting.
Willgoose, whose band are nominated for Album of the Year at the Association of Independent Music awards with their debut, Inform - Educate - Entertain, admits they use loops and backing tapes to replicate songs when they play live but he says other artists are being less honest.
"I've seen bands turn up to some pretty big gigs with the whole set pre-loaded onto a laptop as a one hour-long stereo file, then play a few notes on a synth or guitar while the laptop does the hard work, or the frontman sings along to 18 perfectly tuned vocal harmonies coming off a computer," claims Willgoose, on the Q magazine website.
"Isn't that a bit of a con?"