The big cruise lines have been "faking it" for years. On a lot of their big production shows its just a keyboard guy and drummer where anywhere from a 6 to 12 pc band used to be. One of the "pop" lounges on the last Carnival cruise I was on was jumpin' to the music of a guitar player/singer and his laptop.

Up until a couple of years ago I did everything live. With the diversity of requests and influx of Karaoke (play anything) players, I have had to put in some midi or MP3s for songs I can't or don't want to do.

Is it easier than playing live? Not necessarily...finding or making the midis that authentically reproduce what some audiences expect is a LOT of work. I used to do Electric Slide live...but (hard as it is to believe, even I have to admit) Marcia Griffith does it much better than I do. And the dancers don't give a tinker's damn that I take a mini-break while they are sliding.

I don't take the prescribed 15 minute breaks anymore. Now its "mini-breaks" while the dancers fill the floor to an MP3 or midi and I get a short breather or set up a special registration for the next song.

Trying to fool the audience? NO WAY. They can see I am not playing and I make no bones about not being able to do every single song ever written or mucking up a request from someone 35 years younger than I am who wants to hear a specific tune just like the one they heard on the radio.

Seigfried and Roy can't really make an elephant disappear. But, their shows are sold out.

Eddie