Unenthusiastic Performances

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBYmsvdv47o

The comments suggest that the above is a rehearsal run-through, so I guess that explains it. But it's a good example of what I'm looking for.

Here's another - nice work by the singer on the left:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nH8LCIgw3kg

So the idea is - spirited song, stone-faced performance.

This one is great but not quite the same, as the lack of enthusiasm is the point of the song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Au9_vfx6t6c

As soon as I read the title, I came to post Cake and Drimble Wedge. Now don't I feel a fool.

What's the Pink Floyd lip-sync bit where Syd doesn't cooperate?

As soon as I read the title, I came to post Cake

^^^

There's an INXS one like this somewhere. but its also a rehearsal run thru so Im not sure it counts.

Some Syd Barrett ones?

Oops xpost, um, the one for "Jugband Blues" particularly

First thing to come to mind is the video document of Floyd's Pulse tour. Opening with a flawless but rote Shine on, then a listless reading of Learning to Fly, Dave pauses to greet the crowd with something along the lines of "thanks very much, let's get on with it" and continues apace for another hour & a half.

See: Omar Rodriguez-Lopez during every show played by the reformed At The Drive-In.

You see so many of these at medium-sized European festivals when the band know there are no cameras rolling. I was at one in Portugal a few years ago and virtually every British or American band was phoning it in in the extreme.

i support this performance style

again, this probably doesn't count, but this is wonderful

http://youtu.be/8XGXHDMIJw4

does this count?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0MzeMfcGxA

and maybe..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5zFmibo8Jw

SALEM @ Levi's Fader Fort, never forget

Wilco at Shepherd's Bush Empire at the end of the tour for Being There. They sent out a roadie to sing the encore.

In general, Kings of Leon and Fountains of Wayne. The latter are a band I love, but among the most desultory live acts I've ever seen.

always felt like neil young's singing on "like a hurricane" was a poor performance. i think i read in shakey he only did "guiding vocals" on that tune and never re-did them for the final version

You see so many of these at medium-sized European festivals when the band know there are no cameras rolling

Seems sensible to me, if you're touring a lot, and some of the shows have real importance (biggest crowd, home turf, TV appearance, etc), save all the energy for that I say. Like I once read Black Francis advise Kristin Hersh: "save all the screams for the big shows".

...this attitude may be why I'm not a working musician, haw.

Pavement

awesome. the cake video in particular is just extraordinary.

i love that sandie shaw clip. from 1:45 you can see the studio's empty, apart from pete murray swaying along in his cardigan.

Also pretty much any early New Order live TV appearance, possibly up until they discovered MDMA.

A bored/stoned/disinterested John Fruscinate attempts to sabotage Red Hot Chili Peppers' 1992 Saturday Night Live performance by doing whatever the hell he feels like with 'Under The Bridge'.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pq5jFBqKVXo

This depresses the hell out of me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yk860xp_CW0

These are great. The Sandie Shaw one is quite eerie (the first link up top). Or maybe it only seems eerie because they got rid of so many Top of the Pops episodes, while a throwaway rehearsal got preserved.

awesome. the cake video in particular is just extraordinary.

Was that the second video link in the OP? If so, it's been deleted. Hope there's another copy out there! (I have to say I never knew there was a band called Cake.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sH2oI2H2lGE

Hope fulfilled.

liner notes for the cd reissue of their two albums are a great read:

http://dangerousminds.net/comments/the_cake_a_real_life_beyond_the_valley_of_the_dolls

another 'fucking around when asked to mime/lip sync' one (Iron Maiden):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0dm3Xee42o

hah I thought that was the same Cake. they definitely fit. uh-huh, alright, hey, whoa, awww no

Madonna's last...two, three? albums.

Most Van Morrison concerts.

Speaking of Morrison, Jim Morrison sings most of THe Soft Parade album with barely disguised contempt for most of the material, especially the ballads.