UPDATE: The Marine Corps Band has released a new statement

[Grassy Knoll]

"The Presidential Inaugural Committee requested that the Marine Band accompany Beyonce Knowles-Carter in the performance of the Star-Spangled Banner at the 2013 Inaugural Ceremony. However, there was no opportunity for Ms. Knowles-Carter to rehearse with the Marine Band before the Inauguration so it was determined that a live performance by the band was ill-advised for such a high-profile event. Each piece of music scheduled for performance in the Inauguration is pre-recorded for use in case of freezing temperatures, equipment failure, or extenuating circumstances. Regarding Ms. Knowles-Carter's vocal performance, no one in the Marine Band is in a position to assess whether it was live or pre-recorded."

[southernyankeebelle]

1. OMG who is making a big deal? Let's line her up and shoot her. Good grief. Who cares.

She pulled it off.

[riderinthestorm]

2. So the band was pretending to play??!!

That's almost funnier.

[ProSense]

3. What are the chances

"Regarding Ms. Knowles-Carter's vocal performance, no one in the Marine Band is in a position to assess whether it was live or pre-recorded."

...that someone ran with some unsubstantiated bullshit as a knock on the event or Beyonce (who apparently was getting too much praise)? Seems to me that if the claims are true, that it was one hell of a rehearsed and flawlessly executed lip sync. Of course, that would contradict this statement regarding rehearsal.

Guess we'll never know.

[TTUBatfan2008]

6. FWIW...

Whitney Houston's famous performance of the Star Spangled Banner was lip-synched, but she did a pretty good job of making it look like a live performance.

[Number23]

16. Sounds to me that Beyonce sang live to some pre-recorded music

And some folks with nothing better to do have decided that this is a big deal.

And yeah, it's probably because she was getting too much praise. Can't have that.

[BeyondGeography]

4. Beyonce's turning out to be a pain in the arse

[ProSense]

5. Beyonce isn't the one obsessing over this. n/t

[BeyondGeography]

12. Oh I'm sure she is

She's in full image management/damage control mode.

[HangOnKids]

8. It Is Her Milli Vanilli Moment

[ProdigalJunkMail]

7. I guess it would matter

if they had played or she had sung the national anthem... I don't know what that mess was. Lip synced or not, it was horrid. She has a hell of a voice but I hated that arrangement and vocal rendition.

sP

[ManiacJoe]

9. Can't wait to see the wailing

when folks find out that the Super Bowl is not done live.

[Hekate]

10. I seem to recall that this has happened before. Sometimes January in DC is below freezing

This can affect all musical instruments: breath, lips, vocal cords, strings on string instruments, drumskins, lips to metal mouthpieces, you name it. The Marines are nothing if not prepared.

Why am I not shocked or upset by this? Why do I think it is a tempest in a teapot? Maybe because it's not a new thing, and maybe because yesterday at DU there were some accusing the POTUS of being a murderer and others beweeping themselves over an imaginary Holy-Roller tent revival on the steps of the Capitol which we were all forced to attend.

Kee-rist.

[HipChick]

11. Off to the Tower with her...

oh...wrong country...

[limpyhobbler]

13. lip syncing just seems so phony to me

[msongs]

14. she could've just sung it live with no music. that has been done before by thousands nt

[Egalitarian Thug]

15. She's a talent-free product of the music industry and doesn't have the chops to perform without

studio enhancement. But thanks to her parents, she did learn know who to sleep with and marry.