Το συγκρότημα παίζει ζωντανά.

Το is the definite article here, meaning the.

• το = the for neuter singular nouns in the nominative/accusative
• συγκρότημα is a neuter singular noun
• so το συγκρότημα = the band

Greek articles agree with the noun in gender, number, and case.

Συγκρότημα is neuter.

A very common clue is the ending -μα, which often marks neuter nouns in Greek, for example:

• το όνομα = the name
• το γράμμα = the letter
• το συγκρότημα = the band

Because it is neuter, it takes the article το.

Παίζει is the 3rd person singular present tense of παίζω.

So it can mean:

• plays
• is playing
• in this context, often is performing

Greek present tense can cover both simple present and present progressive, depending on context.

So το συγκρότημα παίζει can mean:

• the band plays
• the band is playing

Because το συγκρότημα is grammatically singular.

Even though a band contains several people, the noun band is treated as one unit, so Greek uses a singular verb:

• Το συγκρότημα παίζει = the band plays

This is similar to English when you treat the band as a single thing.

Here ζωντανά is being used as an adverb, meaning live.

So:

• παίζει ζωντανά = plays live / performs live

This is very common in Greek: a form that looks like a neuter plural adjective can be used adverbially.

Compare:

• ζωντανός = alive, live (masculine adjective)
• ζωντανή = alive, live (feminine adjective)
• ζωντανό = alive, live (neuter adjective)
• ζωντανά = live as an adverb

Because in this sentence ζωντανά does not describe the noun συγκρότημα directly. It describes how the band plays.

So it is not:

• the live band

It is:

• the band plays live

If you wanted an adjective modifying the noun, you would need a different structure, such as:

• το ζωντανό συγκρότημα = the live band

But that is a different meaning.

Yes. Greek word order is fairly flexible.

The most neutral order here is:

• Το συγκρότημα παίζει ζωντανά.

But you could also hear:

• Ζωντανά παίζει το συγκρότημα.
• Παίζει ζωντανά το συγκρότημα.

These versions shift the emphasis, but the basic meaning stays the same.

The original sentence is the most straightforward, neutral version for a learner.

Usually, if you mean the band, you keep το.

• Το συγκρότημα παίζει ζωντανά. = The band is playing live.

If you want a band, Greek often uses ένα:

• Ένα συγκρότημα παίζει ζωντανά. = A band is playing live.

Leaving the article out completely is not the normal choice in ordinary speech here, unless you are using a headline style or a special context.

A rough pronunciation is:

• Το → to
• συγκρότημα → sin-GRO-ti-ma
• παίζει → PEH-zi
• ζωντανά → zo-da-NA

A more careful note:

• γκ in συγκρότημα is pronounced like g
• αι in παίζει sounds like e
• the stress is shown by the written accent:
  • συγκρότημα
  • παίζει
  • ζωντανά

So the whole sentence sounds approximately like:

• to sin-GRO-ti-ma PEH-zi zo-da-NA

No. Παίζω is a very broad verb. It can mean:

• to play a game
• to play an instrument
• to act
• to perform
• to play music

In the sentence Το συγκρότημα παίζει ζωντανά, the musical context makes it mean something like:

• the band is playing live
• the band is performing live

So the exact English translation depends on context.

No. Ζωντανά is used more generally for anything happening live, not pre-recorded.

For example:

• Η εκπομπή μεταδίδεται ζωντανά. = The show is broadcast live.
• Τον είδαμε ζωντανά. = We saw him live.

So in your sentence it means the band is performing live, but the word itself is not limited to music.