Jump to content
Please note: You can easily log in to MPN using your Facebook account!

Yes, more people like this please


skipclone 1

Recommended Posts

I don`t know if this is an `only in Japan` story but-

last night I had a vocal performance with our cabaret group-actually I`m going to take some time away from that and focus more on playing. Well I started my second song and a girl who was in front said, "Wow, this is my song!" the problem was, there was a group of guys in back-American I think-who were being really loud. Well about 1/3 though the song this girl turns around and shouts, "HEY IN BACK! SHUT THE F**K UP!"

that worked just fine :D

Well after the show I saw these guys downstairs at the bar. One of them walked over and said, "Sorry we were so noisy, we were drunk. But I really enjoyed your performance." Actually they turned out to be an okay goup.

I thought, man I wish I could clone this guy and make a whole audience.

 

Same old surprises, brand new cliches-

 

Skipsounds on Soundclick:

www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandid=602491

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 20
  • Created
  • Last Reply
At least he was sober enough to apologize while having a few more toots at the bar after the show LOL! :cool:

 

Yeah, it's great when people remember their manners even if they'd temporarily forgotten them. 'S fine. :cool:

Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do?

 

~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~

_ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Classy move on the part of that guy.

 

As a talent buyer/show promoter and even just a sound man occasionally, here, I would have to tell acts - especially acoustic acts - not to get angry at talking, etc., just do what they do and let people do whatever, and in my experience it would work out for them. A couple of different acts playing acoustic listened to me, in a small club with the natural acoustics of a racket ball court, and were shocked that after the songs ended people applauded louder than they had been talking... and after the show, they sold tons of discs and people were complimentary. The people who got angry and told the crowd to shut up or lost it and yelled? Emptied the room instantly and then played to a few people... and I couldn't convince the clubs to let me book them again because they'd screwed bar sales for the night. There's "listening room" venues a plenty here in town, now, that mostly have acoustic acts and where the audience members get booted if they talk or don't direct their attention totally to the act (they also don't sell booze)... and no one shows up if they have no idea who you are... when playing in a bar, you're getting an audience out for a night of fun and socializing first, and they happen to be where you're playing. If you're not a "name," regular people are not coming to subordinate themselves to you... hardcore music fans, maybe, but that's probably 1 out of every 100 people, and they tend to people who spend more time at home listening intently to albums than going out for a night with the crew.

 

I play acoustic shows, myself, and I just put myself in the zone where I don't care if anyone is listening... but I'm pretty much always like that... one of my favorite compliments from a show on the road was the bartender girl thanking me for "the private show" when nobody showed up to see one of my bands (as I expected on a Monday night out of town)... and she and the sound man convinced the talent buyer to have us back on a better night.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bars are in the business to sell booze. If you can fill the bar and they sell a lot of booze, they'll be having you back on a regular basis. There are some cool neighborhood bars and then there are the rowdy bars. I try to stay away from the rowdy ones...I have had a lot of fun playing at Grange Halls, Elks, Moose Lodges, etc. The people all know one another and can drink booze, have a good time, and never any fights...

 

Many venues like wineries, eateries and pubs, etc., are for crowds that only want listening background music and the owners will turn you down if the crowd can't hear themselves talk. I stay away from them as well when it comes to playing. I like going to them and having some soft rock, jazz, etc., in the background while eating out...

 

I like open mics as the people are there to listen to the acts. It can be a lot of fun when the joint gets hopping. I can't enjoy playing in an empty club and won't book those joints. The open mics on Thursdays are packed in our area while the Friday and Saturday night mainliners have sparse audiences much of the time LOL! :cool:

 

 

Take care, Larryz
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well the mix of venues is different here-if you`re in a rowdy bar it`s time to leave. I don`t care for them anyway due to the risk of damage to my gear-or myself. Don`t even get me started on cops getting involved.

 

If I`m getting paid the same I don`t care if it`s a crowd of 2 or 200. Those two will have good things to say, that counts.

 

I`ll do background music if the pay is there-and only if.

 

That brings me to a point I didn`t make earlier-frankly there are several reasons for me taking a break from the stage show. Besides soothing the hurt feelings of my neglected instruments, we`ve been doing this show for about three years. Basically it`s been free-we do get tips, and even that wasn`t the case when we started. No free drinks either. I can see if people have no idea who we are or where we`re coming from. But it`s been three years-now just hang on a minute. Doing the show is not cheap-the performers supply wardrobe, props, everything. Some of us have separate gigs that are well compensated-fine.But If this show is going to be free forever, there needs to be a parallel universe where our efforts are rewarded, and I don`t mean applause.

Same old surprises, brand new cliches-

 

Skipsounds on Soundclick:

www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandid=602491

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I will play original music gigs - my own or my friends' - with no concern about how much money there ends up being (but not "for free," as long as there is an effort to get compensation, but I understand the responsibility of drawing an audience in those situations falls on the act, not the venue or anybody else).

 

Covers? Pay me. It's not my art, though I will play it like it is... but it's not "my" "art," it puts me in the service industry, like a jukebox. I will do my job well, I will play crowdpleasers. My family and friends have seen my play hundreds of times... they will come to the original project gigs, but the cover gigs are kind of like someone showing up to watch you work a shift at your job or something, at this point. Every once in a while it's fun for them, but not every other week (plus, they are all music snobs like me who don't really like the crowd pleasing songs). At the same time, I don't expect cover gig clubs to miraculously provide an audience... if there's no interest, it just obviously doesn't work and I can't do the job.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

WF-I think even the most blasted music listener knows, if two bands are playing in perfect synchopation something must be wrong :D

 

MY money's on the guy who likes one band better than the OTHER. :D

Whitefang

I started out with NOTHING...and I still have most of it left!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Eh....there was only ONE band(oy!).

 

I was thinking along the lines of a scene in the movie TOMBSTONE in which Michael Hayden Church, as a member of the "bad guys" called "The Cowboys" says he thinks DOC HOLLIDAY(Val Kilmer) is so drunk he's probably seeing double. Kilmer's Holliday pulls out another pistol saying, "I have TWO guns. One for EACH of you...". My favorite scene and line in the movie. :D

Whitefang

I started out with NOTHING...and I still have most of it left!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I doubt this is what happened there but to me that's a great strategy to generate some attention for yer show.

Plant a heckling shill & then respond to them in a way that lends distinction to yer stage command.

Heck, maybe even have the girl slug the mook !

:keynana:

d=halfnote
Link to comment
Share on other sites

That would have been difficult but for a good reason-as I said she was right in front, the loud crowd was in the back. Too many people between them, she would have missed her song-then we`ve got issues....

 

"No, I said make it LOOK LIKE you`re realy slugging him..."

Same old surprises, brand new cliches-

 

Skipsounds on Soundclick:

www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandid=602491

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...