Unsound Practices Posted March 10, 2006 Share Posted March 10, 2006 ... empty seats. I'm providing part of the keyboard backline for a jazz gig in this room tonight: http://www.tpcworld.com/images/articles/int1-mori.jpg Nice room. I need to practice more so I can get out of the 100-capacity bars I'm used to... and in to a place like that. It was a blast to stand on that stage and look out at the space, even as the lowly guy delivering gear. Practice, practice, practice. "More tools than talent" Motif ES7:Kurzweil PC1x:Electro 2 73:Nord Lead 3:MKS-80:Matrix 1000:Microwave XT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RABid Posted March 10, 2006 Share Posted March 10, 2006 Those places make me nervious. Really, really nervious. This post edited for speling. My Sweetwater Gear Exchange Page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoFi Posted March 10, 2006 Share Posted March 10, 2006 Played to 500 last Saturday - by far the largest (non-orchestral) gig I've played. Was really nervous wandering around before hand (thinking "Dear god, there's a lot of people here"), but once I was on stage, it was no different to playing in front of 30 people. Though I guess there's a difference between playing to a lot of people in a sort-of bar venue and a lot of people in a theatre-type place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wd8dky Posted March 10, 2006 Share Posted March 10, 2006 Does having a greater distance between yourself and the audience make it easier than it would seem? I perform weekly at church (maybe 200-300 folks), and they actually come up and talk to me during the service, while I'm playing. It would seem weird to me to be further removed from the audience, but I'm just a hack. http://www.weisersound.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hammodel AV Posted March 10, 2006 Share Posted March 10, 2006 That reminds me of when my daughter's high school band got to play at Carnegie Hall. She wasn't supposed to take a picture in there, either, but she did. Reminded her of ALL the famous performers than had graced that stage, and that she did get there herself by 'practice, practice, practice'! Hammond T-582A, Casio WK6600, Behringer D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrafon Posted March 10, 2006 Share Posted March 10, 2006 Nah, don't sweat the nerves. I played in a band that opened for B.B. King a few times and there were a lot of people there. To me, once on stage, everything off stage is a blur. There really is no difference between playing to one or playing to 1,000. In fact, I often find it MORE nerve wracking playing to one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicalaccents Posted March 10, 2006 Share Posted March 10, 2006 Back in April 2001, I got a call requesting me to be a guest artist, part of a 4-piece rock ensemble, that supported the Dallas Winds & guest Artist- Arturo Sandoval. That's my most memorable experience by far. It was performed at the Meyerson, as well. We perfomred really difficult classical-rock-fusion pieces by Werle, played Arturo's concerto and other original material. I setup my keyboards about 3 feet to the 'stage left" of the conductor, which provided some added nerves before the show. However, when I walked on stage, there was a euphoria that came over me...almost heavenly- maybe it was heaven. Oh, and after the show, I got to party with Arturo Sandoval. I mean "really party"...let's just say that in his contract that beer, cigars, & girls were a priority. Play only what you hear within...if you hear nothing, play nothing at all My Gear: Motif; Ensoniq MR-76; Suitcase Rhodes; Earthquake MKII Pedal; DiscomBOBulator; PodXT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krakit Posted March 10, 2006 Share Posted March 10, 2006 I don't remember actually playing in a venue with seats and balconies in it. Except for the Eddie Cantor theater at Surprise Lake Camp. I played the Ritz in NYC which is something of a theater situation but it's still more of a club. The largest crowd I ever played in front of was the Lilac Festival in Rochester, NY back in 1991. Foghat shared the stage with us and I believe the crowd was around 40,000. Carl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phred Posted March 10, 2006 Share Posted March 10, 2006 In november we played a gig in front of 3500 people. Was had (at one point) about 1000 people on the dance floor. Pretty cool feeltin I'm just saying', everyone that confuses correlation with causation eventually ends up dead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marino Posted March 10, 2006 Share Posted March 10, 2006 When I played with the group Indaco (for almost 10 years), we played quite a few of those big stages, in front of oceanic audiences. The music was burning and fast, so the crowd usually danced and gestured at us.... quite frankly, it's a wonderful feeling. Not entirely 'musical' maybe - it has more to do with pure energy exchange... but there's nothing like it, and I'm missing it now. A different feeling is to play in some big indoor theatre, in front of an attentive audience. It can be rather scary, especially if you're playing solo classical music. Playing at New York's Lincoln Center was like that for me. Even scarier was to play at the Teatro Olimpico here in Rome. From the stage, looking at the audience, you can't see anything - just a big black hole. No visual feedback. But you can *hear* them. Not good for your confidence! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krakit Posted March 10, 2006 Share Posted March 10, 2006 Thank god for you, marino! I was starting to feel like a self concious braggart. I was just about to delete my post but now I can leave it be. Carl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sven Golly Posted March 10, 2006 Share Posted March 10, 2006 Originally posted by Krakit: Thank god for you, marino! I was starting to feel like a self concious braggart. I was just about to delete my post but now I can leave it be. Carl I've been hesitating to post in this thread for the very same reason. In January, I took part in a theater tour in Eastern Canada; capacities ranged from 400 to 2,500, and it was very much like a recital, with a very quiet and attentive audience. Frankly, I love it. Not the largest audiences I've played for in my career, but definitely a different vibe for a rock player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Horne Posted March 10, 2006 Share Posted March 10, 2006 Well, as long as we're all bragging ... The largest audience I ever played for was also 40,000. It was a football stadium in Japan. The US just introduced American style football to the Japanese and they sent the West Point Band over to ... play for free, as I recall; oh yea, they called it public relations. The interesting thing was, during the actual game, the audience was as quiet as an audience for a classical music concert; they were a very polite crowd. It was more unnerving to play a small group jazz concert for a small concert audience where everyone was listening critically. No guitarists were harmed during the making of this message. In general, harmonic complexity is inversely proportional to the ratio between chording and non-chording instruments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidLifeCrisis Posted March 10, 2006 Share Posted March 10, 2006 Got to agree with the self consious guys here. Didn't really want to say much for fear of being labeled a prima donna or a braggart. I have been sticking with my country band because they play larger venues than my rock band. We have opened recently for some big name country acts which drew over 15,000 people. Like Sven, I love it. I get more pumped up the more people there are in the audience. There is no better feeling in the world when you walk on stage with that dull audience roar with the lights down and you swipe a few sample notes on your board. You hear that great sounds of your keys ranging out over a great FOH system. Nothing in the world beats it. To my its why we do what we do. Steve A Lifetime of Peace, Love and Protest Music www.rock-xtreme.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wjwilcox Posted March 10, 2006 Share Posted March 10, 2006 Originally posted by MidLifeCrisis: I get more pumped up the more people there are in the audience. There is no better feeling in the world when you walk on stage with that dull audience roar with the lights down and you swipe a few sample notes on your board. You hear that great sounds of your keys ranging out over a great FOH system. Nothing in the world beats it. To my its why we do what we do. I've gotta agree with that assessment...there's nothing like the rush of being in a big production situation. But I wouldn't want to do it all the time...I wouldn't want the novelty and the excitement to wear off.... www.wjwcreative.com www.linkedin.com/in/wjwilcox Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Nightime Posted March 10, 2006 Share Posted March 10, 2006 Lately I've been playing in the smaller venues, couple hundred capacity, and having a ball with it. I love the intimate energy of that size of a crowd. And like Marino said, it's more of an energy exchange than musical. Way back when I was on the road playing country, periodically we'd play at a very large club in Tulsa. 2500 seats, huge dance floor. Now that was fun to see a 3000 square foot dancefloor full of people doing a two-step or a cotton-eyed-joe. Sure it can be a bit nerve wracking playing in a big venue. I actually get more nervous on opening act gigs. To me it's more intimidating to play in front of the Commodores then 2500 audience members. But after I get started, I just play as myself, knowing that I deserve to be there, or I wouldn't be in that situation. Once you get that first song under your belt, it's just another gig. Relax and enjoy. "In the beginning, Adam had the blues, 'cause he was lonesome. So God helped him and created woman. Now everybody's got the blues." Willie Dixon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainmri Posted March 10, 2006 Share Posted March 10, 2006 The largest crowd I was ever able to play for was at a local college beauty pageant. I was running sound but the entertainment invited me up to jam on some Wilson Pickett. Had to represent, right? Maybe 1200 people. Much fun. chip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joan Posted March 11, 2006 Share Posted March 11, 2006 What a great thread. One day, when I grow up, I would like to experience what you guys have. Of course, I'm 48 now, so I'll be in a walker when that happens. We get excited over having 75 people at our local small town gigs! Or in our backyard... http://jrusso2.photosite.com/~photos/tn/4_104.ts1142042991358.jpg Here's hoping this thread continues... Joan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Nightime Posted March 11, 2006 Share Posted March 11, 2006 Originally posted by Joan: What a great thread. One day, when I grow up, I would like to experience what you guys have. Of course, I'm 48 now, so I'll be in a walker when that happens. We get excited over having 75 people at our local small town gigs! Or in our backyard... http://jrusso2.photosite.com/~photos/tn/4_104.ts1142042991358.jpg Here's hoping this thread continues... Joan I'm 49, and I don't ever plan to grow up "In the beginning, Adam had the blues, 'cause he was lonesome. So God helped him and created woman. Now everybody's got the blues." Willie Dixon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joan Posted March 11, 2006 Share Posted March 11, 2006 Just seems like I have never found the time to grow up either. Thank god for smaller and smaller fonts on resumes. Oh and on a side note...we think our dog Tucker is the greatest...and he loves to sing... http://jrusso2.photosite.com/~photos/tn/7_348.ts1142045827017.jpg Joan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Nightime Posted March 11, 2006 Share Posted March 11, 2006 My Boxer/Lab mix puppy Quinn will come up and play piano with me. "In the beginning, Adam had the blues, 'cause he was lonesome. So God helped him and created woman. Now everybody's got the blues." Willie Dixon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joan Posted March 11, 2006 Share Posted March 11, 2006 Doggies are great!! But, yikes, I don't want to get banned for detouring this thread. The crowd stories are great... Joan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finale Posted March 11, 2006 Share Posted March 11, 2006 Originally posted by Unsound Practices: http://www.tpcworld.com/images/articles/int1-mori.jpg Nice room.[/QB]Absolutely beautiful place. My experience is about the same : I'm more nervous in front of a few people than in front of 3,000. Also... as long as I don't have to talk in a mic. It's true also that the quieter the crowd, the scarier it gets to start the first piece and to warm up the audience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unsound Practices Posted March 11, 2006 Author Share Posted March 11, 2006 The venue is the Esplanade Concert Hall in Singapore. The act was a double bill... Hiromi and Maceo Parker. Unfortunately I couldn't attend the show. I was on the the other side of town practicing "Mustang Sally" and 35 other tunes with the lads . "More tools than talent" Motif ES7:Kurzweil PC1x:Electro 2 73:Nord Lead 3:MKS-80:Matrix 1000:Microwave XT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pursuitboy Posted March 11, 2006 Share Posted March 11, 2006 We get excited over having 75 people at our local small town gigs! Or in our backyard... Here's hoping this thread continues... Joan We must be on the same pro circuit Joan. http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f241/pursuitboy/DSCN0475.jpg Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Byrdman Posted March 11, 2006 Share Posted March 11, 2006 When it comes to nerves, playing solo to three people is much harder for me than playing a crowded room because its so personal. When you get more than a few dozen, the crowd becomes a mass rather than individuals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stu3284 Posted March 11, 2006 Share Posted March 11, 2006 Both of my offspring have sang in the school choir at Newcastle City Hall. I just got the look when I told them they were performing on hallowed ground. It has a real pipe organ in which is the one Emerson uses at the beginning of the Pictures album as it was recorded there. Shut up Dad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joan Posted March 12, 2006 Share Posted March 12, 2006 Originally posted by Pursuitboy: We must be on the same pro circuit Joan. http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f241/pursuitboy/DSCN0475.jpgOh my, this looks just like "downtown" Loudonville. In June we are providing sound (and playing also) for a "Battle of the Bands" event. You watch. I'll post a picture from it and the people will be the same...only the names will be changed...to protect the innocent. This...is the city... Joan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wmp Posted March 12, 2006 Share Posted March 12, 2006 Since we're braggin here, I've played more freshly tuned pianos in more empty venues than most. If there are a few people there when you start tuning, most who can leave do so. --wmp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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