Your approach to crowd response

[Andrew.Glose]

Janek,

Towards the end of last semester I found myself in a rather disheartening situation. I was playing with my jazz combo for the end-of-the-semester performances, when I looked out into the crowd, and observed nobody moving. Nobody seemed to be enjoying themselves, moving their body, or giving any positive response (And I know for sure that it wasn't because the music was lacking). The crowd was completely unresponsive. I couldn't help but feel a little...bummed out, to say the least. When I watch other performers live, I'm moving SOMETHING on my body. I get into it. I enjoy it. It's a positive experience for me, and others can tell.

How do you approach and make the best out of this type of situation? It's unfortunate that these situations arise, because what seems to be going on, in academic settings, in particular, is the people in the crowd (mostly fellow student musicians) are sizing up the performers and comparing techniques...not enjoying the music. And I wonder, what good can come of this? If they're not allowing themselves to put their guard down, enjoy the music, and pull a bit of fun/inspiration out of it, what good are they doing themselves? Have you experienced this? Do you simply ignore your audience?

Or a bar situation. Playing for a 'dead' crowd, etc. How have you approached these types of situations?

I play and create music for my love and enjoyment, first and foremost. But there comes a point where your crowd, the people you want to move and excite, becomes a drag...

Andrew

[janekbass]

I look at it that it is your job no matter who the audience are to make something happen musically that moves or connects with someone. And while there are some audiences that are a little tame, it's down to you to make it happen. You may think that something you're playing is totally happening, but the real skill involved in performing is to be able to take your own ego out of the equation, read the audience, and move in a direction that makes a connection with them.

This may sound retarded, but playing something like sweet home alabama will normally make a connection with someone in an audience in the US. you don't actually have to play the song in it's entirety, but just hinting at something that is so natural for a person to listen to will get their attention and involve them in what you're doing. It could be a michael Jackson song, the eagles, simon and garfunkel...... just anything that isn't yet another cat standing on stage so wrapped up inside what their doing playing over some chords changes that no one's ever heard before and expecting the audience to respond to it. Being able to play complex music, blow over chord changes, understand close voicings, respond to a musical statement from a band member no matter how subtle...... are all great things to be able to do. But they all become pointless if no one will listen to you.

I've been in situations as a sideman and as a leader where the audience were totally fired up and into the gig. As a sideman I can do my best to help the band make a connection with the crowd, but in a situation as a leader I have way more control.

I can totally stop the band playing, and get out front and do something on my own that I know will get people's attention. I don't mean showboating and playing something really fast to make people go "wow". I mean getting on the looper and playing Dave Matthews Crash as a solo piece for a couple of minutes or something like that.

For me, bringing the volume right down really helps. Suddenly there's not this huge wall of sound that people can talk over. If they chat in a part of the show where I'm doing something really quiet on my own they're going to stick out like a sore thumb. They have to listen to what you're doing if you have control of them with small techniques like that.

You also have to know how to talk to an audience. There's no point in getting all this badass sh*t together as a player if you're going to alienate the crowd as soon as you get on the mic and talk to them. Be relaxed, feel it out, take your time, let them say something that you can react to, be cool with your band like you guys are hanging out at home, and by doing that you'll relax the audience.

What I don't do are covers gigs, wedding gigs, private functions etc. I would imagine that at these kinds of gigs you're already playing a set collection of songs, and you're pretty much there for the drunken enjoyment of whoever the lucky couple of the day is. You can still have control of the crowd if you're good at what you do, but I'm sure it would be a lot harder to pull off. I deal mainly with creative or improvised music situations for my music and as a sideman, and then I deal with pop artists playing for huge crowds which is more programmed in the show sense. We Produce an entire show before we go and play any tours, and the interaction is slightly different in the sense that people are really coming there to see their favorite artist and are fired up about the gig. It's really a great feeling to step out in front of 75,000 people how are all there to see the person you're working with. Makes playing the gig a total breeze.

I hope that got to your question.

Easy,

Janek

[Andrew.Glose]

Thanks.

You've opened me up to something I hadn't realized yet.

[Andrew.Glose]

And now I clearly see where you got your rhythmic motive for your 'Intro' on the Live @ 55, hehe. And you only changed one note.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=D5uJHxqMA...1056E9&index=4

A