family in audience...yay or nay?

ARCtrooper225 · #1 03-08-2007, 04:38 PM

Do you like it when your family comes to gigs, or no?
For me, I hate it when family comes to my gigs. They don't embarrass me or any of that, it's just wierd as hell. Just can't rock out or get in the groove with them right there. Strangers I don't mind, but it's just wierd with family (especially parents). How about you?

eric atkinson · #2 03-08-2007, 04:39 PM

My family has come off and on for 20 years to watch me play. Does not bother me....

bikeplate · #3 03-08-2007, 04:42 PM

HI

Doesnt matter to me. Its only about once a year, anyways. I think they are proud of me and Im happy they are healthy and can come and listen.

Rob

TheDarkReaver · #4 03-08-2007, 05:12 PM

it doesn't bother me at all, when we played a festival back in my home county my mum and dad came and my dad even made band t-shirts for him and his mate to wear. i was well chuffed and we gave him a special mention on stage.

the_fooj · #5 03-08-2007, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ARCtrooper225

For me, I hate it when family comes to my gigs. They don't embarrass me or any of that, it's just wierd as hell. Just can't rock out or get in the groove with them right there. Strangers I don't mind, but it's just wierd with family (especially parents). How about you?

Yeah, it's kinda the same for me. It's just kinda hard to get into that rock and roll mindset when you know your parents are there. But I don't really want to tell them to not come, and they only watch the band play rarely.

Jerry Ziarko · #6 03-08-2007, 07:07 PM

Since I come from a very small family it rarely happens. I was well into my 20's before my parents saw me play outside of the basement. They were never real supportive of the whole music thing although looking back at it, let some of my horrendously loud, bad, bands practice in the basement, did help out tremendously. My dad passed away several yrs. ago, but my 86 yr old mom ( who still rocks in my opinion) came out to one of my gigs last year. I WAS THRILLED to say the least!
Another TB'er Vic Winters, had his first gig a couple of weeks ago. Being from the same town I stopped out to show some TB support. The band seemed to have many family (parents etc.) there. I even met his mother! I felt happy for him, and them, that they got to share it together.
Remember, you can pick your friends but not your relatives. Be happy they still want to see you perform. I know I am.....

scottbass · #7 03-08-2007, 07:58 PM

In my case it's my teen and early-20's children who come see me play. I LOVE IT! They give me grief about the music my band plays, but it barely covers the fact that they are proud their old man can still get up and kick out the jams. (Geez, that was really an old geezer thing to say, wasn't it?)

ric1312 · #8 03-08-2007, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ARCtrooper225

Do you like it when your family comes to gigs, or no?
For me, I hate it when family comes to my gigs. They don't embarrass me or any of that, it's just wierd as hell. Just can't rock out or get in the groove with them right there. Strangers I don't mind, but it's just wierd with family (especially parents). How about you?

My wife plays with me in a rock band. It can feel realy wierd when aunts on her side of the family want to come and see us play, because they don't realize that we play the heavier stuff. and my wife doesn't have the sense to discourage them.

It's kind of funny watching them sit in a rock club with everyone looking like, "why is someones grandma here," and then the aunts afterwards trying to think up compliments when we know darn well they don't really care for heavy rock.

cutthroatmolloy · #9 03-08-2007, 10:23 PM

i dont mind it when my family come to our shows. my mother has been to our last two shows and my sister was at our last one, it has the bonus of them being able to operate cameras for us etc too.
i dont find it has any other effects

All_¥our_Bass · #10 03-09-2007, 12:31 AM

It's nice knowing your family supports you in what you do. I just had my dad and uncle(who's IN a band) come to my gig on sunday (March 4).

Incognitus · #11 03-09-2007, 01:22 AM

I wouldn't mind but, they've never really come to any of my gigs, my gf does but they don't as they are usually pretty busy doing other things.

Bassist_Ben · #12 03-09-2007, 03:38 AM

First gig- YAY
Other gigs- nah (unless ur playing first time at a stadium or sumfin!

)

markjazzbassist · #13 03-09-2007, 07:46 AM

i like it when they come and i appreciate it, but it does wierd me out a little. I can't dig in and groove as much cause I feel all self conscious.

flareaga · #14 03-09-2007, 07:50 AM

Yeah I hate it. I tell them never to come, and the only time I want them to hear me is on a record.

eric atkinson · #15 03-09-2007, 07:52 AM

The drummer that i jam with had his father show up to a show one time.. His father got totally drunk took his shirt off and started doing the Jim morrison shuffle in front of the stage..

The drummer was turning red in the face while the rest of the band had a hard time playing because of laughing so damn hard.

His dad looked like norm from cheers on acid.

nubs · #16 03-09-2007, 07:58 AM

i love it when my family comes to shows....now some of my band members have wives that sometimes/most of the time i would prefer they stay home but you can't always have Yoko do what you want her too!!

gkbass13 · #17 03-09-2007, 08:01 AM

the bigger the audience the better, but i dont perform the same way with my parents in the crowd usually...well i didnt untill i started drinking:-P

Dincrest · #18 03-09-2007, 08:17 AM

I don't mind either. My immediate family is small, but my extended family is ginormous and having a room packed to the brim with a bunch of loud enthusiastic Asian Indians is sweet.

They drink, they dance, they have a grand old time.

iamthebassman · #19 03-09-2007, 08:22 AM

My wife went to so many shows that she rarely does anymore. But, it's so dark out there, and with the lights in my eyes it's usually too hard to make out any faces other than the front row, so who knows who's out there.

txbasschik · #20 03-09-2007, 12:17 PM

I need to qualify my "no" answer.

"No", only if they are going to have a good attitude. If I have to hear, "Why don't you play country or gospel, so I would enjoy it more?", or "You really should be at home with your kids," I'd rather they didn't come.

Most of my relatives would not be caught dead at a gig. Because then they'd have to go somewhere alcohol is sold. If it is a bar or a music festival or *any* place where alcohol is sold and consumed, they won't come.

Which is fine with me. If I thought they'd have fun, I'd welcome them. But they wouldn't.

Cherie