Getting All The Attention

[BruceBass3901]

My band recently played a local church talent show. We were the oldest ones competing (all 17/18, everyone else was bout 12 ) and were really just doing it for a bit of fun.

After the first heat, we got 'saved by the judges' (all the others had their mates voting for them) and got through to the finals.

We decided to do a cover of 'The River' by Good Charlotte rather than an original in the hope that the audience would know the song and participate a little. Anybody who knows this track knows that there is a little break at the start of the verse where its just the bass doing a little fill. Normally, the guitarist and the lead singer just point at me and I do the classic 'one foot on the monitor' kinda stance, but thought, 'Why not?' and full on leapt onto the monitor the first time and just jumped back casually. During the rest of the song, I just stood there in the classic 'power stance' and rocked out. For the second bass break, I decided to jump up again and then jump and spin off I know this is show-boating a little, but I just got too exctited

I looked at my drummer and he was grinning ear to ear, but my guitarists were both looking a little scorned, but I just got on with the song. At the end, the judges all gave their opinions on the song, and 3 out of 4 said that the song went really well, but told the singer that she needs to move more becasue the judges kept looking at me throughout the performance.

After we had packed up and gone on our way (after being told we hadn't won), the drummer was saying 'Really nice work tonight', but the guitarists and the singer kept saying 'What are we supposed to do when you're doing that?' I couldn't help but smile through the whole 'ordeal'

Anybody else got the 'I stole the show' kinda stories?

[frankenjazz]

i was once in a band with some older guys, by about 20 years, they wrote this song right before i joined that band that just had nothing in it for about a minute, i asked what was it about, the guitarist/singer/band leader (isnt that always how it works in a three piece? sigh) basically said he wrote a song so complicated he coudnt even solo over it but thats where the solo would go, so i suggest things he could do cause it was a pretty simple Eb minor blues (stevie ray vaughn clone *cough cough*) he listens and whatever, 2 weeks later at a gig he calls out the song and when the drummer is counting it off walks over to me "if its so easy to solo over it lets see you do it" so the solo part comes and i take a solo nothing mind blowing or shred happy just simple blues lines and some modal stuff, at the set break a bunch of audience members came up to me telling me how awsome it was and told the guitarist...wait for it....i should be getting more solos, i was in the band for another month and at every band practice when i suggested something like clock work i would get "oh so youre the lead guitarist now?"

[Jason P Bass]

Originally Posted by BruceBass3901

I looked at my drummer and he was grinning ear to ear, but my guitarists were both looking a little scorned, but I just got on with the song. At the end, the judges all gave their opinions on the song, and 3 out of 4 said that the song went really well, but told the singer that she needs to move more becasue the judges kept looking at me throughout the performance.

After we had packed up and gone on our way (after being told we hadn't won), the drummer was saying 'Really nice work tonight', but the guitarists and the singer kept saying 'What are we supposed to do when you're doing that?'

They're SUPPOSED to be something other than DEAD WEIGHT.

You did a great job. The other guys did poorly and they're blaming you for "making them look bad". When this happens to me, I smile and say, "I can't make you look bad if you do a good job to begin with."

[BruceBass3901]

They were kind of constrained on this occasion by mic issues and amplifier complications, but I'm trying to get them to work on stage prescence. Any suggestions as how I can 'tempt' them?

[spaz21387]

my guitarist hates it when I bring my wireless gear to shows... why? because it means ill be on the floor the whole time pumping up the crowd and playing bass. Im sure I can find pics of me in the center of the pit and the crowd is just going nuts around me ha or sometimes ill be in it and going around and playing bass and if someone decides to throw a punch at me they get a smacked with a bass.

[BruceBass3901]

Haha, I love that idea If ever there was a reason to get a wireless system, its so you can mosh with you bass =p

[spaz21387]

but you have to do it with a bass you dont care about.
The bass has more stickers on it then it did in the bottom pic but its at my drummers house so i cant take a pic of it at the moment.
184767_10150094648738780_628583779_6244123_1340861 _n by spaz21387, on Flickr

bass by spaz21387, on Flickr

[Jason P Bass]

Originally Posted by BruceBass3901

They were kind of constrained on this occasion by mic issues and amplifier complications, but I'm trying to get them to work on stage prescence. Any suggestions as how I can 'tempt' them?

Our lead guitar player is an insanely extroverted show-stealing charismatic attention whore. He's like David Lee Roth with a guitar (and shreds). He's not a douche about it - it's just his natural character to draw as much attention to himself as possible. He does it on stage, after the show, at band practice, at 7-11, at family reunions, anywhere and everywhere. To be honest, it's exhausting for the rest of us.

But he raises the bar for the rest of us. I was the first to go wireless on stage - specifically so I could run over to his side of the stage and steal his limelight. He couldn't let that slide, so he went wireless and competes with me for best stage moves.

He spray painted some shoes neon blue, and they look amazing. I couldn't let that slide, so I bought pimp shoes with chrome tip toes. I'm currently getting more shoe-praise than him, but we'll see what he comes up with next.

We definitely have a rivalry, but all of our energy is directed at improving our game on stage. We're constantly trying to one-up each other - with energy, moves, clothes - anything that will make sure that our show is a SHOW.

I think that you need to be that guy for your band. You upstaged them all - make it a tradition. Tell them that the BotB was pretty good, but you've got all new moves, bigger and better, for the next show. And yeah, you're going to upstage them, steal the limelight, and make them look like fools for standing around like fence posts.

So don't stand around like fence posts.

PS - get a mirror for the practice room.

[BruceBass3901]

I've already got a few 'new moves' planned out and I'm gunna practice later today

I upstaged and stole the limelight after the last couple of gigs we played becasue I turned up with my new homemade bass. I had all the other bands there and the soundmen going 'Woah, what make is that?' I'll have my work cut out for me in a couple of weeks thoguh as my guitarist ordered a custom Manson Tele last month and it should be shipping some time soon.

Just to get a little limelight here as well, here's the bass that stole the show:

[Pollinator95]

Originally Posted by BruceBass3901

I've already got a few 'new moves' planned out and I'm gunna practice later today

I upstaged and stole the limelight after the last couple of gigs we played becasue I turned up with my new homemade bass. I had all the other bands there and the soundmen going 'Woah, what make is that?' I'll have my work cut out for me in a couple of weeks thoguh as my guitarist ordered a custom Manson Tele last month and it should be shipping some time soon.

Just to get a little limelight here as well, here's the bass that stole the show:

Woah! That´s awesome! Do you have a build diary or something? More pics?
Your bass is stealing the show (thread).

[BruceBass3901]

Here's the 'build diary'. If you read through, you'll see that it wasn't done until after I finished the bass

1st Build

My next build is a 5 string Jaguar copy. Here's the thread for that so far.

2nd Build

Hoping to get some more done to that soon, but exams and coursework have been taking priority recently

[Reaper Man]

that's funny, my guitarist always wants me to do solos

beautiful build bruce

[BruceBass3901]

Thank you very much

My guitarists always compain about the solos they have to do, and have turned around to me and said 'You take it this time', just as we start the song. The looks on their faces when I don't just choke and play the root