What's the largest # of people who've ever watched you do *something*?

[Illbay]

This might be slightly off-topic because it could be something non-bass performance related (although I'm assuming the majority of responses would be related to bass performance).

I actually got to thinking about this today while driving around doing my every-other-Friday errands and listening to the local sports-talk station. They were discussing the upcoming Daytona 500 race, and mentioned that typically around 200,000 people might be in attendance! That would make just the raceway environs as large as a modest-sized U.S. city!

I thought "man, I've never 'done something' before while 200,000 people watched," and I started trying to figure out what was the greatest number of folks who EVER watched me "do anything" at all.

The biggest estimate I can come up with is around 1,000, when I performed as part of an on-stage band for a musical in college - Marat-Sade, I believe it was.

That's not a lot of folks!

Your typical "stadium concert" will draw pretty close to 100,000, provided the stands AND temporary seating at the field level are used.

If you're a college football player and play at some gigantuous stadium like University of Tennessee in Knoxville, or U. of Michigan in Ann Arbor, you're going to have about 100,000 folks watching you, PLUS potentially millions more on TV.

Here in Texas, we televise the high school football championships, and I know that about four million folks watched our local team, Katy, defeat Pflugerville for the 5A-I title late last year.

And so it goes.

So, what's the largest number of people who watched YOU do something, either performing on your instrument or something else?

[flea_slap_god]

Erm, i've played with greenday at the Manchester evening news arena on there last tour so howevermany that was and i played infront of 30000ish people at chelmsford park in essex the week before Vfest.





and chelmsford




Not bad for a 17yearold.

-Jake
http://www.tenfloors.co.uk

[Dave Martin]

The largest crowd I've ever played in front of was about 30,000 people (Big country music festival; I was working for an artist at the time). But I've played on nationally broadcast shows, so I dunno if that counts by the strictures of your question.

[Illbay]

Originally Posted by Dave Martin

The largest crowd I've ever played in front of was about 30,000 people (Big country music festival; I was working for an artist at the time). But I've played on nationally broadcast shows, so I dunno if that counts by the strictures of your question.

Yeah, that would count, if you're on television. Can you estimate how many viewers?

[Mike Shevlin]

Originally Posted by flea_slap_god

Erm, i've played with greenday at the Manchester evening news arena on there last tour so howevermany that was and i played infront of 30000ish people at chelmsford park in essex the week before Vfest.





and chelmsford




Not bad for a 17yearold.

-Jake
http://www.tenfloors.co.uk

HOLY CRAP!!!! Rock on Jake!!!! At 17 I would get nervous playing in front of my girlfriend.

[Phalex]

I've done several festivals. Probably the biggest was the Bay City Fireworks Festival. I know they get 100,000 people or better there, but they have several stages and the crowds are pretty transient. Not sure if that counts.

[agreatheight]

Live was maybe around 3k watching the show (opening for Los Lobos at New Mexico State fair in the 90s). On the radio was probably close to 10K (morning show on rock station in Albuquerque NM).

[nortonrider]

Back when I was driving race cars, I won a dirt track race that had over 2500 people in attendance.
That's the biggest for me.

[sublime0bass]

I'm sorry, I've never heard of Ann Arbor before. Where is it?

[Dave Martin]

Originally Posted by Illbay

Yeah, that would count, if you're on television. Can you estimate how many viewers?

Nah, not after this many years. Both the show and the netword that aired it are long gone.

[bassplayinggirl]

I've played bass on the main stage at a festival of 3000, but it was a slow hour (and opposite some real competition).

Not too impressive, compared to the big boys, but in a previous life I did have a leading role and my own curtain call in a Gilbert and Sullivan production - largest crowd: 1000 at the Jerusalem Theater.

Bet that's a first among TB'ers!

[mjolnir]

I was in the marching band in college, played a halftime show at a UT game in Austin. There were 92,000 people actually there, who knows how many watching it on TV.

[sarcastro83]

I barfed in front of a packed subway car one time...

[Basshappi]

aprox. 4000

At a festival gig when I was 17.

Since then I've played several gigs in the 1500 range.

[Illbay]

Originally Posted by sublime0bass

I'm sorry, I've never heard of Ann Arbor before. Where is it?

Michigan, near Detroit. The University of Michigan, probably the largest state university in the U.S., is located there.

[Illbay]

Originally Posted by sarcastro83

I barfed in front of a packed subway car...

Not for long.

[scrotimusprime]

ha, I'll admit it - 500.

[Hawaii Islander]

Playing string bass in the highschool orchestra, a few hundred people max.

Jake: Was that Mike Dirnt's P-bass that you were playing?

I have the Fender version and I like the way it plays and sounds.

[Illbay]

Originally Posted by scrotimusprime

ha, I'll admit it - 500.

So, does that count for your "fifteen minutes" or are you holding out hope for something more spectacular?

[flea_slap_god]

Playing string bass in the highschool orchestra, a few hundred people max.

Jake: Was that Mike Dirnt's P-bass that you were playing?

I have the Fender version and I like the way it plays and sounds.

Ye it was, he supposedly has every single one a little bit different i think i read, it sounded ace for what its for but i really cant remember too much, was a bit to shocked to think about it, i was only 15 then!!