Band Member Intros - Yes or No?

[BurtMacklinFBI]

I’m not really crazy about being introduced, personally, but I do think it’s a good idea for the sake of building more of a connection with the audience. The kind of people who become fans of a band (as opposed to people who just happen to be there while you play) eat that kind of thing up.

 

[Hambone70]

IMO, depends on the gig. Can be effective when tastefully done (i.e. not preceding each name with "Mister" or "Miss")!

 

[jamro217]

I always thought it was a matter of professional courtesy. When you go to a restaurant you don't see the chef, sous chef or dishwasher get introduced. When you go to the movies the credits naming the cast appear at both ends of the picture. Music falls into the same category as the movies, i.e. entertainment. You expect to have your work acknowledged. I find it insulting to ignore the intros. Whether you're a headlining star or in a cover band in a dive bar doesn't matter. Show some class. If you join a band that doesn't give you a verbal introduction while you're plying your trade, you tend to wonder in what other ways you're being shortchanged.

 

[arbiterusa]

Always. How could you not?

 

[whero]

What, no poll?

I prefer not to be introduced. Sure, remind people of the band name a few times so they can come see us again if they enjoyed the show. But generally, the fewer drunk strangers who know my name the happier I am. It's not like I'm up for an award or anything.

If a BL does want to intro the band, that's fine. I'm not going to get all weird about it. But please, just say our names and move on; none of this everybody-gets-four-bars-to-show-off-when-i-say-their-name w@nkery.

 

[Renaissance]

I never really cared much one way or the other, but we do intros. I don't like the whole "take a few bars" during intros or doing intros as dead air. We wrap our second set with Rocky Mountain Way and we do the intros during the solo section when it's just me and the drummer playing.

 

[QweziRider]

How do you guys do it in your bands?

So many bands. Most I've been in never intro. Current local band does leading into a song, adding an instrument at a time. Short, sweet, climaxes into the song, drunk crowds seem to like it. The three road acts I do all do intros. So it's all a mix.

 

[electracoyote]

Who did you sub for, out of curiosity? PM me if you’d rather.

I'd rather not cast aspersions on the band or band leader. They have some learning to do, I would be very surprised if they got on a rotation with Baker Street, so less competition for your band.

 

[Nephilymbass]

I’m in a party rock cover band where nobody introduces the band members - not at the end of a set, not in the middle of a tune, not at all.

Other than this, the frontman is very good communicating with the audience. He repeats the band name, slides in a funny anecdote before a song here and there, all the normal stuff. But he doesn’t intro the musicians, ever.

On the one hand, I get it. It’s a cover band. Who cares what the drummer’s name is. On the other hand, it feels a little to me like a violation of tradition and makes me a little sad. It’s the only band (of dozens) I’ve played in where it’s this way.

Thoughts? How do you guys do it in your bands?

always for cover gigs but only for headlining original gigs. If we’re opening an originals show it’s typically a short set and we want to play as many songs as possible while staying on schedule. So most talking is done over song intros

 

[b_carville]

With some of the band's I play in I'm very happy NOT to be introduced!

 

[Dougflores]

It’d be nice to have an introduction. I mean people already don’t care about us bass players. At least then they can associate a name. But ultimately I don’t think it’s a big deal.

 

[TNCreature]

It's not important to me. I'd rather have them remember the band's name

 

[juancaminos]

I will say something randomly like "Hey-how about our drummer Jim playing his ass off for ya tonight"

 

[stringthrough]

Not essential but a nice thing to do for the members.

In some bands I've been in the players take a very short solo when introduced.

 

[alembicguy]

We wear name tags.

 

[aldaa]

Unpopular opinion, but I'm not a fan of band member introductions. It seems really cheesy to me, and sort of "breaks the fourth wall" in my opinion. That said I'm not judging people for doing it... I just don't like it.

I think of a band as one cohesive unit - not 4 individual guys trying to be individuals - if I'm seeing a band, I want to immerse myself in the music and the fact that there are a number of anonymous people on stage making magical sounds come out of pieces of paper, metal, plastic, and wood... I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels that way. Imagine if actors in a play shouted "give it up for smithy mcsmith" after a particularly emotional scene, or if the waitstaff at a restaurant shouted "let's hear it for chef smith & the line cooks" after creating a 4 course meal.

If the audience cared enough, they would ask who someone was. We also live in the age of instant information, so since they're going to know your band name (unless they're blackout drunk), they can easily find out who is in your band. As someone stated above, if you are featuring someone that isn't in your band, yes - I'd say that is appropriate.

Keep in mind this is just my opinion. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[JRA]

If you were doing originals it would be weird.

I have never seen this done in all my time playing in original bands though.

i don't understand(?) --- why does doing originals have anything to do with member intros?

 

[Nashrakh]

Only one band I'm in actually does introduce its members by name. At the end of the night, we have one song (Great Balls of Fire) that we use to close the show, and every band member gets to take a solo over 2 choruses, then they leave the stage, so that on each consecutive chorus fewer band members are on stage. First guitar, then bass, then drums, and finally the pianist who can use the occasion to really showboat his way out of a 12 bar blues.

That's also the first time EVER that someone wants me to take a solo.

 

[interp]

Musicians are human beings who deserve to be named and acknowledged. Otherwise we may as well be inanimate pieces of gear. It doesn’t have to be a long intro, but it should happen.

(Exception: I once played in a band with a drummer whose day job was a circuit court judge. He specifically asked not to be introduced because he figured that there may be people in the audience whom he had sent to prison.)

 

[JPaulGeddy]

I lean more towards 'cheesy, and no one cares', but eh. A quick shoutout on a song where the person is featured, that's cool. Other than that, no use for them.