One time our singer, who makes the quick introductions, forgot my last name. Instead of just letting it slide, he went over and asked the guitarist
I guess I should be glad he doesn't introduce me like "and on bass...the bass player".
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Band Member Intros - Yes or No?
- Thread starter Altitude
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One time our singer, who makes the quick introductions, forgot my last name. Instead of just letting it slide, he went over and asked the guitarist
I guess I should be glad he doesn't introduce me like "and on bass...the bass player".
Always. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard “Who are you?” Or “Introduce yourselves” shouted from the audience when I’ve been in bands that don’t- or bands that take forever to. I’ve even heard it from people after we’ve introduced ourselves!
We play funk originals and we do it in the last song of our show. Nothing fancy and no noodling: The band stops except for the kick drum, while the bandleader just outlines the chords to the tune (on keyboards) and names each band member. When he's done we all kick back in on his cue and finish the song...pretty standard.
What I'd like to see in addition to this is to name one or two band members after a song where he (or they) took a major solo, just a quick "Ladies and gentlemen: Brassy McBrassface on trumpet" type of thing (but with actual names, of course!). Plus, it would give me that extra 10 sec I need to sneak in a sip of water between tunes. I've suggested it but it hasn't caught on...It's more of a jazz thing I think, but I think it's short and classy.
What I'd like to see in addition to this is to name one or two band members after a song where he (or they) took a major solo, just a quick "Ladies and gentlemen: Brassy McBrassface on trumpet" type of thing (but with actual names, of course!). Plus, it would give me that extra 10 sec I need to sneak in a sip of water between tunes. I've suggested it but it hasn't caught on...It's more of a jazz thing I think, but I think it's short and classy.
I think it's fine, but it's a lot more fun if everyone gets a new name for every gig, or a really stupid nickname.
ironic that a lot of you complain about being invisible and about being the 'lowly bass player' (never gets the chicks, yada yada) and in turn think that introducing band members is "corny." 
it's showbiz folks: introducing the players is part of the act. doesn't have to be dramatic --- make it part of the fun you think your audience should be having. for some bands = player intros are probably as good as it gets!
it's showbiz folks: introducing the players is part of the act. doesn't have to be dramatic --- make it part of the fun you think your audience should be having. for some bands = player intros are probably as good as it gets!
ironic that a lot of you complain about being invisible and about being the 'lowly bass player' (never gets the chicks, yada yada) and in turn think that introducing band members is "corny."
it's showbiz folks: introducing the players is part of the act. doesn't have to be dramatic --- make it part of the fun you think your audience should be having. for some bands = player intros are probably as good as it gets!
Yeah. We're not playing at tea dances, you know? We're not worrying about whether we're gauche. Our BL says "SCREAM for Solar Bob" (or Dr. B) and the crowd screams. We're not working a gig, we're putting on a show, fa chrissakes.
Gigs you do to try to get better gigs (like bars) - make sure you introduce the band name (and members if you want to) - you're there to get people to know you. We used to always have a big banner with the band name as well - did everything to try to burn our name into people's brains.
Gigs that you get from bar gigs (corporate, weddings, parties) - introduce the band by name, but not the members. A little promotion is OK, but not much.
I play in churches. The band doesn't even have a name, and no, we don't introduce the band, but the worship leader sometimes says his or her name - trying to make him or herself approachable if people have input or want to volunteer afterwards.
Gigs that you get from bar gigs (corporate, weddings, parties) - introduce the band by name, but not the members. A little promotion is OK, but not much.
I play in churches. The band doesn't even have a name, and no, we don't introduce the band, but the worship leader sometimes says his or her name - trying to make him or herself approachable if people have input or want to volunteer afterwards.
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We do it very subtle. Like if someone plays a song into, or a bridge, or some key part of a song by them self, they get called out. Quick and to the point.
No, it's proof that people are polite and do what they think is expected.
We have done this a couple different ways. We used to do it in the middle of "Uptown Funk" by Bruno Mars. We would do it right at the break down. The singer would go "Before we leave..... let me introduce the band". She then would go into band introductions. It was kind of cool to do. We stopped doing that and now just call out the band members at random times.
Our singer does it at the end of the show. I think it's nice, but don't give it a lot of thought.
I'm pretty sure I played with a drummer who was in witness protection. He refused to tell us his real name, and if you asked him personal questions he would deflect the inquiry. You could never contact him directly, you had to leave a message on some lady's answering machine and he would call you back from a payphone or burner. Great guy. Always on time, and acted and played like a professional, so we gave him lots of work. Then one day there was no more answering machine.If you do intros, be sure the drummer isn’t in the witness protection program.
Over dozens of bands I have been a members of or filled in for, the vast majority of them do it one member at a time.
So, if I sing a song, the main frontman will intro me at the beginning or end of it. Or if there is a keys intro to a song, I will intro him before he kicks it off.
I have rarely been in a band that did a breakdown toward the end of a song and introduced the whole band. That being said, I have seen both local and national acts do a great job of that.
So, if I sing a song, the main frontman will intro me at the beginning or end of it. Or if there is a keys intro to a song, I will intro him before he kicks it off.
I have rarely been in a band that did a breakdown toward the end of a song and introduced the whole band. That being said, I have seen both local and national acts do a great job of that.
Doing it during an intro or outro vamp, or during an instrumental segment of the song, is really smart. Especially if you have a full dance floor. Either way, it keeps the momentum going.
During one set, we would do them as we vamped the outro to our "Get Lucky/Good Times" medley. I saved the lead singer for last and she busted into a few stanzas of "Rapper's Delight." She pretty much nails it and the crowd eats it up with a fork and spoon. Then another verse/chorus of "Good Times" and on to the next song.
It's a great opportunity to get clever and if you do it right you don't lose any momentum in the process.
Original rock/pop bands mostly don't, I guess, on the grounds that they expect to have fans and the fans are expected to know, but I saw Herbie Hancock and Thundercat last year and they both did.
I read an article years ago that discussed how to create "events" within your set. The article defined an "event" as anything engineered to happen in a set that disrupts the audience's expectations and piques their attention and interest. It could be anything from band intros during a breakdown (which may not go to far to disrupt any audience's expectation) to including an audience member in a song somehow.
After I read the article I started paying attention, and lo and behold high-quality acts do seem to create events 2 or 3 times in each set.
Another thread here, but it's harder to do this when your set is totally choreographed with click tracks, backing swells, and all the stuff I'm starting to see cover bands do.
only if fictitious names are used...and a different fictitious name is used each time....
never used my REAL name anyway....
never used my REAL name anyway....
I always do, including where they are from, or some little bit of info. One guy is retired Navy, I usually mention that, gets applause every time. When we were traveling some, Id occasionally make up a location where someone was born. My brother and I were actually born in Kansas City, which sounded cooler than Anderson, IN, so I'd say that. Once though, I said that one guy was from Weehauken, New Jersey, just becaause I thought it sounded like fun. Sure enough, at this little town fair in Indiana, a feella came up and said he was from, you guessed it, and started talking to the band member about Weehauken...oopsie... I faded away to the dressing room and left him on his own ;-)
