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Elitism at gigs

C

Corbeau

Dec 14, 2011
261
2
Australia
#1
My band's been gigging regularly since last month, and tonight's gig was probably the worst we've had. We didn't receive any acknowledgement from the crowd at all throughout our set. Zero. We could have just sat on the stage for 20mins and played nothing, and probably would have received the same response. It's very rare that I see that, as a player or a punter - you usually stop your conversation to give someone a little patter of applause at least, even if they weren't the best.

I thought it was just our band who the audience didn't like, but the next band came on and the same thing happened. So, all up - very strange night. Makes me feel like the crowd were in various cliques and if you weren't in a particular clique, they weren't going to give a crap about what you're playing.
 
#2
Yeah I know the feeling. My band doesn't play anything similar to whatever rubbish buzz bands Triple J are backing at the moment, so when we hit the city to do originals gigs we get ignored by the hipsters. Some crowds in Australia are trying hard to act like LA/New York 'industry types' and everyone thinks they're Michael Gudinski. But they're all wankers in the end and you learn to give them the proverbial finger when they're pissing you off.
 
#3
How is this elitism?

Just because the audience didn't like you doesn't make them elitist. They would have to be better than you in some way and dislike you because of that.

Maybe they just thought you sucked. Or maybe they are just common, everyday A_holes.
 
#4
I think the OP is referring to actual snobs rather than people not liking your music. There's a difference and anyone that's played a bit can tell when it's the case. It doesn't matter how good you are if you don't dress the right way, have the right sound, know the right people, and act similarly unimpressed with your immediate environment.
 
#5
Oh, if it was just us that received the silent treatment from the audience, then sure, it could be that they didn't like us. I could cop that. It was just weird that band no. 2 got the same treatment. It just felt like because my band [and presumably band no. 2] weren't part of a certain crowd, then the audience didn't want to know us.
 
#6
What kind of music are you playing? In my area the indie rock audience is, for the most part, pretty cold from a participation standpoint unless you've developed your own following, which is difficult to do unless you fit into certain, seemingly well-defined niches. Contrast this with the alt-country audience where, if you're half-way decent, the two-steppers and other dancers will come out and really enjoy your show. Needless to say, I don't play indie rock anymore. I've also found the relationship between bands and songwriters far warmer in the country scene as well.
 
#7
I've had this happen numerous times...and you're right; it's not your band. It is the crowd you're playing for. So, when this does occur and there is no applause, I put on my "I'm a Pro" hat and remind myself that sometimes a live band is an expensive replacement for a juke box; play my best, collect my $$$, and go home (just the same as I would have done if the audience had been eating out of our hands). The owner/manager of the place probably thought a live band would benefit the ambience of his/her otherwise dead establishment. The club/bar will come to the realization sooner or later that they don't need better bands...they need better patrons.

I am Lost In Sauce and -I approve this message-
 
#8
Be careful about reading into peoples reactions. This is the sort of thing that starts up so many misunderstandings between people. You really can't tell what's going on in someone else's head. It could be snobbery, it could be a bored audience who has heard it all before, It could be something in the punch that has everyone down. All you really know is you didn't get a reaction.

Now, either you can change up what you're doing to satisfy these people, or... If you like the music you play, you can just go out and find the audience that likes you too. Chalk this one up for experience and leave the psychology to the professionals.
 
#9
Just remember, about 90% of the audience cannot play an instrument to save their life. They don't know how hard it is and how much work is put into being in a band. Most of the time, they think its all fun and games. So whether they are being snobby or not, just remember you have that up on all of them. Not saying this in a egotistical way, but I feel like those who deny the show are usually ignorant of what they are watching.
 
#13
I am also going to go into the category of both bands possible sucked.

How many people were in the crowd? Did you interact with them or just play songs and hope for a response? I have played to empty bars with 6 regulars being the only people there, if they don't respond we will start tossing out jokes or pointing out their lack of response, they get the hint. Just a warning though, if they did think you sucked, they might let you know it with negative feedback, never had it happen but it could.
 
#14
It happens. I play at a popular club here that has several locations. You can play one location and kill but play at another location and be killed.

You can also play the same location two weekends in a row. You'll bore them on a Friday but go back the following Saturday and kill.

Go figure.
 
#17
Just yell "YOU SUCK!" into the microphone when that happens.

Seriously, we have been playing festivals, fundraisers and other events where 99.9% of the crowd didnt come for the band, and we have had alot of silence between songs. It took playing at some bars/clubs to get our confidence back up. If you are doing originals, it comes with the territory sometimes.
 
#18
Corbeau said:
My band's been gigging regularly since last month, and tonight's gig was probably the worst we've had. We didn't receive any acknowledgement from the crowd at all throughout our set. Zero. We could have just sat on the stage for 20mins and played nothing, and probably would have received the same response. It's very rare that I see that, as a player or a punter - you usually stop your conversation to give someone a little patter of applause at least, even if they weren't the best.

I thought it was just our band who the audience didn't like, but the next band came on and the same thing happened. So, all up - very strange night. Makes me feel like the crowd were in various cliques and if you weren't in a particular clique, they weren't going to give a crap about what you're playing.
Click to expand...

Sounds like you are playing orginals. Sometimes if your crowd
has never heard the song before they kind get kind of weird.
Also, you did not mention what type of venue you were playing at. Dinner club? Were people still eating dinner? Playing were there was no booze? Wrong age group for the band? etc.
 

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