But sometimes you go to sold out shows of touring bands and the crowd just stands there. They do clap I suppose. Then they come out and say how awesome the band was but they're the same people that get upset at you when you try to get into it. Melbourne has its good and bad audiences.
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Elitism at gigs
- Thread starter Corbeau
- Start date
But sometimes you go to sold out shows of touring bands and the crowd just stands there. They do clap I suppose. Then they come out and say how awesome the band was but they're the same people that get upset at you when you try to get into it. Melbourne has its good and bad audiences.
Back in school I was asked to do a musical item for an Australia Day concert. I asked my 15yr old mate to play guitar and sing, and being a huge Clapton fan he suggested we play 'Cocaine'.
Picture two teenage kids singing about drugs in front of 200+ old people and some politicians in a country town on our national celebration.
Elitism..... well, lets just say we weren't asked to play the following year.
Picture two teenage kids singing about drugs in front of 200+ old people and some politicians in a country town on our national celebration.
Elitism..... well, lets just say we weren't asked to play the following year.
- Sep 4, 2010
- 3,304
- 2,730
- Disclosures
- Endorsing: Martin Keith Guitars
People might just not react in a way you anticipate or are used to, but that doesn't necessarily mean they hate what you do. In some parts of my home country, people typically go out to see a band, say nothing, stand there stonefaced with their arms crossed, and as a performer you think what the hell did i do wrong. Then you hear later that they went around saying it they had the time of their lives at your gig. Go figure.
The only way to really win over people and build a fanbase is by conquering your fans one by one. It takes years of persistence and patience. Don't take it personally.
The only way to really win over people and build a fanbase is by conquering your fans one by one. It takes years of persistence and patience. Don't take it personally.
I too have ran into these situations. I try not to let it bother me, I figure if they don't like my music or cannot appreciate it then whatever I don't need them clapping or listening to it. What I find is fellow one-up man musicians in the crowd or "music snobs" will always be the first to stand there looking drone and quietly judge and critique your set.
At least around my area the music scene has become really cliquey and also it seems everyone is always quick to judge and talk down on others. Sad because my area used to have a very respectable and proud music scene.
At least around my area the music scene has become really cliquey and also it seems everyone is always quick to judge and talk down on others. Sad because my area used to have a very respectable and proud music scene.
In original music you can be very hit and miss. My last band 'missed' a few times, because we didn't sound like everyone else. The biggest in my mind was the only time we played in Baltimore. There were a bunch of people there, and some good lookin' ladies in the crowd for the first band. We were feeling great, because they received a great response.
Of course set break to change bands, we go on, and play to pretty much an empty house. Everyone was still back in the lounge area drinking and playing pool, on the floor were 5 people: the guy who booked the show, his girlfriend at the time, some dude way in the back who wasn't hating our music, some guy who looked, acted, and kinda smelled (even from the stage) homeless, and what could have been his girlfriend. And the sound guy.
So we go off kinda pissed, the next band comes up, and whaddo ya know...crowd digs them. We kinda swore off Bmore after that, we'd rather play to 30 people in West Virginia who liked our music vs 130 who didn't care at all.
Peace,
Greg
Of course set break to change bands, we go on, and play to pretty much an empty house. Everyone was still back in the lounge area drinking and playing pool, on the floor were 5 people: the guy who booked the show, his girlfriend at the time, some dude way in the back who wasn't hating our music, some guy who looked, acted, and kinda smelled (even from the stage) homeless, and what could have been his girlfriend. And the sound guy.
So we go off kinda pissed, the next band comes up, and whaddo ya know...crowd digs them. We kinda swore off Bmore after that, we'd rather play to 30 people in West Virginia who liked our music vs 130 who didn't care at all.
Peace,
Greg
We had a guy come up, request a specific song, put a $10 in the tip jar as we started to play the song. He grabs his girlfriend/wife and danced through the whole song. We end the song and they just walked off the dance floor. I would have though a smile, a wave, even a clap or two... at least they didn't take their $10 back 
Back in my younger years, during the Grunge scene in Seattle, this reaction was common for bands that were opening for the main attraction. I saw it a lot in any case. The opening acts would get heckled or worse (the silent treatment) regardless of how well they played. The majority of the crowd was there for the main gig and would basically fling poop at everyone else. Even back then I thought it was because most of the audience was too insecure in themselves to risk doing something as crazy as clapping for a band that their peers did not pre-approve of.
This would never happen at a biker bar.
This would never happen at a biker bar.
Corbeau said:
Maybe you were not playing the right music for That venue.
Maybe they didn't like you or the next band...
Whatever the reason, the audience does not owe you anything. Rather, you have get and maintain their attention.
I just remembered a line up desicion that absolutely ruined a gig I was playing once. It was supposed to be a night of classic style rock n roll.
My friend's classic rock cover band (who brought nearly everyone who was there) opens the night, they play a killer set, crowd is going nuts for them. People dancing, everyone's cheering, great vibe going on.
Now for some reason, my bandleader put us on last in a 4 band line up at our own gig, because the 2nd act was putting up a hissy fit about how he wasn't feeling well or something so wanted to play second so he could get to bed early, dude was a total drama queen (there was nothing wrong with him he just wanted to play second).
So a little backstory. The bandleader booked this guy because he's in a pretty regionally successful band (who didn't want to play the gig) but this guy wanted to do his solo acoustic act.
This guy steps onto the stage after a killer set of roaring, high energy classic rock songs. The crowd want more rock n roll and they want it now. He pulls out his acoustic guitar and starts singing songs that, in my most favourable description, sounded like they were written by depressed cowboys with a serious drinking problem who's wives just left them and took the dog. He's singing about roaming the countryside, riding horses, feeling lonely, i'm pretty sure the word "desperado" came up more than a few times, something about snakes and outlaws.... This dude was also wearing a very finely knitted beige vest and those big hipster glasses - so to make matters worse he looked like a total dork amongst a room full of young leather-clad rockers.
After announcing that his next song would be his last, he followed it with "soon this hell will be over".
No one knew that was going to happen, but the dude knew his own material... should have known better. I mean it's bad enoug has a band, but being up there by YOURSELF watching the place empty out, the energy die at your hands, then collecting the most pathetic sounding sympathy claps between songs.
My friend's classic rock cover band (who brought nearly everyone who was there) opens the night, they play a killer set, crowd is going nuts for them. People dancing, everyone's cheering, great vibe going on.
Now for some reason, my bandleader put us on last in a 4 band line up at our own gig, because the 2nd act was putting up a hissy fit about how he wasn't feeling well or something so wanted to play second so he could get to bed early, dude was a total drama queen (there was nothing wrong with him he just wanted to play second).
So a little backstory. The bandleader booked this guy because he's in a pretty regionally successful band (who didn't want to play the gig) but this guy wanted to do his solo acoustic act.
This guy steps onto the stage after a killer set of roaring, high energy classic rock songs. The crowd want more rock n roll and they want it now. He pulls out his acoustic guitar and starts singing songs that, in my most favourable description, sounded like they were written by depressed cowboys with a serious drinking problem who's wives just left them and took the dog. He's singing about roaming the countryside, riding horses, feeling lonely, i'm pretty sure the word "desperado" came up more than a few times, something about snakes and outlaws.... This dude was also wearing a very finely knitted beige vest and those big hipster glasses - so to make matters worse he looked like a total dork amongst a room full of young leather-clad rockers.
After announcing that his next song would be his last, he followed it with "soon this hell will be over".
No one knew that was going to happen, but the dude knew his own material... should have known better. I mean it's bad enoug has a band, but being up there by YOURSELF watching the place empty out, the energy die at your hands, then collecting the most pathetic sounding sympathy claps between songs.
Some ex-band members of mine recently formed a band and picked the wrong venue to debut their new group. A local sports bar during hockey playoffs. Tough crowd....they got zip response......nada......nothing.....total silence.......not one dancer........for 4 hours. And these were experienced pro level cover band musicians that have played tons of gigs. It happens...in retrospect they should have loaded up on band "ringers" .....wives and girlfriends to get the party started.....but they just showed up without doing much promotion.
I remember seeing a band a few years back and some bird in the audience abused me for dancing, it was funky stuff that deserved some body motion, and every other hipster idiot there was sitting cross legged on the dance floor.
"They don't want people to dance man......" ***!?!
What kind of music are you playing and what kind of venue are you playing?
Jazz, country, rock, folk, other?
Bar, restaurant, amphitheater, street corner?
I find that coffeehouse gigs get almost zero applause but may elicit some applause. Most people take in the music as if it were the radio. They enjoy it but don't want to be noisy as if they were in a library. They maintain casual conversations, laugh, giggle, everything but give the band applause.
If you enjoyed performing the music and thought you did a great set, then don't let the lack of applause bother you unless that is what you are really seeking.
I've had this happen a number of times.
After talking with folks and the bands here was why;
Opened the evening of a 3 band gig night, we killed. It was one of those times when you get that
"in the zone" feeling. Crowd was quiet and motionless...a few scattered claps at the end.
Next band gets up, plays at best, mediocre and people jump up, dance and party. What the ....!
Turns out the club was known for Classic rock, we played classic R&B.
Played another gig, and man we were nailing it doing pop and rock standards. The vocalist was amazing.
No one danced or clapped much. My thought was we bombed despite a stellar performance.
On packing up, people surrounded the stage to thank us and offer accolades
Turns out folks was simply amazed and mesmerized
Another time we played to a full bar but by the end of the set, the place had emptied to 1/4 full.
Someone actually asked us if we were done yet. One fellow asked if we could make like the ocean and fade out with the tide. I thought we must have really sucked.
Turns out, we really, really sucked. First song started with a train wreck that went on for 45mins. It was terrible and I can't believe we still got paid.
After talking with folks and the bands here was why;
Opened the evening of a 3 band gig night, we killed. It was one of those times when you get that
"in the zone" feeling. Crowd was quiet and motionless...a few scattered claps at the end.
Next band gets up, plays at best, mediocre and people jump up, dance and party. What the ....!
Turns out the club was known for Classic rock, we played classic R&B.
Played another gig, and man we were nailing it doing pop and rock standards. The vocalist was amazing.
No one danced or clapped much. My thought was we bombed despite a stellar performance.
On packing up, people surrounded the stage to thank us and offer accolades
Turns out folks was simply amazed and mesmerized
Another time we played to a full bar but by the end of the set, the place had emptied to 1/4 full.
Someone actually asked us if we were done yet. One fellow asked if we could make like the ocean and fade out with the tide. I thought we must have really sucked.
Turns out, we really, really sucked. First song started with a train wreck that went on for 45mins. It was terrible and I can't believe we still got paid.
Bingo. Hipsters ignore the crap out of us, even though we play funk rock and some people usually get into the vibe of it. But I've never seen hipsters who appear to genuinely enjoy themselves at any gig anyway, so I just figure that they're a crowd of old men/women at heart and are too cool/glum for life.
Where abouts in Aus are you man? I'm in Melbourne, seemingly the heart of the hipster movement...
It doesnt happen often, but it does on occasion, and those nights suck. Nothing kills the energy of a live show quicker than an unresponsive crowd, IMO.
Ive sat through plenty of bands that I didnt care for, and Ive always clapped after every song (even more so when I enjoy them!).
I lived in Melbourne 1994-2004 and played in an Originals Indie Band for 6 years ... We were the original hipster before 'Hipster' ruined it. It was counter-cultural eg. people would sit on the floor, not talk and REALLY listen, then tell us how much they enjoyed the show. Playing xylophone was unheard of. You wore something 'different' because it WAS different and hadn't seen anyone else wear it.
And now, it's just sad....
... and maybe that's how my parents felt when bell bottoms made a come back. :lol:
When I first went thru this thread, I remember thinking "man, it's been ages since I had a situation like this." Maybe that jinxed it...
Last night we played at a place that was all about "being seen" and certainly not a live music venue by reputation; at least not on a Friday night. There were probably 200 people there, all mid/late 20's, very attractive, well dressed and very eager for everybody else to see their $200 jeans and $90 retro concert shirts. The women were incredible. To the point I had trouble concentrating on occasion.
But we were lucky if more than 2 or 3 even notice when we played a song. A few clapped once or twice. And there was one drunk guy who seemed to really like our female fiddle player. But with how many people were there... pretty low ratio. Funny thing was, we were making a percentage of the bar and at $6.50 a pint and $8 a mixed drink... we did quite well.
Last night we played at a place that was all about "being seen" and certainly not a live music venue by reputation; at least not on a Friday night. There were probably 200 people there, all mid/late 20's, very attractive, well dressed and very eager for everybody else to see their $200 jeans and $90 retro concert shirts. The women were incredible. To the point I had trouble concentrating on occasion.
But we were lucky if more than 2 or 3 even notice when we played a song. A few clapped once or twice. And there was one drunk guy who seemed to really like our female fiddle player. But with how many people were there... pretty low ratio. Funny thing was, we were making a percentage of the bar and at $6.50 a pint and $8 a mixed drink... we did quite well.
