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Why I don't go see acoustic acts

#21
jive1 said:
As a guy who does acoustic shows, if you're going alone it's a little harder than you think. First to entertain an audience by yourself takes some skill and confidence. I'm way more nervous doing a solo acoustic thing, than a duo, trio or band. I'm just more comfortable having other musicians to lean on if needed.
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Jive, you nailed it with this.

I worked up a couple of sets worth of originals a few years ago after having been in bands for 20+ years. Believe me it was nerve-wracking at first- like pee your pants scary, and I've never been nervous onstage at all.

Try it in front of a rowdy bar crowd sometime and you might change your perspective a bit.
 
#22
Jive, you're awesome. I used to do the solo acoustic thing and cover artists like Ozzy (though not Close Your Eyes Forever or Mama I'm Coming Home), Social Distortion, Joan Jett, Metallica, Sixx AM, and A Perfect Circle. It was fun but a lot of work, and I don't think I pulled it off as well as you did. Maybe it's time I dusted off the guitar again.
 
#23
I agree that it's difficult (I'm starting to perform some sets on my cigar box guitar) but the difficult part for me isn't nerves, it's making it interesting. Heck, some of my piece are just guitar solo-ed without vocals, but if you watch someone like sea-sick steve (who I don't partciularly like, just an example) he's actually quite interesting. He also uses a stomp box, which is a fantastic idea just because it adds a bit of depth. He also puts on a show and involves the audience.
Try chatting with them after a gig instead of avoiding them if it bothers you that much, and give them some links to solo acts or 'how to make a stompbox' videos or something. All you need is a wooden box (like a wine box) with a piezo stuck in it :)
 
#24
bassfran said:
I worked up a couple of sets worth of originals a few years ago after having been in bands for 20+ years. Believe me it was nerve-wracking at first- like pee your pants scary, and I've never been nervous onstage at all.

Try it in front of a rowdy bar crowd sometime and you might change your perspective a bit.
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I'm with you, I've been playing in bands for over 20 years too and I rarely get nervous on stage. But, all alone with no-one to cover your mistakes, where everyone can hear each time your vocals go flat, and you alone have to entertain the crowd, makes for a potentially nerve wracking experience. After my first solo gig, I had more respect for stand up comedians. At least I had a guitar. And without band-mates, set breaks can be a lonely and/or awkward experience.

Nowadays, even if I can make more going solo, I am more than happy to take half the cut and bring in a partner so that it's more fun for me.
 
#25
wong99 said:
Are you saying that really good tight quality bands do not build business/revenue for a club?
If club owners saw it as a long term investment in building the kind of reputation that creates business they would be well served.
I see it as being analogous to the restaurant owner who serves crappy food, has poor attendance so he buys cheaper food to serve and then scratches his head in wonder when he goes belly-up.
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Not at all. A really good band can build business for a club but a really good band costs more than most club owners can afford to take a gamble with. A club owner can not pay the cost of a good band (actually it would take more than one good band, they need variety) to perform in their club regular enough and for several weeks (more than a month probably) until they can determine if paying extra for really good bands is drawing a crowd that will spend enough to justify the extra costs. Two or three nights of booking a band that costs triple or more than a solo performer and then folks not being there because of some hot TV show, local sports event or really bad weather (flood, heat wave, bad thunderstorms) that caused folks to not be there would really hurt most bars/restaurants/etc. Really good bands often need to book a month or more in advance so it it can be difficult to predict the weather or know TV show schedules, etc to book with regard for other local events. Paying $50 a couple of nights a week is one thing - paying $450 (or more) even one night a week is a huge deal for most venues. For a 4 hour evening of entertainment you will find that a really good band will cost more like $750 or more. You want 3-4 punks playing heavy metal (even if they're good) then the cost will probably be less.
I love going out to see live music and have done it all my life but I know from working both sides of the situation that a lot has changed from not just 30+ years ago but in the last 4-5 years.
 
#31
josiah goldfish said:
I agree that it's difficult (I'm starting to perform some sets on my cigar box guitar) but the difficult part for me isn't nerves, it's making it interesting. Heck, some of my piece are just guitar solo-ed without vocals, but if you watch someone like sea-sick steve (who I don't partciularly like, just an example) he's actually quite interesting. He also uses a stomp box, which is a fantastic idea just because it adds a bit of depth. He also puts on a show and involves the audience.
Try chatting with them after a gig instead of avoiding them if it bothers you that much, and give them some links to solo acts or 'how to make a stompbox' videos or something. All you need is a wooden box (like a wine box) with a piezo stuck in it :)
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I still chat with them. They're usually nice people and I try not to burn bridges. My problem is with the music, not the musician.
 
#35
I know what you're saying about the "bland facto"r with the fool on a stool deals.

OTOH I'm starting to see some acoustic guitar/singer solo acts trying to spice things up with rhythm machines and especially looping devices. Trying to get more of a band sound but still as a 1-person thing. Not sure I'm really into that whole thing either.
 
#39
I know exactly where your coming from even although I'm a solo acoustic artist myself. I didn't do it for years as I thought it wouldn't be enough to get good solid work from. I also found it boring just for the same reasons you mentioned. Then I was made redundant a few years ago and after trying a business venture that failed and a dead end job search I decided to go out and do just that. A solo acoustic act. To my surprise it goes down great every I play and am now working 3/4 nights a week for a Bloody decent wage too more than I was earning on a building site all week ha!! I have a following too, even in areas a long way from my home town I've achieved followings in different towns once they know I'm playing there. I only play covers but do em in my own way with quite a powerful voice and nice acoustic work. I never thought it would be enough to fill a night full of entertainment but they seem to love it and come and come again and the venues keep booking over and over again. I don't have an ego and just do what I do and love doing it. But I'd still find it boring to go and see someone else doing it Ha! I'll never ever get to see myself playing live so will never know what it is they love so much. Even if I was to watch a vid of me I'd still never see me live would I ha!!

Here is a link to my site where you can have a listen to a couple of songs recorded at one of my gigs and see if I can win you over even though I agree with you ha! I also have a lot of very upbeat songs that normally get the whole place singing and dancing which also surprised me. Works every time too. I think it must all just be down to having a strong presence when you play.

www.davela.co.uk

Hope I get you to come and see me one day :)

Great site and some great reads on here keep up the good work man :)
 
#40
When I did an acoustic act solo, these were the types of songs I would do. Many of them fit the OP's description of "same old." A couple do not. I'm not much of a strummer; more of a fingerstyle player, but there's nothing fancy about my guitar playing, that's for sure.













 

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