#1
|
|||
|
|||
What do you want from your audience?
I have a very short list:
1. I want their attention, because the words are an important part of the song. 2. I want them to appreciate what I'm doing on the guitar, as unspectacular as it may be. 3. I want them to appreciate the tone I'm getting out of my guitar. 4. I want them to be entertained by the music. In return, I promise to give them more than two or three chords, and I'll even throw in some inversions and interesting melodies too. The list is not prioritized. I closed for an open mike tonight, which means most everyone else had gone. Three people remained in the audience, along with the sound man and the owner. This audience of five was the audience I describe above (perhaps their attention was their hope to get out of there...). The one audience member who gushed about the sound of my guitar really did it for me, though. Part of me thought, 'this is the perfect audience.' The other part of me thought, 'I'd like there to be more.' What does your ideal audience look like?
__________________
2008 Larrivee OM-03R (e) 2005 Bourgeois Vintage OM 1986 Alvarez DY-45N (fs) 1916 Martin 2 Uke 1950s Martin 1 Uke 2007 Laughlin 3K Uke 2007 Dominator Spruce Uke |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
With the financial climate my favorite "roost" is gone, I like to do dinner concerts in banquest halls. I do 95% originals and tell jokes/stories, not an easy sell, thank God I do it for fun and not to pay the bills.
I personally have no desire to be a live jukebox or play covers in the background, not right or wrong, just not me, I have friends who love those gigs. I try to be a folk style storyteller with my songs, I do want people to listen. I want to make them laugh, I want to make them cry, and I want to earn their attention. For me dinner concerts are perfect, folks eats, have some drinks, are comfortable and I typically play 8-10 with a break. I also do coffeehouses and songwriter showcases, sometimes you can hear a pin drop, sometimes it's too noisy to mike my guitar(s) and I have to use my OMC Aura. My expectations from the audience are less, they came to a venue I happened to be at, which I understand, versus a dinner concert where they came to see me. Back to your question, I think venue affects expectations from the audience.
__________________
Rich - rmyAddison Rich Macklin Soundclick Website http://www.youtube.com/rmyaddison Martin OM-18 Authentic '33 Adirondack/Mahogany Martin CS OM-28 Alpine/Madagascar Martin CS 00-42 Adirondack/Madagascar Martin OM-45TB (2005) Engelmann/Tasmanian Blackwood (#23 of 29) |
#3
|
||||
|
||||
Every performer enjoys an attentive audience. That said, I think the question should be what does the audience expect from the performer? Get that right and you'll have it made.
Last edited by mike o; 04-11-2009 at 07:55 AM. |
#4
|
||||
|
||||
Well put Mike. I think a lot of people make the mistake of thinking that the audience is there for them when for a good performer, it's the other way around.
__________________
Chris Official site That which is good or great makes itself known, no matter how loud the clamor of denial. -- Theodore F. MacManus I've got a fever and the only prescription is more cowbell -- Christopher Walken |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
Slavish adoration.
Which is why I play for my dogs.
__________________
Phil Playing guitar badly since 1964. Some Taylor guitars. Three Kala ukuleles (one on tour with the Box Tops). A 1937 A-style mandolin. |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Aloha
Aloha,
In 45 years of gigging, I've had many different things that I've wanted from my gig audiences. First it was acknowledgment that I was even in the room playing, then praise,, acceptance and a sense of communication. Then came my "girl" phase - you know what I wanted for those 20 years - phone numbers and room keys. Still later, acceptance from other respected musicians that I could really write, play and sing. However, as I've mellowed, it's evolved into a two-way friendship kind of thing. I'm becoming that amusing, fun, story-telling uncle in the room that makes you laugh. Love songs sure don't work today anymore. And now that I'm 60......it's three things I need from gig audiences: First - TIPS!!!!!!!! - for me and the servers; Second: MANY REPEAT CUSTOMERS at my gigs every week; and finally, a SMILE ON THE MANAGER'S FACE. With everyone losing gigs in this economy around the world, what could be more important than those three? Show me da money, mister customer! Friends and family get much more from me when I play now. Modern audiences in bars and restaurants - amped up as they are on technology and self-entitlements wuch as constant cell phone usage - really suck to play for. Just being truthful. alohachris |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
All I want is for them to enjoy themselves and not throw things at me!
__________________
Acoustiholic Somewhere around 200 strings attached to various shapes, sizes, and types of wood. Real P.I.T.A. when it comes time to tune!!!! |
#8
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
I suppose it depends on the venue, but I am strictly a restaurant/lounge/party player. I want people to enjoy themselves, and often when I hear musicians lead in with "And here is an original tune..." in that type of venue the noise volume goes up and people totally disengage. I avoid this by recognizing my utter lack of songwriting skill and focusing on my love for playing other people's best stuff. I want people to enjoy ther dinner or event. I find that this is most easily accomplished by playing to the crowd's demographic. My secondary desire is to remind people of the great tunes they used to love but don't recive much airplay. I love doing 80's one hit wonders... Michael Penn's "No Myth" is a guaranteed room full of smiles in the right room. Don't judge me, I may not meet the definition of "artist" that I have been reading on the boards lately... but I love what I do. Oh, and btw... music stands are fine
__________________
Peace... Tom 1997 815ce Custom Shop |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
I think where some venues fail, especially open mikes, is when they don't encourage the other players to be an audience and listen, but that's another rant. I'm like rmyAddison in that I can't have a good time as just background music.
__________________
2008 Larrivee OM-03R (e) 2005 Bourgeois Vintage OM 1986 Alvarez DY-45N (fs) 1916 Martin 2 Uke 1950s Martin 1 Uke 2007 Laughlin 3K Uke 2007 Dominator Spruce Uke |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
"what do you want from your audience?"
10% in the offering plate !
__________________
Steve _______________________ Cornerstone Genesis - Curly Macassar Ebony / Sinker Redwood Klein M43 - EIR/Spruce Tony Vines Baritone - Walnut/Adi Joel Stehr 8 String - Figured Myrtle / German Spruce Kammerer 8-NNG - Maple Chrisman guitar 1934 2-Russian made classical - Rosewood/Spruce Mervyn Davis Smoothtalker - Cedar/Kiaat Kinnaird Student Build SJ Sitka Spruce / Black Wanunt |
#11
|
|||
|
|||
re audience...
I want adulation..women to throw themselves at my feet...large sums of money.......or maybe what someone else posted....I want them not to throw things at me!
|
#12
|
||||
|
||||
Hi Ukeforawhile...
For someone to say "That moved me..." |
#13
|
||||
|
||||
I want them to enjoy it enough to put their names on my mailing list. Other than that, I can't really expect anything.
__________________
Chris Official site That which is good or great makes itself known, no matter how loud the clamor of denial. -- Theodore F. MacManus I've got a fever and the only prescription is more cowbell -- Christopher Walken |
#14
|
|||
|
|||
a really good night for us is when the audience has had half as much fun as we have had. Sometimes it seems a crime to be paid to play and sing together. Of course, sometimes it seems a crime when we realize how little we've been paid.
In all seriousness, when we're playing a restaurant gig, a little applause here and there is all we need. When we're in a concert mode, I really like them to listen -- especially to our originals. If they don't, hey ... there'll be another gig next weekend and maybe the wind will be in the right direction then.
__________________
Fulham Football Club -- COYW!!!! Fulham USA FUSA ---------------- www.thetimandbobshow.com |
#15
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
Last edited by trpullen; 04-14-2009 at 01:48 PM. Reason: Family Friendly Edit |