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Topic: Do you prefer dance crowds or show crowds? |
Ken Thompson
From:
Great Falls, Montana, USA
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Posted 8 Jun 2006 11:03 am |
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Another thread prompted me to ask the question; do you prefer concert gigs or dance gigs, and the reason is this.
I have played in front of big crowds and small crowds at concerts type settings and found that no matter what I do I get very nervous when the audience is sitting there watching me. My fingers tighten up and my leg shakes making my volume pedal sound really strange. I have never played my best in that type of setting. I can get by, but not my best.
Conversly, while playing in a dance setting where everyone is dancing and paying little or no attention to me I play up to my abilities. I can actually do a pretty good job with speed and fluidity.
I can't explain it only to say that I could never shoot free throws in basketball either because all the attention was on me. I perform much better when I am part of the show, not "the" part of the show.
Therefore, I much prefer dances (of any sort) over a concert setting, no matter how large or small the crowd.
Does anyone else have this affliction or is it just me. And don't tell me to practice more, I know my stuff. I am not shy and I know the material I am playing, it is just a head game that I can't explain. |
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Bobby Boggs
From:
Upstate SC.
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Posted 8 Jun 2006 11:59 am
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I like show crowds.Most dance crowds, clubs, bars, The people are just there to try to meet someone. Well except the line dancers.They want to be the show.Not see one.I had just rather play for a crowd that payed their hard earned money to listen to music. Not that I haven't enjoyed the club scene. Back in my younger days of course.  ........bb[This message was edited by Bobby Boggs on 08 June 2006 at 01:19 PM.] |
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Bob Tuttle
From:
Republic, MO 65738
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Posted 8 Jun 2006 12:11 pm
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I like 'em both. I always enjoy playing a good dance job with a cookin' band, where everyone gets to stretch out a little. On the other hand, I enjoy playing shows too. It seems like the audience is more attentive and appreciative. I can't say that I prefer one over the other. I just like to play.  [This message was edited by Bob Tuttle on 08 June 2006 at 01:12 PM.] |
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Dave Zirbel
From:
Sebastopol, CA USA
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Posted 8 Jun 2006 12:11 pm
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Since I mostly play in bands with original material, I prefer show crowds. In my experience it seems that most of the dance crowds around here could care less if it's live music or a DJ, and they want to hear the familiar hits from the radio.
I don't mind it when people dance. I actually like it!
DZ[This message was edited by Dave Zirbel on 08 June 2006 at 01:15 PM.] [This message was edited by Dave Zirbel on 08 June 2006 at 01:15 PM.] |
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Stu Schulman
From:
Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)
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Posted 8 Jun 2006 12:50 pm
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| I prefer small concert venues where the people are sitting really close,close enough to crack jokes with them,and also no booze,and they let kids in.I also might make a balloon animal,or do a yoyo trick. |
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Jim Peters
From:
St. Louis, Missouri, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 8 Jun 2006 1:02 pm
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| Dance crowd, no doubt for me. JP |
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Larry Strawn
From:
Golden Valley, Arizona, R.I.P.
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Posted 8 Jun 2006 1:11 pm
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Ken,
The only thing I know is bar room dance crowds, When people are dancing I feel like I'm doing my job. When they just sit there and stare at me I wonder what is wrong, am I not doing a good job, have I got something stuck between my teeth, or is my selection of music not what they want?? How ever some times we get crowds that are just into listening, forget the dancing! We had one like that last week-end, the only thing that preserved my good state of mind was they were telling us how much they liked the music! But I would have felt better if they danced more!
Larry
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"Fessy" S/D 12, 8/6 Hilton Pedal, Sessions 400 Ltd. Home Grown E/F Rack
"ROCKIN COUNTRY"
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Bob Carlucci
From:
Candor, New York, USA
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Posted 8 Jun 2006 2:22 pm
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Show crowds,, hands down.. no competition..
"Dance crowds" are usually half[or whole] drunk, and would be just as happy with a jukebox... A crowd that came to hear fine music is a LISTENING audience and many will appreciate the nuances and heart involved in the music...
I LONG to once again play for listening,appreciative,knowledgable crowds as I did years ago.. I am SO weary of staggering drunks wobbling up to me and half belching "Play some F---ing Skynrd man"!!! Good music DESERVES good listeners,,, bob |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 8 Jun 2006 3:06 pm
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Come to think of it Bob, in all my years of playing, I can't ever recall anyone sober requesting a Lynyrd Skynrd song. 
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Barry Blackwood
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Posted 8 Jun 2006 3:13 pm
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| Show crowds. |
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Joe Miraglia
From:
Jamestown N.Y.
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Posted 8 Jun 2006 3:35 pm
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Either one is ok.At a dance the more people the better. BUT no Steel guitar players,they make me nervous Joe
www.willowcreekband.com [This message was edited by Joe Miraglia on 08 June 2006 at 04:37 PM.] |
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Bowie Martin
From:
Wilson, NC USA 27896
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Posted 8 Jun 2006 3:38 pm
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| Show crowds primarily - we do a lot of festivals, special events (and fairs), and when people applaude every song, it just seems to make the band play even better. Dances are fun too, because you can sort of relax and if you hit a bad note, probably no one will notice (except the musicians in the crowd and what the heck, they probably got in free). |
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Bobby Lee
From:
Cloverdale, California, USA
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Posted 8 Jun 2006 3:47 pm
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| I prefer concerts. Feels more like an artform when people are listening. |
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Roual Ranes
From:
Atlanta, Texas, USA
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Posted 8 Jun 2006 4:46 pm
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| Dances. I feel as though I might have a chance to redeem myself later on in the night. |
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Tracy Sheehan
From:
Fort Worth, Texas, USA
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Posted 8 Jun 2006 5:27 pm
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What burned me out on sit down jobs was the same songs being requested so much.I could name a couple of songs that when the band leader announced them i almost got physically sick.
Some of those songs i could play in my sleep,which i have been accused of doing.  [This message was edited by Tracy Sheehan on 08 June 2006 at 06:28 PM.] [This message was edited by Tracy Sheehan on 08 June 2006 at 06:29 PM.] |
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Mike Ester
From:
New Braunfels, Texas, USA
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Posted 8 Jun 2006 5:36 pm
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Either one is fine with me.
A clam in front of a dancing crowd is no worse than a clam in front of a listening crowd. |
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Charles Davidson
From:
Phenix City Alabama, USA
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Posted 8 Jun 2006 5:49 pm
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| Show crowd,No doubt about it. |
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Luke Morell
From:
Ramsey Illinois, USA Hometown of Tex Williams
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Posted 8 Jun 2006 7:03 pm
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| Show crowds for me, the crowd's paying more attention to the show and not visiting one another. |
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Dick Wood
From:
Springtown Texas, USA
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Posted 8 Jun 2006 8:47 pm
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I prefer show crowds but Ken I have to tell you the most nervous I have ever been was when we opened for Hank Thompson (with Bobby Garrett) at the Bass Hall in Fort Worth about 10 years ago.
Bass Hall is where they have symphonies, plays etc. and acoustics that are second to none. We walked out from behind the curtin, lights at full brightness and not one person made a peep as we took our places.
It was soo quite I could still hear the echo of my first ex-wife saying she wanted a divorce from 25 years ago.
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Cops aren't paid much so I steel at night.[This message was edited by Dick Wood on 09 June 2006 at 10:54 AM.] |
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Roger Rettig
From:
Naples, FL
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Posted 8 Jun 2006 9:35 pm
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Show crowds!
People have come to watch and listen - no contest for me!
RR |
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Smiley Roberts
From:
Hendersonville,Tn. 37075
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Posted 8 Jun 2006 10:58 pm
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Don't make no difference to me,as long as I'm playin' the music I like & gettin' paid for it.
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©¿© It don't mean a thang,
mm if it ain't got that twang.
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Dave Mudgett
From:
Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee
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Posted 9 Jun 2006 12:44 am
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For me, it depends on what type of music I'm playing. If I'm playing "listening" music - Americana, folk, jazz, blues with a jazz feel, bluegrass, or non-dance oriented country music, that type of thing - a show crowd. But if I'm playing dance music - rockabilly, country-dance music full of shuffles, gut-bucket blues, swing - I prefer a dancing crowd. I usually form bands with one or the other in mind. Right at the moment, I lean to listening music, but I'd love to do a hardcore honkytonk country dance band doing tons of shuffles and swing in a big dance hall.
I agree that one needs to be more on ones toes with a listening crowd - it didn't used to be this way, but dance shows are too loud these days for anybody to tell much of anything. Bands tend to just plug in and go for the jugular.  |
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Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
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Posted 9 Jun 2006 3:09 am
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Big shows. The atmosphere is more charged, the time goes by quick, so fast you don't have time to wonder if you did good or not.
And there's no blender going in the background. |
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c c johnson
From:
killeen,tx usa * R.I.P.
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Posted 9 Jun 2006 3:14 am
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| dance crowds. We must all remember that we are not there for the crowd to notice us or go ga-ga over us. We are there to provide good dance music for them irregardless if they are sober or drunk. Leave your ego at the door and make em dance. CC |
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David L. Donald
From:
Koh Samui Island, Thailand
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Posted 9 Jun 2006 3:32 am
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| Gimme the listeners everytime. |
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