Crowds?

RobTheDrummer · Post by **RobTheDrummer** » Monday Jun 19, 2006

How much impact does the crowd have?

Thoughts?

Starr · Post by **Starr** » Monday Jun 19, 2006

How much impact? A helluva lot...

Jacklyn Miauff · Post by **Jacklyn Miauff** » Monday Jun 19, 2006

Your fans are your anchor.........without them you are nothing.

jb31dtr · Post by **jb31dtr** » Monday Jun 19, 2006

With crowds I have noticed its not always how large a crowd is there. Have seen shows with large crowds but also dead crowds. At other times I have seen a pretty small crowd be great just because they all were into the band that was playing.

HurricaneBob · Post by **HurricaneBob** » Tuesday Jun 20, 2006

I like herds better...

Trucula · Post by **Trucula** » Tuesday Jun 20, 2006

jb31dtr wrote:With crowds I have noticed its not always how large a crowd is there. Have seen shows with large crowds but also dead crowds. At other times I have seen a pretty small crowd be great just because they all were into the band that was playing.

I know what you mean.....One thing to remember ..."Always play like there's 1000 people out there." Sometimes it's hard but you have to give the 10 people that paid to see you the same show as you would if it were hundreds...... case in point was Sat night at the Band Jam...thru out the day, Scream and us had great crowds,,thanks to local fans and friends and people that were there the biggest part of the day...Later when SPITSHINE performed there might have been 30 people at the most, but those guys gave the same great show as always...even after driving from Allentown...They played like 1000 people were watching and the people cheered them on and got to go up and talk to them one on one afterwards...Great bunch of guys!! If you get a chance, check em out!

Back to your point...Crowds do help...The more they are into it ,the more the band gets into it...I'd rather play for 10 people cheering and standing up, than 100 people sittin down with no response!

J Michaels · Post by **J Michaels** » Tuesday Jun 20, 2006

Trucula wrote:I'd rather play for 10 people cheering and standing up, than 100 people sittin down with no response!

I've said that MANY times.... A small but enthusiastic crowd is way better than a big crowd that is lukewarm. If everyone gets up and is dancing or hanging up by the stage and singing along and getting crazy, the show is ALWAYS better, cuz the band feeds off their EN_ER_GY

and the crowd then feeds off the band, and back and forth it goes.

bassist_25 · Post by **bassist_25** » Tuesday Jun 20, 2006

I know that as a spectator, I hate it when I'm in a small crowd and the band acts like it's too good to be playing to a smaller crowd, really turns me off and makes me not want to see that band again. I'm not saying that they should act like rockstars up on stage - becuse that's just pretentious - but they should still put on a quality show.

I know that Norman Nardini gets a lot of respect on here, and it's rightfully earned. When JP, Ronny, and I saw him at Burgi's a few weeks ago, there was a rather small crowd in attendance - at least by Burgi's on Saturday night's standards - but Norman and his band acted as though they were playing to a packed house. Norman projected stellar stage presence throughout the night, never ignoring the audience, even up until the last song. And both he and his band made it known that they genuinely loved performing. It may have been a somewhat small crowd there that night, but they definitey made a new fan from the town of Houtzdale. I want to drag the rest of my my band to see the master performers the next time they are in town and we have a night off.

ASB10 · Post by **ASB10** » Tuesday Jun 20, 2006

Now there is a difference between playing to a crowd (large or small) who is into it than playing for chairs. Let's remember that.

Playing for chairs (which we have all done) can be altogether frustrating and it takes some moxie to play the night like there are 400 people there.

When the crowd consists of the bartenders, two or three regulars sitting around the bar, and the band girlfriends....it's a little more difficult to put on the "show". Enthusiasm breeds energy. But you must soldier on as best as possible. These are good nights to try some different material or road test some originals.

Of course, one night we had 250 or so people in YP (where we were a crowd favorite), and for whatever reason, it was a very dull night, and no matter how much energy you throw at them....they are disinterested. But again you have to soldier on.

I am sure some of the other frontmen on Rockpage can attest that energy from the crowd makes your show better and easier. You will do more with the crowd, and have a better time than if you are attempting in vain to get the crowd into you all night.....

The crowd makes the difference between a good show and a bad show. Apathy runs rampant in this area for live music, but you have to find a way to overcome that. If you are in the dreaded "cover band with no integrity" category, try to figure out what they want to hear and bring it to them next show whether it be classic rock, country, whatever. We have played bars in NW PA, and they like classic rock....they wouldn't know Green Day or Fall Out Boy if they were sitting on their faces, so we pull out SRV, ZZ Top, Skynyrd, Stones, etc. and that makes them happy. Happy crowds dance and drink and have fun. Happy crowds make happy bands. Pretty simple equation right?

BDR · Post by **BDR** » Tuesday Jun 20, 2006

Yeah, our setlist is more of a reference point than anything because of this. When it becomes evident that a crowd is into, lke you said, more classic rock than modern stuff, we'll shift gears on the fly to accomodate.

r:>)

Post by **Jim Price** » Tuesday Jun 20, 2006

I can echo what was said about Spitshine and Norman Nardini.

This past Saturday, Spitshine drove in from the Lehigh Valley to donate their talents to the Relay For Life Band Jam, and there were maybe 25 people still present when they hit the stage. But they poured it all out there and delivered a professional-caliber concert performance for that small audience, who stuck around and cheered them on. The band also took time after their set to meet and greet those fans, hook them up with CD's and photos, and more.

And I've seen Norman Nardini over the years play to smaller crowds, and often dead crowds. But he and his bandmates always pull all stops to entertain the folks who are there, and usually before all is said and done, he has them laughing, dancing, letting their hair down and having fun. As bassist_25 said, Norman and his band love what they do, and you can learn a lot from watching them perform and seeing how they work an audience.

Touching on ABB10's comments about adjusting setlists to different crowds, Green Eggs has done this over the years. They gauge what different towns' crowds are into, and plan their sets accordingly. They also carefully change up the song selection and order each time they visit a room, so a given venue isn't ever getting the same exact show from Green Eggs two times in a row. Obviously it has worked for them over the years, as they continue to be one of the most popular party bands in the northeast.

moxham123 · Post by **moxham123** » Tuesday Jun 20, 2006

We play the same whether there are 2 people or 2,000 people. We don't compromise on our performance because the few people who are there still want to be entertained and will tell others about us. Plus, we enjoy playing so much. The crowd does provide us with more energy if they are into it. We have also played for small appreciative groups and had a great time and played for large crowds that did not really react much at all. Of course, we too, have frequently played to chairs. We have had many patrons and club owners tell us that they could not believe that we play like the place is packed even though there might only be handful of people.

Some shows are tougher to play than others. We say that we play gigs or jobs. Gigs are when we have fun and things go well no matter the size of the crowd. Jobs are when it is like going to work and we do our thing, get paid, and go home.

Hawk · Post by **Hawk** » Tuesday Jun 20, 2006

I see this all of the time and the bands don't even realize it.

The band waits for the crowd to get them (the band) pumped up. Yes, read that again, that's what I said.

The first set with a small sober crowd. They stand up there and play their music. The music might even be great. But the bass player and the guitar player will stand facing each other as if they were at practice. This is a MOST ANNOYING thing to me. Please face the crowd.

Entertainment is NOT just the music. Music is part of THE ACT. Now the act could be anything. Simple as smiling, making eye contact. Or more complex acting.

But please don't sit there like a bump on a log waiting for the crowd to pick you up.

SAME BAND near the end of the second set. Crowd increases and the drinks are flowing. Now the band begins to enjoy themselves. They face the audience, joke with them , on stage energy increases. Every one, especially the band, has a good time.

Isn't that backwards.

Don't wait for the crowd to pick you up. You're there to entertain the crowd. Not the other way around.

I hope this makes sense. I hate to be treated as if I'm a chair !

bassist_25 · Post by **bassist_25** » Tuesday Jun 20, 2006

+ 1 to everything that Hawk just said, especially about facing the crowd. I instantly dismiss any performer who turns his or her back to me while up on stage, one of the most unprofessional things a performer can do.

I guess I wouldn't have been a fan of The Doors when they were starting out. *LOL*

Hawk · Post by **Hawk** » Tuesday Jun 20, 2006

bassist_25 wrote:+ 1 to everything that Hawk just said, especially about facing the crowd. I instantly dismiss any performer who turns his or her back to me while up on stage, one of the most unprofessional things a performer can do.

I guess I wouldn't have been a fan of The Doors when they were starting out. *LOL*

Funny you said that about the Doors because I was thinking about them while I was writting. But that dark, drug induced scene....was their ACT.

ZappasXWife · Post by **ZappasXWife** » Tuesday Jun 20, 2006

+ 1 to everything that Hawk just said, especially about facing the crowd. I instantly dismiss any performer who turns his or her back to me while up on stage, one of the most unprofessional things a performer can do.

I guess I wouldn't have been a fan of The Doors when they were starting out. *LOL*

Wow, now I get it! Now I know why many of you musicians don't like Dave Matthews! Honestly, I'm not being a smart ass I'm serious! He does that all the time and its annoying but maybe even more so to another performer.

DirtySanchez · Post by **DirtySanchez** » Tuesday Jun 20, 2006

No, I'm pretty sure I can't stand Dave Matthews because he's a hippie.
Not like the fight for what you believe in kinda hippie, the fagged out hug everybody hippie.

bassist_25 · Post by **bassist_25** » Tuesday Jun 20, 2006

Hawk wrote:
Funny you said that about the Doors because I was thinking about them while I was writting. But that dark, drug induced scene....was their ACT.

True, but I was talking more about how Morrison use to turn his back to the audience when they were the house band at the Whiskey.

moxham123 · Post by **moxham123** » Tuesday Jun 20, 2006

We play the same whether there are 2 people or 2,000 people. We don't compromise on our performance because the few people who are there still want to be entertained and will tell others about us. Plus, we enjoy playing so much. The crowd does provide us with more energy if they are into it. We have also played for small appreciative groups and had a great time and played for large crowds that did not really react much at all. Of course, we too, have frequently played to chairs. We have had many patrons and club owners tell us that they could not believe that we play like the place is packed even though there might only be handful of people.

Some shows are tougher to play than others. We say that we play gigs or jobs. Gigs are when we have fun and things go well no matter the size of the crowd. Jobs are when it is like going to work and we do our thing, get paid, and go home.

bassist_25 · Post by **bassist_25** » Tuesday Jun 20, 2006

P.s.

I like the DMB. Steffan Lessard and Carter Beauford are total bad asses.

VENTGtr · Post by **VENTGtr** » Tuesday Jun 20, 2006

"Location: Houtzdale, the rock n' roll capital of Clearfield County, even more rock n' roll than Osceola Mills"

This is freaking hilarious.

bassist_25 · Post by **bassist_25** » Tuesday Jun 20, 2006

Yes, but we all know that Philipsburg is the rock n' roll capital of Centre County.

HurricaneBob · Post by **HurricaneBob** » Tuesday Jun 20, 2006

Those Socoski boys are from Osceola Mills, and they been kickin ass for years..

AtoMikEnRtiA · Post by **AtoMikEnRtiA** » Tuesday Jun 20, 2006

bassist_25 wrote:Yes, but we all know that Philipsburg is the rock n' roll capital of Centre County.

I dont know man.. your comment about Houtzdale being the rock n roll capital of Clearfield county.. I dont know, you ever been to Home Camp or Penfield.. hardcore!

You may need to retract your statement..

DirtySanchez · Post by **DirtySanchez** » Tuesday Jun 20, 2006

Smoke Run and Madera have to rank up there pretty high as well.

ROCKPAGE

Crowds?

Crowds?

Crowds

BAHHAAAA!!