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What makes a GOOD audience?
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Subject: What makes a GOOD audience? From: Deckman Date: 16 Nov 06 - 08:39 PM I gave a house concert last weekend and I realized afterwards that I was blessed with the PERFECT AUDIENCE! "Bride Judy" and I talked about it on the way back home. We talked about the various people we noticed in the audience and their differences. Yet, they all seemed to have a common thread: they ALL wanted to be there. That's quite a blessing for a performer ... to have a willing audience that, to a person ... they WANT TO BE THERE. Where would we performers be WITHOUT good audiences? Any thoughts? CHEERS, Bob(deckman)Nelson |
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Subject: RE: What makes a GOOD audience? From: Peace Date: 16 Nov 06 - 08:41 PM None you haven't stated, Bob. But just maybe the quality of the performer helped a bit, huh? |
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Subject: RE: What makes a GOOD audience? From: gnu Date: 16 Nov 06 - 08:41 PM Your almost home when you got that. |
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Subject: RE: What makes a GOOD audience? From: Azizi Date: 16 Nov 06 - 08:57 PM A good audience is attentive and involved in the performance even if the audience is silent. They give energy to the performer{s}. |
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Subject: RE: What makes a GOOD audience? From: Deckman Date: 16 Nov 06 - 09:36 PM Sometimes it helps to define by going to opposites. For example, by far the WORST audience I ever had, happened in Seattle about 35 years ago. It was the first or second year of "The Bumbershoot Festival." A really DUMB idea, but Seattle in the Winter rain needs ANYTHING to celebrate. I found myself on stage with two other folksingers. We're doing our bit, chanteys, duets, etc. We were singing in a tavern. Suddenly, I watched as this drunken jerk drew his arm back and threw a beer bottle right at me. I had just enough time to turn completly around and the bottle hit my back, instead of my Martin. All three of us instantly walked offstage, packed up our guitars and left ... but I got the money first! Anone else had something like that happen? Bob |
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Subject: RE: What makes a GOOD audience? From: Little Hawk Date: 16 Nov 06 - 09:46 PM What does it take to make a good audience? Intelligence. Respect for the performer and the art form. Familiarity with the subject matter, and a love for it. Self-awareness. A sense of responsibility. Open-mindedness and curiosity, such that people will give something new a chance. A bad audience is one that's just there to "party" and generally blow off steam....except, of course, in the case of performances and performers that are geared to just that kind of audience, in which case they are a good audience, I suppose...within limitations. |
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Subject: RE: What makes a GOOD audience? From: Alice Date: 16 Nov 06 - 09:54 PM Our own Mudcatter bbc is a master at being a good audience. |
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Subject: RE: What makes a GOOD audience? From: Charley Noble Date: 16 Nov 06 - 10:04 PM I really like it when the audience is in the same room as the one in which I am performing. We had a good audience this evening at the Maritime Museum; no beer bottle flung our way and they even sang along on some of the choruses. Cheerily, Charley Noble |
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Subject: RE: What makes a GOOD audience? From: Deckman Date: 16 Nov 06 - 10:14 PM Another aspect is how the venue is advertised. Going back to my house concert this last weekend, it was well presented to a rural region as excatly what it was: an evening of traditional folk balleds. And everyone who managed to make it, had to go through some trials and tribulations to arrive: storm, strong winds, rain, washed out roads ... lions and tigers and bears, OH MY! When I saw the audience come in, I KNEW they were ready for a fun evening. And so was I. And we really enjoyed ourselves with a hoot that followed the concert. These things are sometimes difficult to plan, or stage. Luck plays an important part. Bob |
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Subject: RE: What makes a GOOD audience? From: coldjam Date: 16 Nov 06 - 10:15 PM Oh I gotta add: at least one person in the audience with an insane contagious laugh..course we do lots of humorous songs so it's a real boon when we get one and if the folk muses be kind-TWO of them! Audiences that haven't eaten or drunk too much are on the negative side of the sheet...as are people who come expecting one thing (usually country music) and find folk...also people with short attention spans that can't follow a story line-they usually fall into one of the above catagories as well. |
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Subject: RE: What makes a GOOD audience? From: GUEST,.gargoyle Date: 16 Nov 06 - 10:26 PM EVERY audience is GOOD - especially, (or unfortunately) if you are paid in advance.
There truly, is no such thing as a "bad audience."
There are BAD Performers - who are unable to adapt, and flex, and quickly establish a "common-bond" with the audience.
Give the BAD Performers 33 more weeks on the skids and you will have: OR2. A polished, capon-lined, professional
Darwin rules when the proof of the pudding is your belly.
Sincerely, |
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Subject: RE: What makes a GOOD audience? From: Deckman Date: 16 Nov 06 - 10:26 PM Or people with cell phones ... or people that have to pee a lot! |
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Subject: RE: What makes a GOOD audience? From: GUEST,.gargoyle Date: 16 Nov 06 - 10:31 PM Good point ColdJam
Contagious laugh.
After opening with the one act "Where Are You Going Hollis Jay?" the director hired "a spore" to sit admist the audience.
As an actor, it is comforting to anticipate the next "laugh-line."
Sincerely, |
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Subject: RE: What makes a GOOD audience? From: GUEST,Texas Guest Date: 16 Nov 06 - 11:04 PM Deckman - I've been a player in Texas now for about twenty-five years and I've never had a beer bottle flung at me; although, down here I'm told that it was a very common occurrence in the not too distant past. I can, however, recall an incident that happened in Detroit back in the seventies when I was in a band called "Juarez" with Michael Smith, his wife Barbara Barrow and a bass player named Jim Reddick. We were essentially a four-voice folk-rock band doing Michael's and/or Barbara's material. It was at a time in Detroit when disco was coming into vogue and the listening rooms were starting to vanish so gigs were becomeing a bit harder to find if you didn't do a lot of pop tunes. As it went, our agent (name forgotten) booked us into a late night rock-n-roll theatre that ran from midnight until six in the morning. It should be noted that the theatre was an adult movie showcase up until midnight when the lights came on - that made for an interesting mix of folks. It should be pointed out here that Detroit has long been a heavy-rock and/or R&B music town - about the softest Detroit will tolerate in it's rock-n-roll is Bob Seger and I don't think we came anywhere near his strongest stuff; but, we found ourselves as the opening act at this R/R venue and it didn't go very well. In retrospect I would say that we opened up with an old song of Michael's, maybe, "Honey Dew," "Donna From Mobile" or "Dan Moody," but it didn't matter - the boo's and cat-calls were drowning us out by the second song. I won't repeat here what was being shouted, but folks were generally high as a hawk on various combinations of the drugs of the day and many of them stood up and started waving fists and roaming the aisles yelling for, "ROCK AND ROLL, M............" We were not exactly the MC-Five; hell, we weren't even the MC-Four. To my memory, in the middle of the third song Barbara simply said something like, "That's it," and walked off stage. We cleared the stage and headed for the side door wading through a large group of other players who made up the rest of the bands on the bill. We made it out of there in one piece, but it was getting very close to dangerous. The musicians backstage kept apologizing for the audience and telling us how great we sounded and all but we were happy to get out of there with hair on our tails - I can't even recall if we even got paid or not. Ahhh,...fond memories of days gone by. Cheers. |
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Subject: RE: What makes a GOOD audience? From: Deckman Date: 16 Nov 06 - 11:19 PM Guest TJ ... I guess the lesson is that we must pick our audiences well. Another "Horrible" experience" was again, my own damned fault. I shouldn't have been there ... but I needed the money! It was 1959 in San Francisco. We were in a strip club on "the Barbery Coast." TRUE! And we were the act between the strippers at a club named "ANN'S FOUR FORTY!" You mentioned that you were in the wrong place, and adult film venue. Not a place for musicians. But I do have say one thing ... THEY DRESSING ROOM WAS A GAS! Bob |
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Subject: RE: What makes a GOOD audience? From: Jerry Rasmussen Date: 16 Nov 06 - 11:27 PM One thing that I find makes a good audience is if they enjoy each other. A room full of individuals who never come together as a group can be deadly. I realize that on some level, it's the performer's responsibility (or challenge) to bring people together. That doesn't always work. I think that house concerts generally work best, simply because it's a gathering of people, for the most part, who know and like each other. The most difficult challenge is to bring together a really small group of people. THey can be very self-conscious and it takes awhile for them to loosen up. I did a concert for an audience of one, once (not counting the person who was running the series, all by herself.) I think the "audience" was more uncomfortable about it than I was. I thought that I'd set a record, but I found that a good friend of mine, who is a wonderful musician and a fine entertainer, drew a crowd of none. There's always somone trying to outdo you... Jerry |
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Subject: RE: What makes a GOOD audience? From: GUEST,.gargoyle Date: 16 Nov 06 - 11:38 PM JERRY - "audience of ONE"
If you had tapped into your skills....this had potential to be the "greatest gig of you life."
Too many in the "performing world" go ahead with "their gig" no matter what....They WANT distance between themselves and the audience.
TRUE Communication - (potential vulnerability of the ID) is the last thing distance performers want.
For those who dialogue/communicate/share/express with an audience there is a bond that develops...a bond...that if you are not careful borders on whoredom.
Sincerely, |
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Subject: RE: What makes a GOOD audience? From: Mo the caller Date: 17 Nov 06 - 09:31 AM Our dance club had a very mixed audience recently. An ex-member was in a care home and had asked if we would come and dance for them. I was dubious from the start, but when I phoned to see if they wanted us we were invited to perform at their Halloween party. I had expected that 10 mins would be enough, but they wanted an hour. We had the negative side, two women asking to be taken back to their rooms and a man telling us that we should be doing something more lively and that we'd gone on too long. But on the positive side, Jo was delighted to see us, and enjoyed the Playford dances that he knew, started reminiscing about performing at the Albert Hall. I'd included some other spots in the programme and some Old Time dances that I thought they might know to Sing-Along tunes which some people joined in with. When Jim did his clog spot one woman came up (so close that he wondered if she was going to knock him off his board) and watched his feet, then began to shuffle her own along with him. And we all came away thinking "I hope I don't end up there" |
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Subject: RE: What makes a GOOD audience? From: Mo the caller Date: 17 Nov 06 - 09:39 AM Maybe it's not a Bad Audience, or a Bad Performer but a Bad Match. I agree that being flexible and suiting your act to the audience can improve matters.Experience enables you to do this, up to a point, but beyond that its just hard luck. You do what you do, and if they wanted something else then the booking was a mistake. |
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Subject: RE: What makes a GOOD audience? From: dwditty Date: 17 Nov 06 - 09:45 AM SOme performers step onto the stage and in some way say, "Here I am!" Others step on the stage, look at the audience and convey, "There you are!" In the latter case the audience is always good, because the performer will adapt to that particular audience. It is my feeling that the audience is in control. They have paid to be there, or at least made the effort to be there if it is free. It is up to the audience to decide if they are there to party, to sit in rapt attention, to sing along, or whatever. A good performer can work with whatever they are dealt. OK, maybe the flying beer bottles Deckman experienced is over the limit of what one should have to put up with, but performers who have an attitude of, "I am here to present you with X, and you better like it." kind of leave me cold. dw |
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Subject: RE: What makes a GOOD audience? From: Jerry Rasmussen Date: 17 Nov 06 - 10:20 AM Gargoyle: I didn't say it was a bad experience. Actually, it was very memorable, once my "audience" adjusted to being as much on stage as I was. I did the concert in a coffee house series in Greenwich Village that was on its last legsm where a good crowd was ten or fifteen people. It was winter, the temperature was below zero with a high wind. I'm amazed that anyone came. The woman who came had to come from the Bronx by bus and just about froze to death getting there. After the concert, I offered to drive her home as it was late and the streets were deserted. She was very appreciative. Instead of a concert, it was more like sitting in someone's living room and playing some music while carrying on a conversation. It just took a little adjustment in the beginning. Jerry |
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Subject: RE: What makes a GOOD audience? From: Amos Date: 17 Nov 06 - 10:20 AM Some performers step onto the stage and in some way say, "Here I am!" Others step on the stage, look at the audience and convey, "There you are!" Beautiful, succinct observation, DWD! A |
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Subject: RE: What makes a GOOD audience? From: Scrump Date: 17 Nov 06 - 10:29 AM One that throws money on stage :-) |
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Subject: RE: What makes a GOOD audience? From: Mooh Date: 17 Nov 06 - 10:54 AM Pretty sure folks won't agree with me on this one, but I don't personally care for audiences that applaud and otherwise go crazy after every solo during a tune as it detracts from the enjoyment of what follows. Sometimes the whole next vocal line or other instrument solo gets obscured by it, especially if it's an acoustic show. This recently happened at a Sue Foley and guests show I attended and it was very distracting, in spite of the amplification. I just wish folks could hold their appreciation till the end of the tune/song. It seems to be getting more common, at least around my neck of the woods. Peace, Mooh. |
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Subject: RE: What makes a GOOD audience? From: Scrump Date: 17 Nov 06 - 11:18 AM Well, at least I haven't heard folk audiences applaud or cheer as soon as they hear the first few bars of the intro, or the first line of a song, like they do with the likes of Frank Sinatra or Tony Bennett - that really would be annoying :-) |
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Subject: RE: What makes a GOOD audience? From: Midchuck Date: 17 Nov 06 - 11:25 AM EVERY audience is GOOD - especially, (or unfortunately) if you are paid in advance. There truly, is no such thing as a "bad audience." There are BAD Performers - who are unable to adapt, and flex, and quickly establish a "common-bond" with the audience. Give the BAD Performers 33 more weeks on the skids and you will have: 1. A Dead, Starved, Poor Performer OR 2. A polished, capon-lined, professional Darwin rules when the proof of the pudding is your belly. Unfortunatly, Gargoyle's perfectly right - if you're performing for eating money. If you're performing for your own satisfaction, and only incidentally for the cash, the standards are quite different. Then you want an audience that came to listen, and is reasonably sober. If you're hired by a drinking establishment, the manager wants people to come to drink. If they come to listen and stay sober, management makes no money, and doesn't rehire you. If you're hired by a non-drinking establishment, coffeehouse or whatever, there isn't usually enough cash flow to pay you diddlysquat unless you're so well known that you can command a substantial cover charge; which the vast majority of us aren't. Which may be why so many full-time musicians have drinking or drug problems. Peter. |
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Subject: RE: What makes a GOOD audience? From: Scrump Date: 17 Nov 06 - 11:34 AM Interesting point, Midchuck. Maybe a performer can't win, unless they become so big they can perform in large venues and command high fees. Anyone else is either not earning enough to make a living, or if they are (just), they can't be choosy about where they play, and have to take what work they can get. So ideally, you wouldn't become a full time pro as soon as you can, but wait until you're a much bigger name and can afford to pick the work that suits you. But then you'd have to be able to hold down your day job while building your career up, which is also pretty difficult to do. Hmmm, I think I need a pint... |
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Subject: RE: What makes a GOOD audience? From: dwditty Date: 17 Nov 06 - 11:44 AM For me, one of the great joys is winning over an audience that is not really prepared to like me...: ). It is particularly gratifying when the audience is mostly people younger than my kids. Of course, there are plenty of times when they go right on ignoring me, socializing with each other, etc., which is certainly their perogative. |
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Subject: RE: What makes a GOOD audience? From: Don Firth Date: 17 Nov 06 - 01:52 PM I just checked in. OY!! Well do I remember Ann's 440 in San Francisco! There we were, Bob and I, trying to tune up in the dressing room, with hordes of half- and/or completely naked young women running in and out. Ye gods! I didn't know where I was supposed to look!! Not a great audience, as I recall. Most of the customers were not there to hear a couple of barnstorming folk singers from Seattle. Hey, Bob, who got us that gig, anyway? Don Firth |
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Subject: RE: What makes a GOOD audience? From: Deckman Date: 17 Nov 06 - 03:44 PM HA! There a darned good question! For the life of me I don't recall, but I'd SURE like his phone number now! CHEERS, Bob |
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Subject: RE: What makes a GOOD audience? From: coldjam Date: 17 Nov 06 - 04:48 PM We recently played a brewery that has a big screen tv...Unbeknownest to us, or the guy who hired us, it became the nite of the big play off when Detroit won entrance into the series. We had to set up to the side of everyone,the place was packed-everyone staring ahead at the screen to our right. Time came to play and I was fully willing to apologize and tell them if they passed the hat we'd pack up and go home...but they said, "Go ahead and play, we'd like to listen we'll just turn the sound off and watch the game" So we played to the sides of people looking elsewhere...we got some nice applause and of course were totally blown away by the cheering & shouting when the Tigers won-breaking the tie in the 9th to go into the series. Strange nite. The worst audience was a nursing home Christmas party we played. They crammed the whole "student body" into the dining room and we played with NO sound system. Bedlam prevailed...residents talking loudly cause they couldn't hear each other, the alzheimer's patients doing their very vocal thing-shrieking-yelling-moaning...it all grew to a fevered pitch when one lady screamed, "IT'S CHAOS IN HERE!" Another called to us and said, "HEY!--HEY!---HEY---HEY! We stopped playing and said, "Yes mam?" she yelled, "HOW DO I GET OUTTA HERE!" Course we completely fell apart laughing as Santa arrived taking what infinitesimal attention we had fought so hard to win completely away-you can't compete with Santa... |
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Subject: RE: What makes a GOOD audience? From: Bee Date: 17 Nov 06 - 07:37 PM Two friends of mine played at a small local nursing home recently, and I went along to sing (they are way ahead of me in the instrument department), and the audience of around 25 were lovely. Perhaps it helped that many of the people there are well known to us, but they all seemed to enjoy the old time tunes, some danced, even a few 'wheelies' got out on the floor. We finished up with tea and cookies and a round the room chat session. Fabulous audience. |
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Subject: RE: What makes a GOOD audience? From: Deckman Date: 17 Nov 06 - 07:51 PM THIS IS REALLY A VERY DUMB QUESTION! I can say that because I started this thread. It's an interesting topic, but I phrased it completly WRONG. I asked: "What makes a good audience?" The answer is simple ... an audience that comes to listen to you. WELL ... DUH!!! The way I asked it ignored all the possible venues; coffee houses, concerts, church gathering, clubs, taverns, bars, strip clubs, etc. And ... the poor way that I posed the question allowed trolls to come in and confuse everything. That was my fault. I am NOW asking that this thread be closed. Bob(deckman)Nelson |
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Subject: RE: What makes a GOOD audience? From: Rasener Date: 17 Nov 06 - 07:52 PM I think I have a lovely audience at Market Rasen Folk Club. They are curtious to all performers and appreciate them coming along. They do not necessarily join in with the choruses, but then we have such a variety of performers and a lot of the songs are unknown to them. Just becuase an audience doesn't join in with the choruses, doesn't mean that they do not like the performers. I try not to book prima donnas, as I feel they are only interested in themselves, not the audience. The audience have to warm to a performer and then they earn the respect. I'llget me coat and go to bed. |
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Subject: RE: What makes a GOOD audience? From: GUEST Date: 17 Nov 06 - 08:26 PM gargoyle is not a troll. He is a die hard darwinist and he has been himself for almost ten years. He can say what he wants. It's an interesting thread, so don't close it. |
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Subject: RE: What makes a GOOD audience? From: Deckman Date: 17 Nov 06 - 08:33 PM I started this thread. I want it closed NOW! Bob(deckman)Nelson
-Joe Offer- |
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Subject: RE: What makes a GOOD audience? From: Peace Date: 17 Nov 06 - 08:38 PM Bob, I disagree that it's a dumb question. I think that you know a good audience is the result of a good performer, and that's you, bud. |
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Subject: RE: What makes a GOOD audience? From: GUEST Date: 17 Nov 06 - 10:51 PM 'He is a die hard darwinist' and proof that humans evolved from something. |
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