More Yuppies and Loops

["Rev. Doubt-Goat" <dgoat@rocketmail.com>]

93

I'd like to thank everyone who responded to my
questions.  Good stuff all!

In my many years of amateur, semi-pro and pro
performance experience, I've played with a *lot*
of different bands, in a *lot* of different
settings.  My main experience has been, of
course, that you try to play to the audience
that you have, and that you should have *some*
idea of what they will probably want.

The interesting thing to me is, what do you do
if you are faced with a "blind" situation, i.e.
you don't know what the audience will be like? 
If you are looping, certainly an experimental
venue will likely garner more listeners than a
wedding gig will.

Example: I used to play with a regionally very
popular world-beat band in Kansas City, called
BCR. We could pack 'em quite nicely at the clubs
we would play. We were known to a large extent
as a dance band (though we did play a lot of
non-dance material). 

One time we played a wedding reception and could
not get people to dance no matter what we did.
And, even though we played at a low volume level
(for a ten member band!), people kept leaving
the room to go "talk".  Now, the bride and
groom, who hired us, danced and listened, and a
few of their younger friends did as well, but
all of the older people left the room!

The point is, unless you always play it "safe"
and only play where you *know* what you are
doing will be accepted, occasionally you *will*
run into a dud where you will drive people away
instead of draw them in.

Loopers, like most experimental musicians, are
more likely to face this than a dance band will,
(although as someone pointed out, if Michael
Bolten were to play the Knitting Factory, would
anyone stick around?)

Since the amount of truely "experimental" venues
will be limited, if a looper wants to share
his/her music, they will need to try to play
more "mainstream" venues.  Now, since most
"mainstream" venues will tend to cater to an
audience with "mainstream" taste, what do you do?

Here are a few idea off the top of my head. 
Keep in mind I would *never* suggest someone
compromise their artistic integrity.

1. Loop covers!  I do a weird loop cover of
Gymnopedie #1 by Erik Satie, though perhaps a
cover of Purple Haze might be a bigger hit.

2. Drums! Dance beats!  Either Meester Drum
Machine, or a drummer with a click or somesuch.

3. Cute girls/guys on stage! I'm doing a show
soon with a dancer. Oughta be good. Stage
charisma is something to not be overlooked. If
you yourself don't have it, get someone up there
with you who does!

4. Lights! Sets! Weird Costumes!

Anyway, more later when I think of it!

93

Rev. DOubt-Goat
_________________________________________________________
DO YOU YAHOO!?
Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com