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Looper's Delight
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I tend to perform solo or with my band at many venues where the music is not why people are there. Musicians are 'trained' that if you play and you finish, people are supposed to clap, right? If not, at least a few people in the audience either feel 'obligated' (that is what you are supposed to do/that is what the performer expects) or they feel weird being the 'leader of the clap' (that sounds obscene). Being that the music is 'ambient' (not a category, but an adjective), I skip over this whole performer/audience obligation thingy and *never stop*. Well, at least till the set is over. Then I stop, and don't wait for applause, I turn the equipment off. If people like it, they will buy a cd. Or come and say Hi. I know if I play badly, or if I am having a good night, and these gigs don't lend themselves to this 'external validation' anyway. Most musicians thrive on this, however, and maybe that is where the frustration sets in- the 'look at me, even if I am not the reason you are here- LOOK AT ME, DAMMIT! I am demanding some kind of acknowledgment that all this money spent on all this equipment and time learning to use it and all those scales and did you here that solo in the 3rd song and man, am I cool! Don't you understand what I am doing?? This is all live!! Sheesh!' I am sure I have been there too, but it really sucks felling that way. Interesting discussion. Dave Eichenberger http://www.hazardfactor.com > > Although this does appear to be sleazy spam aimed it > musicians, it brings up a real issue for the performing > musician and reminds me of something that happened last night. >