Members steve mac Posted December 7, 2015 Members Share Posted December 7, 2015 Last week I did a St Andrews night gig (patron saint of Scotland), I learned half a dozen either songs about Scottland or by iconic Scottish artists (think 500 miles by The Proclaimers) and I was also asked to do a Scottish quiz prior to my set. So on the night it was a good turnout and after folk had finished eating I started the quiz, bar quizzes are hugely popular here, now I had written the quiz to be as much about fun as intelligence and part of it was me playing bits of songs to be identified. Then after about an hour of really good engagement and banter the winner was announced and the prize given out. At this point I launched into my first song, which was a comic traditional one and was met with complete indifference, everyone was engrossed in their conversations, I literally could have been doing a Buddist chant and no one would have noticed. Next song a seventies pop song by a Scottish mega band and nothing. This carried on for the next twenty minutes until I did a quiet finger style trad song and people seemed to notice I was even there. I told a few topical jokes and went into a few up tempo numbers and finished with the crowd all singing along. It was a strange night reaction-wise and I have been mulling it over. Don't get me wrong I have had nights where I simply couldn't get one person to take notice of me, but never such a roller coaster and I think it was this. The crowd where there for a speciality evening of entertainment and after chatting with each other over their meal they where all ready for some interaction with me. The quiz lasted an hour so the only conversation in the place was about the quiz or joking with me. When the quiz finished all of the subjects they had thought of in the last hour or indeed thoughts on the quiz came tumbling out. Meanwhile, I was left singing to myself. In retrospect a thirty minute break would have let them get this out of their system and I could have started afresh. Never to old to learn. Or maybe I was just rubbish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members STM86 Posted December 7, 2015 Members Share Posted December 7, 2015 Some crowds are just weird. My reactions have been on the decline as of late. I think the demographics at my home bar have shifted. I've always aimed high energy and have done great with the young under-40 crowd. And those people just haven't been there lately. My friend DJs at a nearby dive, and it seems his place has been hopping lately while mine hasn't. The other acts where I play are not like me, and the staff always tells me how much they love when I play. But I fear the other acts have steered the demos away from my favor. On Thanksgiving Eve, the biggest bar night of the year in the US, there were basically no girls at my bar, and the groups of guys who were there followed suit. It looked like a typical Friday by the end of the night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted December 7, 2015 Moderators Share Posted December 7, 2015 Well, mate, having the Scots on is fairly easy prey...but I think you hit the nail...after the St. Andy's schtick, you should have let them have some 'me time', some single malt, some haggis..and you could have popped out for a burger and fries [do they have that in Turkey?] or some fish and chips [do they have that in Turkey?] or some doner and pita....and then come back when they had bored each other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Shaster Posted December 8, 2015 Members Share Posted December 8, 2015 I can't count the times I've been a sideman at a gig where we should have taken a break and didn't. Apathy, poor reception and worse, often ensues if you don't time things right. At least you started and ended well - good job on that. You were just a victim of your own success! Transitions are sometimes a necessary part of an evenings pacing. Folks will let you know if they're raring to go, but as I said (and you said) sometimes people need time to catch up. Case in point. I've been playing a place where the first solo performer goes from 6 to 9 pm. Then the second performer goes from 9 to 12am. On this particular night, it took the first guy about twenty minutes to pack up, and it took me fifteen minutes to set up. I could have done two, one hour sets but I really sensed the crowd didn't want that. So I did two forties and a twenty-five at the end. Both breaks, the last in particular, I circulated around the room and chatted with folks, looking to see what they had to say: requests and such. The place was pretty much packed even at the end of the night, and I was well received, although folks were primarily talking and partying independently. The staff was so impressed they bought me two beers after work. This is a "stuffy" hotel and that never happens. so yeah, less is sometimes more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members steve mac Posted December 9, 2015 Author Members Share Posted December 9, 2015 Yes mate we have McDonald's Starbucks and fish and chips , can't say I am fond of McDonald's though. I will know better next time as I always say every day is a school day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members steve mac Posted December 9, 2015 Author Members Share Posted December 9, 2015 ^^ so true ^^ although with me less is AlWAYS more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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