So You Say The Ultimate Criteria For a Song Working is Danceability?

[senorblues]

It's about a Concert experience on the level. It's not about Dancing. It's only about that if you can't deliver a world class concert level experience. I'm thinking on that level, not bull**************** hack band level.

 

I think you've nailed it . . . BUT, that assumes that the gig calls for a show where all eyes are on the band, NOT dancing. Most of you aren't old enough to remember what we called the supper club circuit. The format was two dance sets, a show, and two more dance sets. I don't recall how the audience was dissuaded from dancing, but it was clear that they were supposed to sit, watch, and listen. There was no dead time between songs - Zero. We worked on choreography, costumes, and - dig this - skits. I had Flip Wilson's "Geraldine" character down! "What you see is what you get!" It brought the house down.

 

I wish I had a video.

[sventvkg]

well yes of course it's dependent on the type of gig. BUT there ARE gigs that call for it because I play them all the time! Not EVERY gig is about a high energy dance crowd. Believe me, I do corporates or living. Weddings are a different animal and their own thing of course.

 

I have seen that supper club gig a few times in older movies etc. Very cool!! Go to a Vegas show. Not every gig on the corporate level has to be about Dancing. In fact, I have seen VERY FEW that are. Iv'e played many.

[Vito Corleone]

It's about a Concert experience on the level. It's not about Dancing. It's only about that if you can't deliver a world class concert level experience. I'm thinking on that level, not bull**************** hack band level.

 

You were talking before about the bar-band level though, weren't you? Obviously Concert Experience acts need to deliver Concert Experiences. Dancing Bands need to deliver Dancing. etc etc etc

 

Obviously the gig is the gig and being the right band for the gig is what it's all about. Good bands know this and do this and get paid accordingly.

 

I think the real point should be --- know your gig and know your audience.

 

I think the biggest problem sometimes is that bands, desperate to work or for other reasons, allow themselves to be booked for inappropriate gigs and/or try to be all-things-to-all-people and a whole LOT of fail is all that they end up with.

 

That's why I have so-many-times tried to tell people to find the type of gig/venue you want to play and target yourself for that. Put together the best act you can be for the gig you KNOW exists and you KNOW you want and then other stuff will logically follow.

 

Don't try to cut corners or think you're smarter than everyone else by thinking you can out-think the audience. You can't. They know what they want. Let the gigs define what your band needs to be and go from there.

 

[sventvkg]

No no no..I was NEVER talking about Bar bands. I abhor bars and bar bands because the pay sucks in bars and bar bands mostly suck badly!!!....I stopped playing in bar bands for the most part about years ago and wen't solo exclusively. I'm talking corporate level and above. Honestly I don't know why anyone even bothers with bars other than just to go get themselves off if they think it's fun. It's certainly not about the $$ or building a business.

 

But you are right, it's about what's right for YOUR gig. We want to do higher end boutique quality stuff and let the crappy lower paying stuff fall away.