Members Bob Dey Posted July 14, 2013 Members Share Posted July 14, 2013 Anyone have things you say on the mic to draw applause? An agent once told me to get people to clap their hands, but you can't just say "give it up for me everybody"!I always like getting applause for a really good performance, but should we also try to get applause other ways? Concert acts ask the audience questions like "Are you ready to party!" which gets people clapping and yelling. What similar tricks can be used in a bar/restaurant situation where people aren't so ready to party? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Potts Posted July 14, 2013 Members Share Posted July 14, 2013 Great topic...My "go to" if I get dead silence is, "Yeah I don't like that one either." That ALWAYS works. The one I use when I sing my heart out and drop a solid performance is, "That's about it- You're not going to get any more out of me than that." I normally NEVER ask the crowd questions because I feel like if they don't answer I look like more of a schmuck than I already am! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted July 14, 2013 Moderators Share Posted July 14, 2013 One trick I learned a while back is to 'dedicate' a song to 'the troops', or 'the firefighters' when something is happening locally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SLScott86 Posted July 14, 2013 Members Share Posted July 14, 2013 Dead crowds are no fun. At this point, with no kids or anything, my wife doesn't miss a gig, and she applauds every single time, and then other polite claps normally follow. Like Notes said, normally afterwards people will then say how good I sounded. Even if they don't appear to be paying attention, if they aren't leaving, they're there buying drinks and you're doing your job well. But man can that be hard to remember when people just aren't visibly into it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members espgold Posted July 14, 2013 Members Share Posted July 14, 2013 I had this scenario at last Friday's gig. A place I regularly play and with a normally enthusiastic response. But this was July 5 and not a lot of people out - down the shore, etc.As the night went on I began to lose confidence and became too self-aware, wondering if I was bombing. The silence between the songs was starting to feel like an eternity, even though there was still some scattered clapping. There were only about 20 people in the place. It was starting to feel like work!I started working my set list and made sure there were some known crowd pleasers in there as well as stuff I really got into, and this helped. Just wasn't a party crowd that night. I let the silence be silent and as short as humanly possible and resigned to being the jukebox. Not the most fun, but it was my job that night.Nearly every patron stopped by me on their way out and had great things to say (while I was playing and singing, mind you). One woman even grabbed my left arm as I'm playing the guitar and said how much she enjoyed my voice! I had to come off the mic for a few seconds and missed some lyrics, but nobody cared, even me.End of the night, one very drunk guy left at the bar, sitting with the owner, requests SRV.I didn't want to do it since I'm no SRV (not even close) so i said "okay, blues it is" and launched into one of my uptempo originals which he seemed to enjoy. By this time I had found my swinging version of Pride and Joy and managed to put a lot of energy into it, confident he was not going to notice my less than stellar skills at covering that style. Finished with another original just in time for the owner to show the guy out.I almost apologized to the owner as he paid me for it being an off night, but he knew the deal and said I had done a great job, so at least he was happy. Even offered me two key bookings in addition to my twice monthly's. Thanksgiving eve, which is a HUGE party night around here, and a Christmas open house!Sorry for the long post. Just adding to the "you never know" adage about whether folks are listening or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TIMKEYS Posted July 14, 2013 Members Share Posted July 14, 2013 Bob Dey wrote: Anyone have things you say on the mic to draw applause? An agent once told me to get people to clap their hands, but you can't just say "give it up for me everybody"! I always like getting applause for a really good performance, but should we also try to get applause other ways? Concert acts ask the audience questions like "Are you ready to party!" which gets people clapping and yelling. What similar tricks can be used in a bar/restaurant situation where people aren't so ready to party? and age old trick is for the venue to seed the clapping with staff to get the room livened up to the idea of clapping. Its kinda like seeding a tip jar with two ones ,a couple fives and a ten. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RoadRanger Posted July 14, 2013 Members Share Posted July 14, 2013 TIMKEYS wrote: and age old trick is for the venue to seed the clapping with staff to get the room livened up to the idea of clapping. Its kinda like seeding a tip jar with two ones ,a couple fives and a ten. Or seed it yourself with a few family and friends. And don't assume they know how important it is to you for them to help get the crowd going - explain it to them. Most will appreciate being asked to help make the show a success . Nothing worse than it being obvious that the folks you brought are chatting and ignoring you entirely . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sventvkg Posted July 16, 2013 Members Share Posted July 16, 2013 I don't really take it personally. The place I'm playing now the first few sets they have me so low in volume that I'm background music at best so when there is some polite applause I thank them but when there isn't I just do my thing. There IS a threshold that when you're volume is TOO low people will tune you out...Anyway, All I have to do to get them to applause or engage is sing a creedance song, Hotel California or Sweet Home Alabama! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sick boy78 Posted July 22, 2013 Members Share Posted July 22, 2013 I use an applause sign. It lights up when I hit the foot switch. Works every time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kevin T Posted August 1, 2013 Members Share Posted August 1, 2013 I have been playing for35yrs and remember a more polite time when people always applauded a well delivered song. I think the 20 30 sometings were never taught how /when to applaud. They get most entertainment deliverd via PC or live DJ,. Niether teaches proper audience protocol. & now not only don't they applud much their faces are buried in the iPhones sheeesh why come at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted August 1, 2013 Members Share Posted August 1, 2013 And I'm always amazed at the younger generation who applaud DJs but don't know to applaud a live band. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Graeca Posted August 3, 2013 Members Share Posted August 3, 2013 Sick boy78 wrote: I use an applause sign. It lights up when I hit the foot switch. Works every time. LOL...thought about making one that lights up and says "Clap, you ungrateful bastards!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Potts Posted August 14, 2013 Members Share Posted August 14, 2013 I always applaud at the end of a movie- my wife ribs on me for it. I love false endings and IMO so do listeners. It's a pause to show something bigger is about to happen. I do a HUGE one prior to the mellow part at the en of Chicken Fried. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bob Dey Posted August 14, 2013 Author Members Share Posted August 14, 2013 I like it when people applaud as the commercial jet they're on lands. The applause increases when there's more turbulence right before landing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members remarkable1967 Posted August 22, 2013 Members Share Posted August 22, 2013 I have always said that I would rather get booed off stage than get nothing. I normally start with the introduction by explaining that.... Hey guys, its the weekend, this is your night and I'm just the man in the corner making a noise. So leave your trouble at the door, grab a drink, sing along and have a dance if you want to. Then I simply watch the crowd. if I see someone tapping a hand or foot to the music, I home in on them with a smile or a wink and then thank them for joining in until the whole table is doing it. then the next table and the next until the whole place is waving hands, up dancing or applauding. Crowd phsychology is a great thing to learn. Being a performer is like being a salesman, if people like you they will buy from you. I also believe that humility plays a major part in being succesful. I have no problem making a fool of myself, I never cover it up if I forget the odd line once in a while so once people see that you are just a normal guy (or girl) trying to make their night that little bit better, you will get them on side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Potts Posted August 22, 2013 Members Share Posted August 22, 2013 remarkable1967 wrote: I have always said that I would rather get booed off stage than get nothing. I normally start with the introduction by explaining that.... Hey guys, its the weekend, this is your night and I'm just the man in the corner making a noise. So leave your trouble at the door, grab a drink, sing along and have a dance if you want to. Then I simply watch the crowd. if I see someone tapping a hand or foot to the music, I home in on them with a smile or a wink and then thank them for joining in until the whole table is doing it. then the next table and the next until the whole place is waving hands, up dancing or applauding. Crowd phsychology is a great thing to learn. Being a performer is like being a salesman, if people like you they will buy from you. I also believe that humility plays a major part in being succesful. I have no problem making a fool of myself, I never cover it up if I forget the odd line once in a while so once people see that you are just a normal guy (or girl) trying to make their night that little bit better, you will get them on side. All good stuff but I'd imagine if you pour it on like that all the time you're probably annoying. Some people just want to tap their foot while hanging with friends and don't want the guy in the corner all up in their night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sick boy78 Posted August 31, 2013 Members Share Posted August 31, 2013 Just watched my friend play a restaurant/bar. A sports bar type, think hooters but not a chain. Ouch! I clapped, but I was basically the only one. I watched him play an hour and it was hard to be there thinking about playing that place. I have been asked to play there a few times and I can't even fathom doing it. Totally dead in that place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted August 31, 2013 Moderators Share Posted August 31, 2013 Sick boy78 wrote: Just watched my friend play a restaurant/bar. A sports bar type, think hooters but not a chain. Ouch! I clapped, but I was basically the only one. I watched him play an hour and it was hard to be there thinking about playing that place. I have been asked to play there a few times and I can't even fathom doing it. Totally dead in that place. if it is like a Hooters, then at least the indoor scenery would ameliorate some of the angst of being ignored...I'm jus'sayin'... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Potts Posted August 31, 2013 Members Share Posted August 31, 2013 Sick boy78 wrote: Just watched my friend play a restaurant/bar. A sports bar type, think hooters but not a chain. Ouch! I clapped, but I was basically the only one. I watched him play an hour and it was hard to be there thinking about playing that place. I have been asked to play there a few times and I can't even fathom doing it. Totally dead in that place. Take the money and run... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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