RE: Audiences not paying attention

[Jack Ely <IMS_ELY@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>Jack,
>You wrote,
>> Our club gigs used to bother me if people talked, or even if one 
>>person was bored or asleep. But I don't let that bother me anymore. 
>

BW writes...
>Some years ago my group realized we weren't getting paid enough to work and
>get ignored all at the same time.  We play to enjoy ourselves, not to pay our
>bills.  We charge of course, but that money is extra money in our budgets and
>is fun money.  Anyway, when we realized the lack of enjoyment we experienced
>when playing background music at a party, etc. we started asking certain
>questions about the job, the facility, and the audience we were being hired
>to play for.  Now we only take jobs with the following conditions.
>
>Never during a dinner, party etc.  Only before or after.
>Not without a scheduled performance time.  (we don't do "fill in for a couple
>hours")
>Not without audience seating.  We don't play to standing audiences (you can't
>tell if you get a standing ovation)
>Not outdoors while it's snowing.
>And now we have added, We don't play on Saturday Night Live.
>
>Bob Williams

Thanks Bob,

	Good guidelines, some we have already adopted.

We get a standing ovation at every performance we do.
  (Our chord player drops a flag from his 2' chord harmonica at the end of our 
   patriotic finale')  -- Gets 'em every time  :-)

Another guarantee for one is to put an Ovation guitar on stage in a stand.
[8-} good grief!

-----
Someone mentioned the satisfaction gotten from playing for retirement centers 
etc.  -  I'll second that. Sometimes if you watch closely you can pick up a 
finger or toe tapping - sometimes a flicker of a smile - but even without that 
they know you're there and get some enjoyment out of it.

Rewarding and sometimes painful at the same time if there is a loved one in the 
audience.

Don't forget about the mental institutions and the veteran's hospitals - even 
correctional institutions.

							Jack