Re: [Harp-L] capturing and holding audiences/FRONTMAN/SIDEMAN

[Joel Fritz <jfritz666@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

One thing that can help is playing a few covers that people are likely 
to know.  Unless you're a top tier act where the audience knows your 
originals, it's easier to get their attention by playing something 
familiar.  Think of it as a loss leader to get them in the door.

Engaging the audience on a personal level by having a simulated 
conversation can be hard for some people.  If you can't tell jokes or 
stories it's better not to do it.  You can still make eye contact.  If 
that makes you uneasy, try almost looking at people.  Look at someone's 
ear or forehead.  Be sure to look everywhere in the room.

You should practice while looking at yourself in a mirror.  Try to get 
facial expressions that show how you feel about the music.  Every song 
is a story and you should try to get the emotional content of the story 
across.

Band members need to look like they're interacting.  They are anyway, so 
why not make it clear to the audience that you're interacting with the 
other band members and enjoying it.

When the audience responds to a solo let them know that you enjoyed it. 
 You can point to the soloist or applaud if you're hands are free.  If 
your hands are in use, look at the soloist and smile and/or nod.

Except for a really small room everything you do should be exaggerated. 
 If you watch an arena act you'll notice that they're doing things that 
would look silly in your living room.  Even in a small club the things 
you do should be a little bigger.

It's never too late to do something your parents didn't want you to do.
When that time comes Barrelhouse Solly will be there for you.  He cares.


Tunes:  http://www.soundclick.com/barrelhousesolly
Fractious felines:  http://ratemykitten.com/my/?gallery=willie_mctell

Paul Routledge wrote:
> I think one of the biggest mistakes that people make is playing at an 
> audience, instead of for them.
>
> People will respond to you much better if you show you are enjoying 
> yourself at a gig and by making lots of eye contact with people it draws 
> them in and makes them feel that you are playing for them.
>
> Great example of this as are Rick Estrin and James Harman.
>
> Rick uses humour and story telling to draw in an audience.
> Whilst James Harman draws an audience in by making them realise that he 
> has been through the same problems as them and this in turn makes them 
> feel that he is indeed one of them.
> Of course both of them are also stellar harp players, song writers and 
> have fabulous bands.
>
> Rod Piazza is another consummate showman who drives his band hard and 
> they work all night for an audience.
> I remember playing a version of Pawnshop Blues by Brownie McGhee and as 
> I introduced the song and talked about being broke and stuff I could 
> hear people saying  "Now there's a man who knows how crap life can be"
>
> The bottom line is people want to be entertained and related to, not to 
> just sit listening to a bunch of shoe starers.
> Smile, Dress well, be nice to people, be professional and play to the 
> best of your ability.
>
> This may not take you round the world but you will see a marked 
> improvement in the way your audiences react.
>
> Paul
> www.kingleyharp.co.uk
>
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