I prefer the countoff myself. Then I can intro the song either strongly or gently at my choice. Some nights, they are already on the dancefloor, sometimes you have to get them out of their seats...

But I am STILL waiting for arranger manufacturers to provide some sort of chord readout on pre-canned Intros and Endings. With a style library in the hundreds, if not thousands, how is anyone supposed to remember exactly how the pre-canned chord changes go? And I refuse to use the canned In/Ends with a solo on top... might as well put on a chicken hat and walk around in the crowd while it plays!