And what do you say to them? If you talk about a song, do you do it on every song, every other song, a few here and there or almost never? Are your audiences there to dance or listen?

It varies with the audience. If they are talking a lot amongst themselves I leave them alone and maybe just make a general announcement twice a set or so (Welcome, glad to have you out, if there's any special I can play for you please let me know...). If they are attentive or seem pliable then I'll say something interesting about the song I'm about to do (who did it, why or how I arranged it, or a funny story related to it). If they applaud then I do more of that, if they don't then I do less. It's a flow thing.

One club I play it has an "intimate" setting - meaning I use no mic because everyone sits rather close and I treat the gig like my living room - asking people what they'd like to hear and conversing between every song. That's the setting that I make the most tips with.

Yes, very important to know your audience. At nursing homes-activity directors want energy, interaction and good music for their residents. Short trivia questions, brain teezers, "Name this tune", etc...all good things to use during a show.

When I'm playing a nightclub or for a dance, I keep it short and sweet. After the first tune, I say Good evening, we are the Bill Corfield Band, nice to be here in __________ tonight. Quick reminder about requests, please pick up a schedule if you need one, etc...then right into the 2nd tune...No more chatter until we announce our 1st break of the night.

As an aside...One easy thing to do to make a positive impression on your crowd (especially if they're dancers) is to keep the songs coming. We usually get into our next song within 10-15 seconds max. The bands that take 30 seconds or more between tunes are out of touch. Its dead air and bad news for your guests.

Other than announcing breaks and some impromptu comments (which are short), the next and final time I do any speaking is during our last song of the night, when I introduce the band.

Bill

Bill

[This message has been edited by Bill in Dayton (edited 10-15-2004).]

I hate to sound harsh, but 15 seconds is an ETERNITY to dancers. The only time you should leave dead air is when you want to clear the floor.

Dave ..good points ..one song right into another is the ONLY way to go on the Dance Floor.
1-2 seconds MAX...Brief Chatter during the intro if required.

Hmmm, Dave is in Philly, Donny is, of course in NJ...

Bill is in "DAYTON" a slightly slower pace perhaps?

We usually get into our next song within 10-15 seconds max...

Since this is being focused on, I'd have to say the average time between songs for my band is usually very close to 5-8 seconds. We hear compliments about how little time we take between songs compared to other bands that play the same circuit. I think to take under ten seconds for instruments to be switched, charts moved, quick drinks of water, etc...is no big deal.

Maybe its a faster pace out East, I don't know. All I can base my comments on is what I see every night, and what I see every night out here is a packed dance floor from start to finish.

Also, we've all run into bandleaders who think they're showing how powerful or important they are or some crap by starting the count too fast, just for effect...I can't think of a faster way to piss off everyone on stage who needs a couple seconds between tunes...not long, just a couple seconds. We're playing songs not medleys

There's a guy named Ralph in this area who does that exact thing and he doesn't understand how it hurts the band presentation. Half the band starts with him, the rest catches up by the 3rd/4th measure, lol...

As I said in my original posting, dead air is bad and I think we all agree on that one.

When I'm working solo...The time is still pretty close to 5-8 seconds or so at the most. Sure, sometimes I'll slide right into the next tune with no significant break...But, again, no matter if I'm with the band or flying solo...the floor is filled with my "long" breaks of less than ten seconds.

Maybe you guys should drink decaf or something, lol...

Bill in Dayton
(Where life is just a tad slower...)



[This message has been edited by Bill in Dayton (edited 10-16-2004).]

I could see a few more seconds with a band...
I should know, I carried a 7 pc band for 25 years. But now as a Solo KB Dance Music performer 1-2 seconds is tops. Location has nothiong to do with it, people are people

I would agree with Bill - people, especially older people, won't dance to more than a song or two at a time, and life ain't a disco anyway. I might chain two songs together if it looks like people will dance to them (fast or slow) but I purposely allow some breathing room between songs. This allows people to come up and make requests too.

And yes, people are different depending on the region they are from - people from New Jersey talk too fast and they have to slow that down some once they get to South Carolina.

Most people absolutely want to be recognized, particularly if they are regulars. I try to learn their names and favorite songs. Of course it all depends on the venue. Big dance clubs like DNJ plays are necessarily different.
Many of my customers (fans, clients) would be insulted if I didn't talk to them.
Still, you can't overdo it. You are primarily there to play music.
The correct combination comes with experience and then you don't always get it right.
DonM

ditto to what DonM said. How (and how much) you interact with your audience, club patrons and staff is as important to the success of our OMB act as the music. - Scott

All good points, but it depends entirely on the venue. When playing a dance, keeping the music going is a priority. Maybe even doing some limited talking during the intro of a song, or the transition between songs (with your music still playing). One of the neat things about the AK, is being able to either shorten or extend the length of a song according to what's going on the dance floor... playing the room. That's where you also have to "feel" how much jib-jab is appropriate.

On the other hand, when you're doing a senior home, it's usually a concert type venue and I generally talk to the audience between every song. Sometimes with song info and sometimes to interject humor. Developing a rapore with the folks.

When I was still playing the nite-club and bar circuit, the maximum time I permitted between songs was a few seconds at most. Often, when the intro to a song was playing, I would acknowledge some of the customers who were regulars, and if rememberd one of their favorite tunes, I would dedicate that somg to them during that time. That usuallly put them on the dance-floor of the nite club, and others would frequently join them.

When I play for a dance crowd, especialy when the dance-floor is packed, the time between songs is one to two seconds at most. Anything beyond five seconds and they're headed back to their seats. I sincerely believe this is where preplanning every job really pays off, especially if you utilize every tool at your disposal and have the ability to deviate from the plan to accommodate the nature of the audience.

Gary

Don't forget, if people stay on the dance floor constantly they can't spend money on drinks.
DonM

Yeah but if they stay on the dance floor, when they poop out, they are going to want a drink. I dunno... what the right mix is there... except a bar owner told me one time "Work their ass off (play fast dance songs), they'll get thirsty."

My $0.02..

If you're playing a dance there shouldn't be dead air between songs. However, if you're playing Nightclub/lounges there should be.

These two are not the same gig and nightclubbers may not want to dance 3 or 4 dances in a row with the same partner. Having a long enough break to get off the dance floor and have a drink is a good thing in a singles bar scene.

I talk for five minutes between each song. I tell the folks about my belly button lint collection. I have lint from Inglebert Humperdink's belly button! I also talk about my past pets, especially when I introduce a tear jerker I wrote about my dead iguana, Elizardbeth.

I almost never get rehired, but I'm sure it has nothing to do with my entertaining stories.

Beakybird

Well let's take last night as an example.
There's 5 of us in the band. Bill, our lead guitarist and one of the lead vocalists, really has the gift to relax an audience, usually, if there's a pause, it's anywhere between 5 to 10 seconds max between songs, but for the most part, it's bam-bam-bam, right into the next number. Lisa,(another lead vocalist) can shmoooz a crowd as well. I do it in solo gigs, but with the band I've just got too much going on in front of me, and on the floor. If I have to switch from keys to guitar, I've got it down to about 10 seconds max. If Bill needs to switch guitars or busts a string, as he did last night, Paul,(drummer) and Dan (bass) and myself started the next song regardless of Bill taking a little extra time. The transition was seamless and no one left the dance floor, which was packed tight. Lots of good comments actually from some patrons on how the music just kept flowing, which was good to hear.
Just my thots..

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...L

[This message has been edited by shboom (edited 10-17-2004).]

Nice reply Beaky - made me laugh anyway.

KF