We're attending a huge custom car show over the weekend. Appropriate 5 piece 50's-60's band included. I drifted over to watch them by myself focusing on....could a good OMB come close to putting out the same sound if he's using really high-end speakers (including bass bins)?

Fast forward (I mean backward) to THIS scenario. Last year I was hired to provide the German accordion music for a band doing an Oktobefest. Of course, on the way to the gig, I had to stop short to avoid an accident and the accordion went flying off the back seat. When I got to the job, I found the bass mechanism was damaged and a note was stuck "on." The job about to start....the leader said "stop trying to fix it and take your place in the band. I don't care if you don't play...just sit there with your fingers on the keyboard, and......smile!"

I figured it out later. A German oomp-pah band doesn't look like a German oomp-pah without an accordionist. No one knew I wasn't playing because...they weren't LISTENING. As said here a few times...."people listen with their eyes!" A great example!

Back to the car show. My conclusion was...even if one could put out a powerhouse sound as a OMB, it still wouldn't cut it. People would rather see a bad full size band than a great OMB! "People listen with their eyes!"

People don’t listen as long as they are entertained..
Because there is no reason to listen to details when you are having fun..

Unfortunately, the visual aspect is very important. I‘m presently thinking about playing German folk songs with the original James Last arrangements in high-grade old people‘s homes. Even if I manage to get the original sound (I‘m already very close to it, two trumpets panned right, two panned left etc.), the visual aspect would be missing, so I‘m planning to find at least one trumpeter and one trombonist to join me just to make it appear more live. Of course it will BE more real then, but even if they were totally drowned out by the brass sounds of my V3 Sonority XL, it would be more interesting to SEE three musicians perform instead of one.

Interesting topic:

I agree that events dedicated to dancing or more social aspects (where the music is secondary)... the musicianship is not as high on the pecking order as the entertainment factor.

On the flip side, when serious listeners (mostly musicians themselves) attend a concert... every instrument, vocalist and backup singer's effort and talent is important.

Not that I'm an expert by any means but I prefer to listen to music without the distraction of a video if it's an artist, band or special song I'm interested in hearing. Just my thoughts.

i had a situation in the 80's. arrived at a hilton with my girl singer, my b3, piano electric drummer ready to play. the bar manager stopped me and said that i cant play unless i had a real drummer. he said that even after hearing my electric drummer, i would have to have a drummer on stage because the dancing customers responded better to real drummers in the music. lucky i knew a drummer that filled the job. he was right. also had a drummer friend that played drums to disco music in a disco bar back in the 70's. i find this was a challenge being a one man band vs. a band.

You don't have to convince me that people listen with their eyes.. I have worked with "cute" young ladies for the last 40 years... Fortunately for me they could sing too.

Agree 100%

Another scenario:
Went to a local 'pub' last night with my b-i-l and two other guys for a 'burger and beer' ... This place is frequented by a mostly mid to late 40's to early 60's crowd that includes a number of 20's to 30's wanna-bes - such as the 50 something guy sitting at a table across from us wearing a black baseball cap and a black sweatshirt with flaming skull and crossbones on the front and sleeves, constantly checking his phone (I'm not judging, just reporting ) ... Fortunately it was a really nice night so we sat outside, and inside was a fellow singing and playing a double KB set-up ... the music inside was at a volume that would drown out normal conversation volume ... He was using mostly backing tracks, some seemed to be either self made or 'modified' in that they did not sound exactly like the original, but they did sound good ... he had a fairly good voice which was aided by considerable reverb and delay ... We could certainly hear him from where we sat and as I listened I realized that just about all the songs he sang are in my 'playbook' - some easy rock (Eagles, Creedance, Billy Joel, etc.) Country, some John Denver, Simon and Garfunkel etc., and without 'blowing my own horn' too much, I'm thinking I could do this gig - BUT - that crowd - and the management - are not going to want to see a 78 years old, bald guy on stage singing to them ...
Another case where the 'EYES' have it ...

sooooooooooo true

They don't want to see a 76 year old guy with hair... either

But add a pair of cute gals (20-30 year old). They don't care if you are 76 with hair or 78 with thin hair

You can instantly become a fan favorite..