Just how important is Showmanship anyway?

[charlie]

Just how important is showmanship anyway? That's been a question that all musicians must ask themselves especially if they are performing in front of a live audience. While I was thinking how I could improve our show...add special effect lighting....hip dance tunes....etc. it occurred to me that I was neglecting what resources I already have....namely showmanship. Now granted....I'm no front man with total charisma and charm, but I can say some cliches...throw in and the right spot and maybe get a laugh. It wasn't until I saw a band at the Georgia State Fair last year that I really began to understand the dynamics of showmanship. The band called "Vocal Trash"(I know....it's a wierd name, but it's perfect once you see them live) showed me firsthand the impact showmanship had on people. The audience loved them....their enthusiasm and energy was totally addictive. You could not help but enjoy yourself. Check 'em out on line..just type Vocal Trash Band...and you're there. Well, after seeing that group I decided to make a more conscious effort into making personal contact with the audience...and it's paid off....Our regulars are asking us what's different and how much they like it. We're now using wireless headset mics...and I'm wireless on guitar...we roam throughout the audience while the midi files pump out the music. I have been performing music now for over 35 years...still a babe in the woods at 51...but it's the music that keeps me young, at heart anyway....If you have any ideas to make oneself a better entertainer....by all means...please share.

Thanks!

[mark]

Charlie
What you are doing is spot on. I have been out amongst the audience with my guitar singing love songs to ladies and as a joke even to the odd feller. I tell jokes when i feel its right. This breaks down the barrier between them and us. you will then find whatever you do they will enjoy it even more.I have always said its YOU the person that makes the show.
All the Very Best
Mark

[nevnbron]

A lot of it also depends on whether you are the star turn or the wall paper. Folks who just want to have there meal in peace resent their relaxing night out being hijacked by Billy the Kid. Floor shows are different and good show folk are always in work provided you don't turn up the worse for drink. To get this kind of work, though, you gotta be pretty good and this is where Showmanship comes in. It's not something you can learn, it's something you are. You are either a bit of a show-off or you are not. The biggest mistake a non show-off can make is to try and force his poor skills on his audience therby embarassing themselves and the audience, and the biggest mistake a show-off can make is to not know when enough is enough. Discipline and respect for your crowd will always win their respect in turn. Love your work first, then, in time you will find that little extra - what-ever.

[charlie]

Hey Nevnbron,

What you're saying is so true. We have all seen performers that try and miserably fail at entertaining an audience due to their inherent lack of showmanship. It makes the audience uncomfortable and makes the performer look like a fool. However, what I have discovered is that I can learn from performers who have that special showmanship characteristic. Although I personally would never want to be a front man for a showband, I do admire that ability to reach an audience and win them over. I realize that timing is most crucial...and that what worked at the last gig may not necessarily work in front of another audience. All I can say is that I have made a more conscious effort to "feel" the audience...and incorporate the little things I picked up along the way. I believe people can tell when you're genuine or not. So what you're not the greatest performer they've ever seen, a friendly handshake....a warm smile...and you connect with them...that's what they'll remember...I guarantee it

[Emerald Midi]

This is a very interesting thread and falls into a similar category to the "advice for those new to gigging" one.

I also tell the odd joke but not too many. I also like to involve the audience; asking questions like, who was the original singer of the song I'm about to sing - this almost always ensures you get their attention

What you wear too is important. It's surprising how many people "hear" with their eyes.

[weegeo]

hhhmmmm i think the question should read when is a showman not a showman.Those of us that are old enough to remember the big band scene would say that every single person in the band was a showman they all done their little solo and got the spotlight a little These days however it`s more difficult with the biz the way it is for example ( let me clarify this first by saying i don`t or have never slated bands we all do it to the best or our ability ) i watched a little 2pce recently and their main vocalist was doing his best to be a `showman` with funny little jokes and trying to involve his audience it didn`t work and the reason was very simple he had no stage craft at all he couldn`t use what he had because of his lack of experience i suppose in time he`ll learn For me a showman is born and can`t be made i do all the lead vocals in my band and i`ve been in the biz 41 years this year but i`m not a showman my stagecraft is excellent and my experience lets me involve the audience but showman i`m not lol lol There is a difference on how you present your show that gives it the extra sparkle my show is relaxed the odd 1 liners but never any full blown jokes i think if you can use someone from the audience to feed of then you`ll make the night enjoyable anyway these are just a few thoughts i had good luck for the year

[bigmow]

I think sometimes it's pretty simple. I've been playing for 36 years and it simply boils down to "reading your audience". You can tell when your audience just wants to hear your good tunes and reminisce about where they were when they first heard this song and who they were with etc. If they wanted to hear jokes or one liners, they could go to a comedy club. I guess you just have to know when it's the right time to interact with the audience. Sometimes I think when performers talk alot the their audience, it's because they don't know enough songs. Just remember that every crowd is different no matter where you play, you just have to know how to read them.

[mark]

I think Bigmow has hit it right on the nose.Its all about judging your audience.
You learn this from experience.

[sweetk2678]

This one is so difficult for me. I am great as a singer, and even that has taken me years to build confidence, but I have a hard time talking to the audience. I just hate feeling stupid, like I don't want to say something just for the sake of it. I do get more comfortable as the night progresses especially if it's a big party and everyone is having a great time dancing, then I start to feel like I can throw a few words around, but I am definitely terrible at that part of performing. I even try to conciously make an effort to work myself up for it before the gig like, " I am going to talk more to the crowd tonight", but as soon as we start I just pretty much go from song to song saying " thanks" and " this is a great song by...." It is really a hard skill to master, but I guess it all comes with experience and since I have only been doing this for 5 years, compared to a lot of you, I am still an amateur lol.

[ezduzit411]

the audience sees more than we can imagine.like sweetk2678 i also have a hard time to get with my audience.that may be due to lack of experience,or they're just in the mood to listen.anyway,i hope to get better at this in future gigs.

[oldsage]

if you have the gift of the gab!! you wont go far wrong!!try to get the audience to feel at ease,a bit like meeting a stranger for the first time.some can start chatting at the drop of a hat others are more reserved and hang back.the trick is not to talk too long between songs,or they will think you are putting off time because you dont know many songs!!.if you are a good judge of people you should be able to guess what music they like after 3 songs.start with something slow.ballad,then a bit of country then a faster dance track the mavericks are usually a good floor filler.see which ones they like the best from their response after you,ve played them.then base the night around these types of songs.in the olden days bands used to get the audience to sing with them,it,s not done very often now.what we would call working the public.so yes showmanship is very important,but i think you are born with it or you are not,then you have to work at it to try to achieve what comes natural to some others.aren,t they lucky!!!

[rogerb]

This is such a vast subject and what goes in one venue or for one act doesn't always work at or for another. I think a lot of it, as has been said already here, is down to experience. I've been in the biz for 47 years and (I suspect like all of us) still find some audiences extremely hard to crack. Some nights you will think to yourself "is it all worth it"? but then the next gig goes down a storm and you know it is.

I wonder how many of you think that audiences have changed over the years and now expect our cover versions of pop songs to sound exactly like the record. Thanks to MidMart at least the backings sound pretty close even if the vocals aren't spot-on. But to get back to the original question - we can't all be Liberaces or top front men or stand-up comics. The odd gag thrown in (like in any selling excersise, and let's not forget we're selling ourselves to the audience) sometimes helps but I think the best advice I can give would be to always strive to give a 100% musical performance. If you do those people that like your act will let you know.

Sorry if I've waffled on a bit but, as I said at the start it's a big subject and not any easy thing to achieve or write about.

Good luck,
Roger