maximumsurfandroll
Joined: Nov 16, 2013
Posts: 182
Edinburgh, Scotland
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Posted on Dec 07 2016 07:24 AM
So we did a gig on Friday which went well and all, but I got the feedback I always dread..."the between song banter is awful".
Our drummer uses drum tabs when playing, so there can be quite prolonged gaps between songs. And 30 seconds of silence after blasting out top volume can feel like an eternity. Being the most visible member of the band I try and fill the 'dead space' with light conversation, often rubbish jokes...but it's tricky!
Whilst an okay public speaker, I find the live environment with the adrenaline pumping very difficult to be clear and coherent, especially if using a mic. In other bands I've played in there has always been a singer to handle that side of things.
How do you guys find this? A few suggestions or witty zingers I can incorporate into my repertoire would be appreciated...!
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stratdancer
Joined: Dec 11, 2013
Posts: 2532
Akron, Ohio
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Posted on Dec 07 2016 07:36 AM
I would suggest committing the first few songs to memory for the drummer. A long break after the first song is a buzz kill. If you are playing originals then explain what it's about and why you wrote it. If doing trad surf covers explain the history of surf music. Have the audience leave with some knowledge of the genre so they can pursue it themselves. Let them know about NSSR for 24 hour online streaming. Be an ambassador!
Just my thoughts. Hope they help.
— The Kahuna Kings
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Kahuna-Kings/459752090818447
https://thekahunakings.bandcamp.com/releases
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Badger
Joined: Nov 16, 2013
Posts: 4536
Wisconsin
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Posted on Dec 07 2016 07:54 AM
stratdancer wrote:
I would suggest committing the first few songs to memory for the drummer. A long break after the first song is a buzz kill.
This.
— Wes
SoCal ex-pat with a snow shovel
DISCLAIMER: The above is opinion/suggestion only & should not be used for mission planning/navigation, tweaking of instruments, beverage selection, or wardrobe choices.
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da-ron
Joined: Jan 02, 2009
Posts: 1298
The original Plymouth, UK.
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Posted on Dec 07 2016 08:41 AM
I find that plying songs in bunches of twos and threes works best. Definitely play the first three songs bang bang bang, then have a break.
While your drummer is referring to his notes, you could have a few things written down, but it’s not always necessary to say anything. I saw Jesus & Mary Chain back in the day and they didn’t say a word. Bob Dylan doesn’t say much either.
Personally, I hate it when bands have a go about a poor turnout to the people that have turned up. Also telling audiences to come closer to the stage. There are subtler ways like offering a tambourine to the best dancer and stuff like that. Or comments like: “A lot of bands ask their audiences to come closer, but to be honest by the time we’ve played a bit and sweated a lot you’ll probably find yourself back where you are now”, or ‘scream if you want us to go faster”
The best in between song dialogue I’ve had is from bantering with friends, which also encourages strangers to join in. You could consider a stooge in the audience...?
The key is to learn the songs in batches, that way you can get away with longer breaks less often - you’ll have a third less breaks anyway. By the time you’ve mentioned any merchandise, thanked the venue, thanked the other bands, thanked the sound guy, thanked the audience and thanked your drummer for learning the songs, you’re pretty much done. Oh, and don't talk fast. Very hard to do when adrenalin is pumping and you're on full speed, but it's surprising how slow public speakers talk - you can come across like a gabbling nutter if you're not careful!
Failing that, consider masks. No-one expects someone in a mask to say anything.
— http://thewaterboarders.bandcamp.com/
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el_camello
Joined: Jul 04, 2010
Posts: 369
Ottawa
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Posted on Dec 07 2016 08:53 AM
I hope your drummer using tabs is temporary; this isn't classical music. Like the others said, batching songs up works well. We do 3 batches which means there are only two real pauses in the show. If you are ambitious you can segue smoothly from one to the next.
— -Pierre
The Obsidians! (Ottawa surf)
The Obsidians debut EP
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Las_Barracudas
Joined: Apr 24, 2011
Posts: 1087
Surf City, NC
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Posted on Dec 07 2016 06:36 PM
I don't really have the gift of gab and I'm not much of a jokester either, but here's a few ways I would fill the void.
- Announce who you are and any upcoming gigs. You kind of have to be tactful with this though, as you don't want to offend the host venue by announcing a competing gig.
- Introduce the band / musicians.
- After playing a cover say who wrote and recorded it and in what year. I used to put this information beside the songs on my set list.
- Tell the audience about drink / food specials for said venue if applicable and have the names of the bar tenders. If I know they serve something exceptional I would typically mention that.
- Throw out some random Surf music trivia.
- Maybe make mention of upcoming Surf / Instro events even if they're in other locales.
- Segue audio clips can work well.
- Thank the venue and staff for hosting you a for supporting live music.
- Be silent??
With all that said I'd strongly encourage you to work on your delivery striving for little down time in-between songs. I mean most everybody is going to have to tune up or tweak an amp on occasion but frequent and awkward down time in between songs should be avoided.
— METEOR IV on reverbnation
Last edited: Dec 07, 2016 18:37:52
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