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what makes a great performance?


DAS44

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Posted

Just wondering what you guys think makes a "great performance". I'll post my thoughts later after I get a chance to ponder the question a bit more.

 

(Yes it is a vague question, but knock yourself out)

Posted

If the audience, regardless of size, dug it. I've seen the time when the house is half full and the band gets down and just phones in the gig. I say, play for those that came out, not the ones that didn't. If they leave happy-Great Performance.

Posted

It's too subjective.

What is a great performance to one person, may be a lousy one to someone else.

 

It's all relative my friend.

Posted

Just wondering what you guys think makes a "great performance". I'll post my thoughts later after I get a chance to ponder the question a bit more.

 

(Yes it is a vague question, but knock yourself out)

 

 

Great shows are great shows...........................

 

Great shows burn their way into your memory........

 

People and friends from Boston still remind me about shows I did 20+ years ago there......That counts.........

 

Good shows are good shows....................

 

I wrote a dissertation once on why and how music affects us the way it does.....In short, music opens up various areas of the brain at the same time in ways that no other human

communication does...........................If music is good, it'll do this........but only if we like the music being performed..............

Posted

The performer should play the show like it is the last show ever. That is how I play and it is what I expect. A certain level of chaos and insanity helps too. Look at The Stooges or MC5 or Pete Townshend or Henry Rollins or GBV.

Posted

well first is appearance. thats what makes the people first turn their heads about 75% of the time. then learn to play your type of music in regions where people are into that kind. like dont play a gig full of metal songs where in a region where people are into blues or country B)

Posted

1 Showmanship and energy.

 

2 If the band is having fun, the crowd will likely have fun too. If the band is NOT having fun, the crowd certainly won't.

 

3 The 1% rule: if there was one thing they could do that would make their show 20% better, they probably wouldn't have gotten the gig, but there are likely 20 things they can do to make the show 1% better.....

 

 

I took my little sister to see Rick Springfield and The Romantics. I was most definitely not into either one's music at the time, but it turned out to be a great show because THEY were into it..... showmanship and energy and they had fun.

Posted

With no disrespect meant towards a good valid question...

 

to me, this is another example where... (quoting Elvis Costello ;) ) "talking about music, is like dancing about architecture"

The experience of music, ie trying to describe in words - something that is so vast and intangible - is easier said in music, rather than the limitation of language... and then it goes back to the indescribable experience of experience rather than description!

 

I said to my guitar teacher a similar question once, "Martin, what makes a good recital"

He said it was someone who played a concert to at least one person - and that person enjoyed it - and walked away for the better!!

 

I can almost hear Hannibal Lecter saying in that raspy voice to Clarice "simplicity!!"

Posted

A great performance?

I've seen lots of acts and I think it's competantcy.

Ie, I've seen Michael McDonald a couple of times and he just sits there at the keyboard.

Yet, You're enthralled by him.

Tommy Emmanuel was the same, as was Def Leppard.

I never liked Eric Clapton until I saw him live. He was like a god on stage.Amazing.

So. Confidence-competant-belief in what you do.

That's why they're stars and we're not.

Imagine Elvis waliking into a room? I bet you'd have known he was there without seeing him. Michael Jackson used to come up from the floor and stand still.

The crowd would go cazy. Not many, if any could pull that off. Born stars.

Slash has it. I don't think Satriani does. It's not down to just playing.

I've seen acts that were s**t. Ie, Suzanne Vega. Dreadful. She had a go at the guitarist and was obviously drunk.

I could go on about this all day.

Posted

I like seeing a performer who gets deep inside himself and pours it out to those in the audience. If he connects with that muse inside himself, it will connect with the audience. You will feel it if the performer feels it.

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