if this was started thanks to my zero outta five comment in the other thread then i'm sorry for giving the wrong impression, haha. it's just that i used to play with a few cover bands and i always found it mindnumbingly boring, only really sticking around for the chance to get better at playing... and knowing how badly we winged it with really classic songs it makes me cynical of all the other guys making money that way. i'm probably a fussy music fan because what i want from live music is to see how good a songwriter a band has, and how fully they can surprise me and make me jealous ;D old standbys do so little for me because from experience i know that they tend to be played as a desperation move, to get a crowd back on their feet - i'd rather have musicians be confident enough in their more taxing material that the crowd begin to feel it too. to me that would make a gig more memorable.
Just do a set of tunes that you enjoy playing, simple.
As to the "play mario" thing: I think that has the chance of happening whenever there are 8 bit sounds being played in a public space. Most people don't know you can actually have original music unrelated to a game coming out of these devices. Its my impression that people assume these are themes to games they havent played. Eduction at the front-line is everyone's responsibility.
Or they're just thinking they're being "freebird" funny. Fuckers.
"Yeah, Johnny, shall we play something from Pablo Honey?"
"Go get fucked, Thom."
It used to be hard for DEVO it get gigs, so they's tell the venue they were a top 40 cover band. When it came time for the show, they'd say "Here's another one by Foghat!" then play one of their own songs! lol
So perhaps next time someone asks for "MArio!" say "Guess which mario this is from?!" and play your tune! ahhaaha F'em!
Last edited by 8bitweapon (Jun 25, 2010 8:04 pm)
The "play Mario" guys are dealt with as the "Freebird" guys are at rock shows- they are hecklers.
A heckler is an individual that removes himself (herself) from the audience by trying to make himself (herself) more important than the performer through some kind of interrupting action. The most important thing to consider when dealing with a heckler is to ensure that the performance remains the focus of the show, and that any response you make does not empower the heckler.
This is not alienating the audience, as they are a single being that consists of many spectators, unless the heckler becomes more interesting than the performer.
As a performer, it is your task to ensure that the audience, whether it is 2, 20, 200, or 2000 makes no difference, are united and entertained by your presence, whether you are completely silent, reading poetry, plugging in faulty cables, pressing Start on your song mode piece, singing, dancing, or doing absolutely nothing. How you accomplish this is as different as every person, is different at every show, and can be learned but not taught.
The "play Mario" guys are dealt with as the "Freebird" guys are at rock shows- they are hecklers.
A heckler is an individual that removes himself (herself) from the audience by trying to make himself (herself) more important than the performer through some kind of interrupting action. The most important thing to consider when dealing with a heckler is to ensure that the performance remains the focus of the show, and that any response you make does not empower the heckler.
This is not alienating the audience, as they are a single being that consists of many spectators, unless the heckler becomes more interesting than the performer.
As a performer, it is your task to ensure that the audience, whether it is 2, 20, 200, or 2000 makes no difference, are united and entertained by your presence, whether you are completely silent, reading poetry, plugging in faulty cables, pressing Start on your song mode piece, singing, dancing, or doing absolutely nothing. How you accomplish this is as different as every person, is different at every show, and can be learned but not taught.
God damn, you guys are good.
Last time I had a retort to the Game Boy boot-up tone...
"PLAY SONIC!"
"Well, if you're referring to Sonic the Hedgehog, this is a Nintendo Game Boy, and there was never a Sonic game released on this console. I would have accepted 'Play Zelda' or 'Play Mario', however. But nice attempt."
if this was started thanks to my zero outta five comment in the other thread then i'm sorry for giving the wrong impression, haha.
No, no... and I totally agree with your comment. I remember when I was in high school, there was a "Nintendo band" at school and they would play video game covers. This was like 1998, so it is probably far, far beyond its shelf life.
Last edited by RushCoil (Jun 25, 2010 11:15 pm)
my response to hecklers is usually to look at them like im going to make their head explode...seems to work for me
I have seen many posts on here (and the *other* site) that indicate that the chip artist ethos is basically, "fuck the audience. Do whatever YOU want and don't dare 'move around' or play anything the audience will like just to entertain them."
I have probably been in 20 bands in my life and played over 1,000 gigs from Korea to Belize.
I have never gone into a venue and said, "OK, guys, what can we do that will alienate the audience? XXX? No, we can't do that one, that's a crowd-pleaser, it has to be my 14 minute cover of Hello by Lionel Richie."
Can you guys enlighten me? Am I truly so old that I think I should entertain or tailor a set to a crowd if I'm being paid to entertain them, or is the exclusive point of all chip music to impress fellow chip musicians that may or may not be lurking behind the curtain?
i would guess people with that attitude are not playing many shows.
i know when i dj'd i turned down several paying gigs because i wasn't the person they wanted they were asking for something i'm not and i was not going to have a situation where the audience wasn't going to be happy.
and i would do the same as a livePA that uses a gameboy. if someone was looking for up beat melodic stuff i would have to tell them i don't do that you don't want me to play.
it should never be you against the audience, there are more of them than you they'd win.
my response to hecklers is usually to look at them like im going to make their head explode...seems to work for me
Last time I had some at a gig I just said "this one goes out to you" and started up screaming "haters always gunna hate"...
But I have no idea what this thread is about really.
I always aim to entertain.
rushcoil, how many chipshows have you been to?
Last edited by SKGB (Jun 26, 2010 6:51 am)
when you're having a good time, enjoying what you present at a gig, people will notice.
is simple as that.
I wonder about "beats" - like, do you guys typically pick upbeat stuff for these shows? Does anyone ever do their slower stuff?
I do both! It's always a nice breather to hear something thats completely different. what's hard is transitions. i've found these really are what keeps the audiences attention focused on the music, without letting them get distracted between songs.
As a performer, it is your task to ensure that the audience, whether it is 2, 20, 200, or 2000 makes no difference, are united and entertained by your presence, whether you are completely silent, reading poetry, plugging in faulty cables, pressing Start on your song mode piece, singing, dancing, or doing absolutely nothing. How you accomplish this is as different as every person, is different at every show, and can be learned but not taught.
quote of the thread/night/stuff. well said.
I have seen many posts on here (and the *other* site) that indicate that the chip artist ethos is basically, "fuck the audience. Do whatever YOU want and don't dare 'move around' or play anything the audience will like just to entertain them."
Forgive me for being pedantic, but care to provide a link or two?
Also, did you give any thought to the idea that people like, for example, Nullsleep because his music continues to evolve and grow and people respect that process over any individual songs?
Have you ever seen, Hally or YMCK or Albino Ghost monkey or Jddj3j or Bubblyfish or Glomag or Chibitech or Sabrepulse or Little-scale or Ctrix or Minikomi or 6955 or Quarta330 or Hunters or Unicorn Dream Attack (I could go on but I assume you get my point)? I have seen all of them and I must admit "fuck you audience, I am not going to play anything you like for the sake of entertaining you" really wasn't the vibe I got.
my response to hecklers is usually to look at them like im going to make their head explode...seems to work for me
usually that heckler is a friend of mine.
"NICE GODFLESH RIFF"
(Shouts the wrong lyrics)
"PLAY THE ONE I LIKE"