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DirgeK
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4/26/2009 6:00:53 PM
Engaging with your audience
Do you think it is important to communicate with your audience when you play live ?
I ask this question as I went to see Dylan at the O2 yesterday and he did not speak to the audience to say hi or to speak about any of his songs. The only words he spoke was to briefly introduce his band near the end. Apparently he never talks to the audience and although you could say his songs speak for him it, seems to me just courteous to make some acknowledgement of your audience
DK's mum
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Chris Hance
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4/26/2009 6:57:14 PM
Yes, I think it's important,
On Dylan though I hear he is ultra shy, like me.
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AnigmaS
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4/26/2009 8:09:10 PM
I think it's discourteous not to acknowledge the audience.
If you're Bob Dylan, or any "star" for that matter, you can get away with treating people that way though, in many different settings, ...but it's certainly not to his credit to do so.
With regards to his being Ultra-shy, ...understandable, but after doing this for over 40 years, I have to believe that he has the capability of treating an audience amicably if he were so inclined.
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SILVERWOODSTUDIO
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4/26/2009 10:49:17 PM
It is a Dylan trademark to ignore his audience---part of his persona
I personally prefer some humility from performers, but Lou Reed in his heyday abused some of his fans at shows--yet, I have lots of Lou and Bobs albums--
Then again Dylan has kept a lid on his private life that many othe famous peeps would be envious of?
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Conversation Suicide
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4/27/2009 4:15:21 AM
Yeah, well if your an artist that has made it to Dylan's Level, I guess you can do with the audience whatever you wish.
BUT -- I think some of the BEST performers, almost always interact with their audience when playing live.
That's one of the COOL things about fairly successful Punk/Underground bands, they're usually pretty interactive, and down to earth. I remember seeing Exene Cervenka of X in one of her side projects a few years ago, and she played the audience well, and took time to sign CDs and autographs, and chit-chat with those who stuck around at the end of the show.
But NOT all artist/performers are social butterflys -- my wife always reminds me about the great singer/songwriter from XTC, who would almost have a nervous breakdown re: performing LIVE, and STOPPED performing LIVE for a LONG time, even at the height of their underground & mainstream success... So I guess Dylan could be one of those types, if he's had a history of being shy....
For little ole me, performing live is the REAL shit -- and I become completely gregarious & outspoken/interactive, most of the time. I think audience interaction should be part of the SHOW!
-pHLeGm
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Bob Elliott
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4/27/2009 4:59:04 AM
and yet I was thinking today of him as an example of engaging when I , on the other hand, seem to do better just saying thanks and not talking much so I don't say stupd stuff.
He talks a lot on early concert albums, and he's pretty interesting talking on stage. I guess he doesn't anymore.
I was thinking the same of Neil Young hearing him in concert. Talks a lot. He's funny.
I would talk if it sounded good, but in tapes of my shows when I start talking I cringe. Better to say little if I'm not good at it.
Yet I talk for a living. I'm not shy, it just doesn't seem to work real well mixed with me playing music...
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4/27/2009 7:42:14 AM
You caught Dylan on that kind of a night. I've seen him numerous times in concert and sometimes he is congenial, other times he is very dark. Sometimes he barely can deliver his songs, he's so withdrawn. Other times he goes into a zone where he plays a bunch of songs he hasn't sung for awhile and you see the glow in his face.
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Tom O'Brien
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4/28/2009 8:20:00 PM
Yes, I think that, for most people, if you're going to play live, you ought to acknowledge that what you're doing is not just performing, but being an actual living presence. So what if you don't have much to say, or if you're shy. Get over yourself and communicate. I think if I were in the presence of, say, Picasso, I would be frustrated if he just painted in front of me and never said a word. Amazed, but frustrated. Seeing someone live is a chance to know the performer, not just his creations.
I've never seen Dylan live, and I suppose just his presence is pretty powerful. He may live on a different plane from us, so I guess we can't expect him to play by our rules. Maybe he's just tired of saying the same old thing for 50 years.
I was listening to an old live tape of mine the other day, and I heard myself say some dumb things in between songs. But other than those dumb things, there was just crowd noise, and I knew that I was connecting, no matter what I said. I think I used to embarrass my band sometimes.
Of course, Miles is another one of those famous non-talkers. You get it a lot more in jazz, I suppose. The music says a lot, but we have recordings for that. I say performers owe their audience a little conversation - it makes it so much more personal.
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Bob Elliott
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4/28/2009 10:37:05 PM
I don't know what it is with me. I get all emotional trying to pull out a good version of a song, and then when I'm done, maybe I feel kinda strange for talking, but it sounds awkward. I'm gonna work on it, though...
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