Gigging musicians : Crowd or venue?

starscream

starscream

starscream

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Just got back from doing a pub gig that I really wasn't looking forward to as it was just a small pub, but as it turns out, it was a total blinder. Normally I've always enjoyed venues with big stages and awesome PA kit, but this has made me think about it a lot more.

What do you guys enjoy most, a big venue with 400 people, or 40 people in a pub bouncing round like nutters?

Edit : oops, thought I was in Music, can a mod please move?
 
I prefer a better crowd. If the spirit and atmosphere isn't there you may as well be playing in a garage :)

arty
 
arty said:
I prefer a better crowd. If the spirit and atmosphere isn't there you may as well be playing in a garage :)

arty
Click to expand...

Indeed! Good crowds are better than numbers... Although what you put into it does influence how good the crowd is...
 
When I open the fridge and the light comes on I'm already in performance mode.
Personally I prefer the pub where the its packed and the people are on top of you but more importantly they enjoy what you do.
In the past when I was in a duo I played a pub where there was only two people in a pub but they enjoyed every second whereas I did gigs in packed pubs and nobody knew we were there.
I'm lucky that I'm now in a band with a following but I still prefer the smaller gig.
 
It's always the atmosphere that does it for me, but some venues tend to have a better atmosphere than others...which is probably due to the crowd. I much prefer playing to twenty people enjoying the music rather than five-hundred who aren't.
 
Definately the crowd every time...

There's nothing better than having a responsive audience that you can really communicate with, it's almost electric!!! :)

Similarly there's nothing worse playing to a crowd who couldn't care less whether you're there or not...
 
The advice I always give to young musicians is to go and try everything even if you don't like it. Get experience with every type of music and music venue you can. Once you've spent a little bit of time playing support to a bingo machine in a Phoenix Club type venue then two people really admiring you at a gig is all worthwhile.
I've sang in Workingmens Clubs and British Legions where I've completely made lyrics to songs up and hit really bad chords all the way through and not raised one head because they're all on Planet Bingo.
 
goto be the crowd every time.

lucky for me this weekend we played the brixton jamm, was 700 people in the place (well, around 350 rammed into the gig room i reckon. isnt that big).

and they were all buzzing by the time we hit the stage at midnight! went down really well. got rid of 150 cd's (well they are free demos) and made some contacts.

mani arrived just after we played, with a blue carrier bag with beers in it.
tres rock 'n' roll :)

shame every gig cant be like that though.
 
Well, my band are playing our first gig on the 20th. There'll be around 200-250 people there. I've got butterflies already!
 
i always just get up and give it large.

as you can tell :)

some piccies

infact some of the best gigs have been in big venues to not many people.

but then i have broken the back of 60 odd gigs this year. with a couple more to go.
 
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