| Now is the time to have a big grumble about audiences at gigs. I love going to live music. I love the energy and passion and the uniqueness that a gig brings - it is only the very big acts who put on a smooth and tight show that is the same each night - the fact that these shows have no soul to them is another issue and not something that I am going to go into here. This entry concerns things that annoy me at a gig – I am not pompous enough to expect people to agree with me or anything like that, but I am going to rant anyway – because I can.
Applause is an obvious aspect of any gig or show. We show our appreciation of a song and an artist/band - we show our approval and pleasure at what we are experiencing. No worries. But the following are behaviours that I don’t get
If you are listening to a song, then you know when it has ended – a clue is that the music and vocals have stopped – even the most inexperienced audience member should be able to grasp this concept. So why do people start applauding before the end of a song? We can all see that it is ending, but just because the singer might have stopped, the song needs to stop before acknowledging it – surely that makes sense. But no – many folk see the end coming and start clapping in preparation for the end – I just don’t get it. I accept it though and so I shall move on.
This is where people raise their hands above their head and clap. This is in the dark where the band can’t see. What is this high clapping supposed to tell us? Is a normal clap not adequate? Do you feel that a successful clap needs to be closer to the ceiling? Is it saying that you think your applause is more committed due to its height? Please explain this to me. Are you telling people that you appreciate things more than others because you can reach for the sky as opposed to just clapping?
It has long been vexing to me that at a jazz gig, every solo seems to be rewarded with applause – regardless of the quality of the solo. This kind of behaviour has resulted in too many drum solos – something that should not be tolerated in a society that is supposedly advanced. But jazz is a world unto itself and we have learnt to tolerate these behaviours. However, this has now been picked up by Idol programs and kids are now encouraged to applaud a singer mid-way through a song for hitting a high or long note. Please save the applause to the end of the song. Let’s allow a song to complete all its aspects and show an overall approval for the end result. I am not saying that we should not applaud an occasional impressive part of a song, but make it earned rather than given by default.
All I’ll say is that if you have no rhythm, then leave the clapping alone – do us all a favour.
I wish that I didn’t have to mention this, but the American disease has arrived on these shores. There are two aspects to this:
1) Applauding the name of where you live. If I am in a meeting and was to say, “It’s great to be here in Melbourne”, I really wouldn’t expect people to applaud the mention of Melbourne. So why at a gig do people applaud the fact that an artist can remember where they are? It is strange behaviour indeed.
2) The mention of somebody who isn’t there or even who is dead. “This was originally a hit for Marvin Gaye” seems to generate applause. Marvin ain’t here to hear it, so what is that supposed to tell us? Are you letting us know that you’ve heard of him? Guess what, me too! Are you informing people that you are going to appreciate this song more than them because you’ve heard of Marvin (or whoever the person is) – just keep it to yourselves
This closely follows the previous point. If the artist says, “The next song is called ‘Squelch Me Until I Drop’” then what possible reason do you have for applauding the title. Yes, you may like the song, but so what? Are you telling the rest of audience that you like this song? Guess what – they don’t care – they are not at the gig for you.
This is a natural follow up the previous point. The song has been announced or has begun and then as the artist sings the first word, people applaud – it’s true. We know what the song is – let it go. Listen. Are you same people who applauded the mention of the song before it began and this is the next sign of your madness? Or did you not realise which song this was until they started singing? Either way – shut up.
This just annoys me. I’ve been at gigs where the people next to me have talked through an entire song, yet when it finishes, they applaud the song. You haven’t earned that right – it means nothing.
This seems to be a new phenomenon and I don’t know where it came from. This is where people don’t just applaud, but they hold their hands out towards the artist and then applaud. Is this to remove any doubt as to who you are applauding? In case the chap to your left thinks that it is for him? Just clap.
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