Accuracy vs showmanship

[Jase]

I don't tend to move around too much, other than when you're naturally getting into it. Not really bothered about showmanship or image or "putting on a good show" I'm more interested in playing well, how we sound and whether we're tight or sloppy. If a band is cutting it on the night.....showmanship follows, whether you move or not.

[Blueroom Pete]

I'm playing in a Blues Brothers tribute show and now that a year of gigs under our belt has us totally familiar with the material we have got to learn properly choreographed dance moves from the film. I'm really starting to wish I was a drummer and could sit the whole thing out!

[OutToPlayJazz]

I do accuracy & I do move around the stage, but I don't dance.

Btw, by accuracy, are you thinking of technique or just mainly playing all the right notes, hopefully in the right order and in the right place?

[simondee]

since right now we're playing mahoosive stages with great monitors and I got my wireless, I'm running around like an idiot. It's great fun.

All you have to make sure is you've got your foot firmly planted on a monitor for any fiddly bits

[chris_b]

[quote name='Sarah5string' post='263083' date='Aug 15 2008, 02:13 PM']....When playing live... would you rather stand still and be more accurate (but less interesting to look at from the crowd) or be lively and energetic and a crowdpleaser but in turn sacrifice your accuracy?....[/quote]
One shouldn't necessarily cancel out the other. Having said that I generally make John Entwistle look animated but the rule should be to move how you feel and don't make mistakes.

[hatori]

When Im in the groove locked in tight with the drummer its generally eyes closed lookin cool. When funkin I engage with the punters and move arround generally to find that 'sweet spot' for my bass tone. I have been known to get a bit carried away but on the whole keep fluffs to a minimum. Punters rarely notice if you do screw up, you just make it look like you meant to do it and 'make art'.

[NeonMig]

I play metal, so running around is pretty necessary. During the more complicated bits or bits which require more concentration, I'll stop, but there's a reason I got a wireless.

[Adrenochrome]

SHOWMANSHIP - we're paid to entertain.

Not always easy to do if the band is having a poor gig though...

[Bilbo]

You don't have to move around like a lunatic in order to engage and audience. It can, in fact, be wholly incongruent.

Where jazz is concerned, accuracy is more important because you are trying to form and execute ideas simultaneously, unlike most popular genres where all you are doing on gigs is reproducing well rehearsed set pieces. Yes, I accept you are being paid to entertain; that is why most bands with top names like Kylie or Take That are actually hidden from the audience. But, in jazz at least, it is the music that matters not the musicians! Engaging the audience doesn't require lighter fuel or a seizure....

[skankdelvar]

[quote]Engaging the audience doesn't require lighter fuel[/quote]

Works for me - squirt the punters with it and you soon get their attention.