Dancing and playing...can you do it?

[redbandit599]

My covers band are learning this little belter in the hope of ever getting out and gigging again. It's a proper 'crowd mover.'

Then I just saw this performance, and this band are 1.) Achingly cool 2.) Far better dancers than I ever was, without an instrument.

Now, I'm not a stand there motionless guy, I do move and that, but I just wondered if any of the BC massive can match this, better it or, if you have a story to tell? 😃

 

Edited September 14, 2020 by redbandit599

[Dad3353]

I'm glad I play drums. 

[redbandit599]

To start the stories, long time ago we played at our drummers wedding - he was suitably inebriated and foolishly was left in control of the smoke machine trigger. It was shall we say 'very dense' in every sense...

I can still remember the plaintive cry as our guitarist danced off the edge of the stage- of course, nobody saw it, we just heard it..

Edited September 14, 2020 by redbandit599

[Barking Spiders]

No particular stories to tell but I've mostly played in funk/disco bands and the caixa in samba groups and we'd spend as much time working on choreographed moves as we did on the music.  It was much more fun to perform and always got audiences/crowds dancing too.

[chris_b]

If the mood takes me I vigorously tap my foot. I actually did that once.

[skidder652003]

time to bring out this old classic...

 

[Nail Soup]

Yes, I can and do dance while playing. In my punk/new-wave covers band I move and dance a lot. The other guys are rooted to the spot - they are happy to let me get on with it.

For me one of the advantages of using an amp sim pedal instaed of an amp is more room to dance.

Dancing not up to stanard of Bruno Mars band though!

Story? Nearest I've got is: a couple of people from work came to a gig ..... one of them said that my stage performance reminded her of when her son fogets to take his hyperactivity medicine!

[Adee]

2 hours ago, skidder652003 said:

time to bring out this old classic...

 

Looks like Bruce Foxton on speed !!

[stewblack]

I can't not dance while playing. It's part performance but it's also an integral part of making music. 

Of course I use the word dance in its loosest possible interpretation. 

[redbandit599]

3 minutes ago, stewblack said:

I can't not dance while playing. It's part performance but it's also an integral part of making music. 

Of course I use the word dance in its loosest possible interpretation. 

We may share the same choreographer...😁

[JapanAxe]

That's very clever choreography: bouncing up and down for the straight-1/8ths section, swinging from side to side during the syncopated section.

Also noted that the bass player in the video is using a plectrum, whereas I've always played this fingerstyle with a fair bit of attack, near the bridge.

I do love that song!

[steantval]

I can’t dance or play bass, so that’s me shagged.

[Lozz196]

I’d have lived to have been able to dance a bit when doing ska numbers in my old covers band but I’m afraid it’s beyond me.

[Silvia Bluejay]

I'm in awe of those who can both play and dance at the same time, without effing up either activity. However, to me, listening to a good bassline comes before watching stage antics. If all that was interesting in a band was the dancing, I'd walk out after a couple of numbers.

[Dad3353]

As far as dancing in general is concerned, both of my left feet are like breeze blocks. It's not an 'age' thing, I've always been more of a stumbling teeter-totterer, even on a Good Day. I'll happily watch a good ballet (Coppélia..? Swan Lake..?), but have no appreciation whatever of this most bizarre of social interactions. 

[ahpook]

14 hours ago, redbandit599 said:

Now, I'm not a stand there motionless guy, I do move and that, but I just wondered if any of the BC massive can match this, better it or, if you have a story to tell? 😃

 

Very impressive moves in that video.

Which I have no chance of matching.

I might shift from foot to foot, but dance ?

No chance !

[stewblack]

48 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

I’d have lived to have been able to dance a bit when doing ska numbers in my old covers band but I’m afraid it’s beyond me.

Did several years in a Specials trib and 7 of us were in constant motion only 'Terry' and the drummer were stationary. 

Again you couldn't really call it dancing... 

[drTStingray]

I've played in bands where choreographed unison moves are required - it takes practice and even then I'd liken it to singing whilst playing a bass part - you have to at least have one as automatic - I can't focus on both at once (but that might be just me). 

That stuff at the end of the live version of Sledgehammer by Peter Gabriel always amazes me where he, Tony Levin, the guitarist and sometimes the keyboard player (if using a hand held synth) walk forward with absurdly comic exaggerated steps in half time and then go backwards in 16th beats after a set number of bars and then start again - how Tony Levin does that but keep one of the best bass grooves ever going at the same time amazes me - I guess it's practice (bands I have had to do these set moves with practiced relentlessly). 

Sledgehammer with said dancing here - moves start at about 4.00 - fabulous 80s sound as well 👍

https://youtu.be/05TVDCWRBog

Edited September 15, 2020 by drTStingray

[Drax]

Had lessons for a while with a name sideman. He said the most money he'd ever earned was TV work, dancing and miming ..

Also, Nathan East at Knebworth has some great moves 

 

Edited September 15, 2020 by Drax

[4000]

7 hours ago, skidder652003 said:

time to bring out this old classic...

 

This never gets old. Love it. 

[redbandit599]

Whoa! This guy has all the moves to mortify your children. 

 

[miles'tone]

Yes. I'm pretty fly for a white guy. 🕺

[steantval]

If someone said to me at an audition, can you dance as well, my reply would be, I’m here to play bass, not audition for Strictly.

[SpondonBassed]

I find myself moving or foot shuffling unconsciously sometimes when I play.

It's not what you'd call dancing like somebody has said already.  I suppose it is a sign that I could perhaps learn to do both together.  I don't see think it's anything that people would want to see though.

[Cat Burrito]

Most of my bands are fairly active, leaping around the stage, jumping off drum risers etc - no mean feat when you consider we are all late 40s / early 50s. I do a lot of cardio to make it look credible. It usually gets mentioned in reviews. 

Bringing us crashing down to earth though, I recall doing a video shoot circa 2016 with an old band and when the singer saw the rough edit he messaged the band to say it looked good but added that we'd offered "a masterclass in Dad dancing!"