Well.. I didn't always have it under control. It took some years of experience first. And I still get an occasional gig that seems hopeless on Friday, but on Saturday I turn it around.

Maybe it's a bit different in the US, than here in Europe. But most of the piano bars I've played here, be it Norway, Sweden, England, Spain or Germany, it's usually the same. The music differs from place to place, but the objective is always the same. Give the audience a good show, and they will respect you at the end of the night. Some crowds are tougher than others, and ultimately it is up to you to figure out how to get their attention. I've found that 7 times out of 10 I have to grab the attention as early as possible, or the crowd will drift off, start jacking away, turning around and the nail in the coffin: ask me to "Turn it down a notch or two". I'm not saying you should start off by pulling down your pants and moon the crowd to get attention, allthough some guys do that with great success.. That's not my thing. But find a way to make them listen to you, demand their respect, and get your act together and put on a good show. Chances are they will love you! But you have to feel out the crowd. Each audience require a different set of tunes, a different set of jokes, and a different mood. Remember that it's not too big of a deal to bomb a song or a joke, because you can always follow up with a better one. In theese types of gigs you are usually only as good as the last number you did.


Doc-Z