AUDIENCE PSYCHOLOGY 101
(The 'people' side of the biz)
by Bsharp

Be it a concert, lounge, Elks lodge, wedding reception, private house party or background music at a fine dining restaurant, no one in your audience gives a hoot about the technical things you have to know in order to entertain them. They just came to be with friends or to enjoy an evening out. So, help them.

As entertainers we have to be chameleon-like, ready to change the nature of our music and entertainment as the evening progresses and be intuitive enough to recognize when we should be "background" and when to be in in the forefront...and how to seque from one mode to another.

Most dinner/dances and parties have a common thread or unspoken format to them. When guests arrive, and maybe for the first hour or so, there is a "sniffing period", similar to when dogs meet each other. The purpose of the "sniffing" is for the guests to get acquainted or re-acquainted with each other. The music takes a back seat.

When meals are served, the food is the star of the show. Don't even try to compete with that. If you are playing during dining, the music should enhance the meal and table conversations by being pleasant and at a reduced volume.

But, when the "sniffing" and meals are finished, don't be shy about stepping up the pace and the volume a notch. If your thing is music only, get them dancing. If you are a personality type of musician/entertainer, talk to them - get them involved - make them smile - or better yet laugh out loud while providing what you think is the most appropriate music for the ocassion.

Taking requests can often help you gauge what will please them most...but don't let them program your performance. Keep them guessing. Give them treats and a variety of tempos and styles.

As the evening progresses, the natural flow of your material and the mood you create will permeate the room and build an atmosphere of enjoyment they all expected to have when they left for the event. Nobody came to have a rotten time. Build on their expectations.

Structure your sets so when you take a break you leave them wanting more.

Always show your appreciation for a good audience. Never show your disdain for a bad one.

Finally, have a big finish - something for them to remember you by. And, be sure to have your business cards handy. If you are lucky, you will need them...hopefully, lots of them.