When you walk into a room and your group of friends is there you can use all the shorthand and inside jokes and communication to experience connectedness very quickly.
When you walk into a room of people you don’t know, you’re still YOU, but you don’t have history with these people so there’s no shorthand. You have to start somewhere that is a different starting place than when you’re with your pals.
It’s the same thing when you walk on stage.
If you don’t like having to get to know a new audience, don’t play for people who don’t know you.
If you play for people who don’t know you, why would you expect them to behave like an audience that does know you?
If you’re playing for a primarily new audience, what’s your musical/show version of “Hi, how are you, my name is”…as opposed to your musical/show version of “Good to see you again”.
It would be weird if someone came up to you who you didn’t know at all and said “Good to see you again”.
We’ve all heard time and time again ‘know your audience’…
…that is, unless you don’t know them…yet.
Over time as we mature, we learn how to get to know people (audiences) more genuinely, faster and with more care.
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I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com