Just why is the crowd so important to some Breakfast fans?

[Dyed_Tie]

Remember the old adage, if a tree falls in the woods and nobody is around to hear it does it make a sound?  Well if the band is playing a sick show and thee\'s a crowd of two people who are talking to each other and ignoring the band, did they really play?  Well of course they did, but it can\'t do all that much for their self esteem.

The crowd is very important to a great show.  It has no bearing on the musical quality of the show short of how much the band and crowd reciprocate each other\'s energy.  Yes the band can still rip off a sick concert, but the show as a whole could be less than stellar because the crowd is just standing around.

The crowd will always have an impact on the overall quality of a show.  Just ask Ron, last night he said, "If you guys don\'t come we don\'t play."  And that\'s the truth.  These guys are very committed to the music as I\'m sure anybody with half a brain could tell, but even they couldn\'t keep on keepin\' on if they didn\'t have shows with crazy crowds.  It\'s all about energy, the band will always atttempt to pull out their best in front of a hard-groovin\' crowd.  That\'s just how it goes.  

Just for a point of reference, the best shows I have ever been to?  Last night at the Middle East #1, The Puppet House Theatre Run #2, and The Seventh Annual Fonghoulish Freakout #3.  The crowds all had a lot to do with those shows, but the band most likely worked the hardest on the Fonghoul. But to each his own I guess.

[leith]

and don\'t usually bother to turn around as the band is not behind me.

Then you are missing out on "the connection" with all of :your fiends"

AND I have had Tim look me in the eye and just rip to see how fast he could get me to go.:lol:

You think they don\'t do that with the whole crowd??? Come on GUY, that IS part of the energy of the show!!! I was up front last night and Ron and Tim put on "a show" for me to photograph, involving Tim guitar spearing the front row and Tim and Ron dueling together. AWESOME shots AND awesome ENERGY that you could definately see in the crowd!!!!!

So I understand the whole interaction angle but WHY does it effect one\'s review or determine if that show was better than any other?
:idunno:

It IS all about the AWESOME playing of the band AND the connection of the band to the crowd!!!!! As a proclaimed old school Dead Head, you, more than anyone else, should understand this!!!!

Yeah well as I said before I am there mainly for the music. How many times in a show do you find me yapping w/ someone? Not many and that is how I choose to enjoy my Breakfast. Just because it is different does not mean I need pity or am missing out. I make plenty of "connections" w/ my friends b4 the show, setbreak, and late nite.

Yeah well I should hope as their main photographer they would play up for you. Good shots=Good publicity

Yeah I saw the Dead in all sorts of intimate places. Pffft.
I guess I actually just answered my own question. Thanx all.

I see it like this. The Breakfast play in bars and small clubs.
The core fanbase has seen most of the shows played and have known the guys personally for a long time. For many it is their first "local bar band",the thing is you guys got lucky on that one if more local bar bands were this good music in this country would be soooo different.
The crowd has always been a part of the PB experience and thus it is passed on as such.
With larger bands such as Phish and GD that connection was only available up front and that place needed to be "earned".

It is not so @ a Breakfast show. Get there early and you can be up front and it behooves one to act a crazy fool to fit in w/ the hardcore fans up front.

Well sorry to say but if this band makes it to the theater stage do not expect it to be the riot it is in clubs now. It\'s just a fact you all will have to face.

[Me!]

don\'t be pious(sp?) or anything leith

and you started this off by saying that somw of the shows were there weren\'t good crowds are good?  and then just coming down on the family thing? I just don\' get the point your trying to make

[FreeSpirit]

It is not so @ a Breakfast show. Get there early and you can be up front and it behooves one to act a crazy fool to fit in w/ the hardcore fans up front.

Well sorry to say but if this band makes it to the theater stage do not expect it to be the riot it is in clubs now. It\'s just a fact you all will have to face.

I don\'t see the "riots" stopping anytime soon, theater or not!

[Todd]

Well sorry to say but if this band makes it to the theater stage do not expect it to be the riot it is in clubs now. It\'s just a fact you all will have to face.

You just don\'t know this family, do you? We WILL make it a riot ANYWHERE this band plays!!!!!!

[Me!]

and without said family, said love, and said good times, i honestly don\'t think i\'d try so hard to see the band every chance i got. i\'m sure i\'d still see them plenty, but the things surrounding this band make the whole thing better, imo.

:that: I\'ve said  almost this exact thing to people outside the Breakfast scene before, I would still go but it prob wouldn\'t be as hardcore,

[Todd]

don\'t be pious(sp?) or anything leith

and you started this off by saying that somw of the shows were there weren\'t good crowds are good?  and then just coming down on the family thing? I just don\' get the point your trying to make

Nice to see, that you\'re such a a scholar in knowing pious!!!! But....you still posess the Paul Ryan fault in "your"!!!! :lol:

[Me!]

don\'t be pious(sp?) or anything leith

and you started this off by saying that somw of the shows were there weren\'t good crowds are good?  and then just coming down on the family thing? I just don\' get the point your trying to make

Nice to see, that you\'re such a a scholar in knowing pious!!!! But....you still posess the Paul Ryan fault in "your"!!!! :lol:

:rimshot:

[leith]

don\'t be pious(sp?) or anything leith

and you started this off by saying that somw of the shows were there weren\'t good crowds are good?  and then just coming down on the family thing? I just don\' get the point your trying to make

Now how am i being pious?

There is no point other than I was curious why some people view shows better or worse depending on the crowd. It baffles me that the crowd could make a difference enough for some people that it would slant their memories of a show.

As I stated before I was introduced to the band under circumstances considered a "doozie" in these parts. The band still threw down and had a large enough effect on me to move me to join PB fans.

So to me the crowd was never a factor the band was incredible and will be w/ or w/o the crowd energy.

[Klout]

I understand being totally totally involved in the music...but turn around and take in the whole experience. Your missing half of whats going on if your eyes never leave the band. Dance with your friends and family... Thats what matters in the long run, when the music stops.

[leith]

I understand being totally totally involved in the music...but turn around and take in the whole experience. Your missing half of whats going on if your eyes never leave the band. Dance with your friends and family... Thats what matters in the long run, when the music stops.

You know I have actually been consideing watching from the back but for lighting purposes to get the full effect of Ellis\' work. Maybe doing that will help me gain more of an insight.

I will try but I really really find it hard to pull myself away from the band mainly because it is soo rare for me to be in front of them. I know the Winstons show for me fell short due to being pulled away from the music so much by friends. I really am not sure if I am going to change much but I am willing to give it a shot once maybe twice.

I do know that I can not stand it when a friend thinks they are engaging in good times jumping on my back when in reality they are just pissing me off.

[Steffmo]

Hey....

Different folks like different aspects of showsIts not up to anubody else to be judgemental about what someone else likes or dislikes about a show.  So....its all good.  No reason to get in each others face about.

Me, I just want to know about the crowd because in the business side of it....thats what buyers rate the band by.  Sure I love the music....I freaking record it, but where we take the band depends on who WANTs to book the band.  And the first Question THEY have is "how are the numbers".  Actually...if they are professional they don\'t ask US....they caall the last 5 places the band played.  Good numbers....we get the gig.

[leith]

Hey....

Different folks like different aspects of showsIts not up to anubody else to be judgemental about what someone else likes or dislikes about a show.  So....its all good.  No reason to get in each others face about.

Me, I just want to know about the crowd because in the business side of it....thats what buyers rate the band by.  Sure I love the music....I freaking record it, but where we take the band depends on who WANTs to book the band.  And the first Question THEY have is "how are the numbers".  Actually...if they are professional they don\'t ask US....they caall the last 5 places the band played.  Good numbers....we get the gig.

Thank you Vic.

[skalnbyc]

fuckin\' god, kill this thread.

Or another option is to insert the "Congratulations on your gay thread" pic.

[Todd]

Yeah well as I said before I am there mainly for the music. How many times in a show do you find me yapping w/ someone? Not many and that is how I choose to enjoy my Breakfast. Just because it is different does not mean I need pity or am missing out. I make plenty of "connections" w/ my friends b4 the show, setbreak, and late nite.

I don\'t "yap" with my friends much while the band is playing. And "the connection" I am talking about is when you are in the middle of a bunch of people you know, the band is ripping a tune to another dimension, your mind is melting, you look around and can see and feel that everyone you know feels the same way. This is what sets one show apart from another to me. AND, I never said anything about pitying you! Capeesh?

Yeah well I should hope as their main photographer they would play up for you. Good shots=Good publicity

Yes, but they also do this the entire show, as long as they have a crowd to interact with. A crowd standing there not moving= band still playing great, but not moving around with silly antics, etc, etc. A crowd going nuts over the music, dancing and flailing around with hands in the air= band going nuts with them. Energy + energy= incredible show. Capeesh?