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The best part about what I do is that this counts as research!

Yup... I'm up at 07:00 and "working."

I sometimes bring kids onto the stage to have 'em dance and even to sing along. We don't usually give them big instruments to play, though I've done that in the past. There's just too many chances of it going sideways.

But, we have tambourines and maracas on stage - and even have a handbell. We'll let 'em clang away with those and this gives the audience a reason to be happy and cheer. It also makes the parents proud, the kid excited, and part of the band can be doing stuff like switching instruments while we get 'em up on the stage.

If you're curious, you can choose to give them instruments. The audience doesn't usually mind (and quite likes it) but it will vary a whole lot with things like the style of music you play, the venue you're at, or the type of audience you have.

As a general rule, I don't suggest it - but it gets done. Once in a blue moon, someone from the audience will yell out that they can play the song and we'll invite them onstage and let them have some fun with it - but that's really rare. Usually, you're more likely (with us) to get invited on stage to sing with us. But, those are pretty rare events.

If you're in a band and decide to this, then you probably only want to do it only when you have a person dedicated to the audio engineer role. The person doing sound can just turn the volume down from the booth. Many bands don't have a person in that role, so you're kinda stuck with an awkward situation if it turns out they can't actually play or sing very well.

Anyhow, we frequently get the audience involved and, as of late, we've had a few shows where it was appropriate to invite a kid (not the eldest hoodlum, this is different situation) come on stage to sing or dance up there with us.

As such, I'm frequently interested in seeing how other bands will do it and I'm always looking for inspiration.

Which is when I came across this!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wz5GSeI41Ro

Watch carefully!

They bring a kid onstage. That's not unheard of. She looks like a nice normal kid and obviously has loving parents who care about her hearing. Those are pretty good muff-style hearing protectors!

They let the kid play the drum for a brief minute and then they whisk the kid off the stage - to the back of the stage.

As in, they bring the kid up on the front of the stage - and then shoo the kid off, never to be seen again, to the back of the stage! The kid just disappears!

Damn it, Metallica! You stole a child!

Yes. Yes, this is research!

The best part about what I do is that this counts as research! Yup... I'm up at 07:00 and "working." I sometimes bring kids onto the stage to have 'em dance and even to sing along. We don't usually give them big instruments to play, though I've done that in the past. There's just too many chances of it going sideways. But, we have tambourines and maracas on stage - and even have a handbell. We'll let 'em clang away with those and this gives the audience a reason to be happy and cheer. It also makes the parents proud, the kid excited, and part of the band can be doing stuff like switching instruments while we get 'em up on the stage. If you're curious, you can choose to give them instruments. The audience doesn't usually mind (and quite likes it) but it will vary a whole lot with things like the style of music you play, the venue you're at, or the type of audience you have. As a general rule, I don't suggest it - but it gets done. Once in a blue moon, someone from the audience will yell out that they can play the song and we'll invite them onstage and let them have some fun with it - but that's *really* rare. Usually, you're more likely (with us) to get invited on stage to sing with us. But, those are pretty rare events. If you're in a band and decide to this, then you probably only want to do it **only** when you have a person dedicated to the audio engineer role. The person doing sound can just turn the volume down from the booth. Many bands don't have a person in that role, so you're kinda stuck with an awkward situation if it turns out they can't actually play or sing very well. Anyhow, we frequently get the audience involved and, as of late, we've had a few shows where it was appropriate to invite a kid (not the eldest hoodlum, this is different situation) come on stage to sing or dance up there with us. As such, I'm frequently interested in seeing how other bands will do it and I'm always looking for inspiration. Which is when I came across this! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wz5GSeI41Ro Watch carefully! They bring a kid onstage. That's not unheard of. She looks like a nice normal kid and obviously has loving parents who care about her hearing. Those are pretty good muff-style hearing protectors! They let the kid play the drum for a brief minute and then they whisk the kid off the stage - to the back of the stage. As in, they bring the kid up on the front of the stage - and then shoo the kid off, **never to be seen again**, to the back of the stage! The kid just disappears! Damn it, Metallica! You stole a child! Yes. Yes, this is research!

4 comments

[–] PhunkyPlatypus 1 points (+1|-0)

Audience participation is often overlooked with a lot of bands. But when it's done well, it can leave a lasting impression and make the band really stand out above others. Even if it's just clapping to the beat or shouting the chorus back, can turn a mediocre performance into something a lot more fun.

Personally I'll never forget the 3 minutes when I was the singer for a band.

[–] TheBuddha [OP] 1 points (+1|-0)

I love getting the audience involved - and usually do it many times in a show. I get 'em to sing along, clap, etc...

If I'm playing a small venue, such as a bar, I still get them involved. We keep things like tambourines on the edge of the stage so that the drunk people can feel like they're a part of the band. I'll call non-trashed people up on stage.

Hell, if there's an audience member that I see and they obviously know the words, I may bring 'em up and we'll play that song all over again - just so they can sing it.

A recent show was at a fairground and we had about a half-dozen kids, the oldest being maybe 8 and the youngest being so short that they were still in the falling down stage, up on the stage with us.

We needed help to do GnR's version of Knocking On Heaven's Door!

Who better to help us than a bunch of sugared up kids?

Nobody, that's who!

The parents love it. The kids love it. The audience loves it. We love it.

It's one of the (many) reasons that I'm enjoying the band project. It's great to be with a band that's actually full of fantastic musicians AND is serious about what they do.

They're not just using it as an excuse to get drunk or high. (Imagine that?!?) So, we're playing varied audiences and I'm not playing little dive bars for $50 a night. We're actually getting out there and playing for bigger audiences and people who aren't shitfaced.

We have done "concerts in the park" events, camp openings, fairs, private functions, and things like that.

Most of my performance experience, the vast majority, has been in the smaller places - specifically bars/clubs. Getting to do this is really quite a treat and the band is really satisfying to work with.

One of 'em actually ~gasp~ has already quit his regular job and another one quit her part-time job (she's also a student, a music major). It's a great joy to work with dedicated, skilled, and passionate musicians. We pretty much strictly do just high-production covers and we absolutely stay regional. I'm not trying to teach them to be famous. I'm trying to teach them how to make an adequate living. The goal is for them to all be able to live entirely from income derived from their musicianship.