We love playing small venues.
Friday's show in Florence was awesome! It had all the great things that come with a small club show. We've gotten to play some bigger venues this year but there's nothing quite like a small intimate room filled with people who know our music. There's a special energy in that setting. You can see people's faces, catch them mouthing the words and feel a real connection with the crowd. It's an amazing experience that you don't get in a big dark room or an outdoor festival. It does have it's logistical disadvantages, though. It can feel invasive and sometimes even a little unsafe.
One thing a lot of musicians secretly HATE is getting passed notes. Usually because of what's written on them. It's a form of heckling. It interrupts the show. "It's my friends birthday" "Can you play Brown Eyed Girl?" Or something that's just unintelligible. A few songs in someone threw this note on the stage.
We we're blown away. Not because someone knew our music but because one simple motion changed our entire notion of being passed a note on stage. Yes, we played all of them. And it felt great!
It wasn't always that way though. Intimate rooms almost always have hecklers. Here's our Top 7 we've had to deal with in the past and are likely to show up in small to midsize venues, no matter who you are.. Don't be like these people. They're not your bro.
The Freebird Guy
You've seen this guy before. He has a few too many and just blurts out names of songs that everyone knows the band is NOT going to play
(We carry a "Free Bird" in our pocket).
The Aspiring Background Dancer
She's drunk and just wants to dance... on stage. She's one misplaced step away from tripping unplugging the entire show.
The Human Cymbal Mute
Someone is dared to go touch something on stage. 4 more shots and they build up the courage to go do it and we're left with a drunken zombie slowly reaching out to grab a cymbal with their bare hands during the show (This has ACTUALLY happened to us).
The Middle School Crush
It always nice to get a note from an admirer, just not during a guitar solo.
The Suburban Elitist
Thinks the show just started when she came in even though she's 45 minutes late and yells out "Play something we can dance to" during an emotional moment that you've spent 40 minutes building up to.
The Agent
"Is REALLY good friends" with the owner of another venue in the same town and can "Get you a gig there" and has interrupted the show to tell you because he's "Leaving right now."
Creepy Uncle
We want to shake your hand. We want to give you a high five, just not after the end of every song in our set.
Upcoming Tour Dates: www.roshambeauxmusic.com/tour-dates