When I think of a great live performance, I think of a musician earnestly playing a guitar, sweat rolling off his face. Sometimes his eyes are closed as he gazes into the depths of his own soul; other times his eyes prowl the crowd like a lion, rocking the faces of each and every gaze he meets. On stage, he is a whirlwind, always in motion, as if possessed by the power of rock. When he sings, he portrays a pained expression, each word seemingly ripped from the gummy depths of his tar-stained soul. This guitarist, this musician, this tortured artist, he is giving it his all, living in the moment and riding the music like an unbroken stallion, all for the benefit of the crowd.
However, my perception changed last Saturday night when I saw the Hold Steady play an outdoor show in
Not exactly the portrait of earnest rage that MTV has spent decades convincing me must accompany a great performance.
It was the best concert I have ever attended.
Along with great musicianship, a highly enthusiastic crowd and an awesome set list, Craig Finn displayed a quality that is rare in a rock and roll performance: happiness.
Sure, Craig jumped around and sang from the heart and did the standard audience participation stuff you would expect at a rock show, but he gave the crowd a little something extra as well. From the moment the band stepped on stage, Craig was smiling. And it wasn’t a forced grin; I got the sense that he was truly glad to be on stage and loved what he was doing. He laughed at certain lyrics. He threw back his head in delight when the jams really got going. He literally applauded when guitarist Tad Kubler ripped out an especially inspired solo.
Finn’s joy may have been partly inspired by the fact that his parents and sister were in the audience or that the hometown crowd was singing along to every song. On the other hand, it seemed so natural, so perfectly fitting to his style, I would surprised if he doesn’t perform with that much glee every night.
Which all led me to wonder: why don’t we see more happy performers?
The bands that we see on stage, at least the ones touring at a national level, have achieved a measure of success, and they have overcome long odds to get to that point. They have sacrificed. They have sweated. They have dreamed big and achieved their oversized goals. Wouldn’t you think that every time they step on stage, they would be at least a little struck with just how awe inspiring life can be?
I know, I know. It’s called a performance for a reason. Just because a musician looks angry on stage doesn’t mean they’re an enraged maniac. And I know that genre fits into the equation as well. Not too many fans are clamoring for the happy Mastodon show.
Still, I left that Hold Steady concert feeling energized and confident that rock music still has a redemptive power.
So what do you think? Are your favorite performers the snarlers or the smilers?
Me? I think that there is room on stage for both. But Craig Finn and his ilk sure help me stay positive.
- PT
5 comments:
Have you ever seen The Barenaked Ladies? I saw their Maroon Tour, and indeed THAT was the best concert that I had ever seen. (My previous favorite was the Talking Heads Stop Making Sense Tour.) The main reason? While I've seen dozens of phenomenal concerts, BNL was the one where I most wished that I was in the band.
I think people look miserable on stage for different reasons. For some it's part of their image and so they act the part. Others may be shy or just so intently concentrating on playing that they forget to smile.
I've not had much experience of performing, but I bet they must all enjoy it at least some of the time or they wouldn't do it. Even Thom Yorke of Radiohead smiles, despite a reputation for being miserable. You can see this on the videos of him playing at Glastonbury this year.
I've been told that it's good to smile when you are singing.
Eddie Van Halen always had a huge grin on his face on stage. We need more happy smiling guitarists like him. The typical "angry intense" look is such a pose. It works on the angst-fllied teenagers, but then we all grow up and out of that phase.
Like Steve said, I think some of it has to do with the image the band/musician has. It also has to do with their own personality--perhaps too much audience interaction will distract them or they feel really uncomfortable around strangers.
I remember watching The Band's Last Waltz movie and hearing something about how the band just felt tired after so many years of near constant touring. I think big bands don't smile so much because they could simply be tired from the tour.
In Chicago, most blues players typically play solos with their eyes closed, and it's hard to NOT make faces if you're really feeling it. Playing can become a form of divine prayer if you play straight from your heart and not at all from your mind. It's tough to do, though. Hence, 98% of blues is shit, and 2% is absolutely amazing.
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