GILARock.com Debate - "Do Live Gigs Need Scapegoat Emce

[WayneThunder]

Hey Everyone,

Welcome to the first GILARock.com - S.O.F.T. debate!

Basically, I go to gigs and sometimes incidents happen, which raise issues that may be worth discussing or at least getting some general opinion on. I review said gig on www.gilarock.com, post the relevant discussion here and then everyone contributes their opinions and ideas!

Without further ado.....the first issue was raised at FLOW! for which you can find the related review at www.gilarock.com/reviews/061215_review_flow.html. The issue goes:


"Unless there are obligations to flog sponsors and give away free stuff, do local gigs really need scapegoat emcees to buy time in between bands with lame jokes and stupid questions?"


Offering my own opinion to start with.....I find the idea of emcees at most independent gigs a big waste of time.

From a musician's point of view, it's extremely annoying to have to deal with being asked silly questions when I'm busy on stage setting up. From an audience point of view, it's annoying because 9 out of 10 emcees at independent gigs don't have the proper stage presence and experience to command an impatient and/or ambivalent audience. We see professional emcees on TV and at ballroom functions all the time and they already irritate the heck out of many of us. It's not an easy job that anyone can do.

Finally, I'd say that most people who go to gigs go for the music, to watch the bands - not some amateur mumbling unintelligible jokes on stage. I say spare the audience for 10 minutes, and let the bands setup in peace so that they can put on the best possible show.

Obviously, in the case of FLOW! they had to have emcees because they had obligations to the sponsor and to give away those free gifts, but in most other situations, where there are no curtains or TV cameras to pan away from the stage, what's the point? People can see what's happening on stage at all times anyway.

Changeover times have long been accepted as part and parcel of small live gigs ever since the advent of multiple-band lineups. It's actually essential to have that break in between bands so people can rest their ears, get a drink, go to the restroom, have a smoke, socialize etc. Emcees aren't necessarily required.

Wayne
www.gilarock.com

 

[soft]

hi Wayne

i feel that music is part of the entertainment package. yes, the music must be good in the first place. as for a concert/gig/show, the producer should programme it such that it gets the desired response from the audience.

regarding the emcee, i feel if it is done nicely, it will enhance the whole atmosphere.

there are alot of emcees out there who can turn a dead-fish-company-dinner-and-dance into a extravaganza!

 

[Grain]

ut

yeah i agree.
get emcees who r fun n commanding at the same time.
band members can b emcees too.

 

[WayneThunder]

There's no doubt a good emcee can do wonders to raise the mood of the crowd - but again, my point is, how many good ones have you actually seen at independent gigs?

w.

 

[AgingYouth]

Not from our end...

 

[edder]

yeah... that MC who tripped onto someone's bass.... keerrrrbranggggg.... :twisted:

 

[soft]

WayneThunder, that's why must get GOOD MC.

it is just like selecting which bands to perform. must get the good bands.

* bands who are not ready, practise harder and perform ONLY when ready. this will help the local music industry.

 

[weckl-x]

It's actually essential to have that break in between bands so people can rest their ears, get a drink, go to the restroom, have a smoke, socialize etc. Emcees aren't necessarily required.

I do agree with these points, and feel that at certain gigs, MCs aren't necessary, but a good-to-have (if they're at least 6-7 on a scale of 10).

Emcee, or MC, is derived from the term Master of Ceremonies. Anyone who doesn't live up to that title, is hardly a Master in any sense.

Then again, if we ever want to nurture a generation of quality MCs, where do we expect them to practice their craft? In their bedroom? Facing a live audience VS a bedroom, is pretty different as we all know. We can book a jamming studio and play our stuff, but for them to book a studio and talk to themselves in front of a mirror isn't quite the same.

Great discussion topic, hope to hear opinions from more people on this.

 

[Crawldaddy]

Hmm.

After working in the F&B line for close to 3 yrs + I've seen plenty of great MCs and also alot of flops, but I guess what comes close to a gig MC would be similar to a radio DJ perhaps?

Maybe in between sets what people want to see / hear are like "advertisements" such as '5% off beer tonight!' or some stuff like that. Or maybe instead of interviewing the band before performance, interview the band after the performance?

Just my humble input.

 

[edder]

A bad MC will be one screaming his throat hoarse with the following 3 lines.

1. Everybody in the house
2. Put your hands in the air
3. Everybody scream

 

[satch]

i personally think if the MC is good. its an added element to the whole show being a big success.

but if the MC isnt representing enough then i guess it wouldnt make any difference to whether the MC is there or not.

 

[Colarndo]

It also depends ont he responsiveness of the crowd.
Some people sit there like dead fish no matter how you try to get them worked up.

 

[SherT]

Colarndo has a point. One of the main problems with the crowds in singapore is the level of responsiveness.

Even if you have a minor riot of screaming fans and appreciative audience members commanding the central "zone" on the floor, I daresay this group will always be flanked by an omnipresent, and often larger crowd of people who will stand there and be like "knn, the mc siao ah he?" or "who are those idiots in the center?"

Having experienced this from both sides of the coin, I can safely say that the job of an mc, especially when you have little experience and are faced with the prospect of having to deal with a very large crowd, pretty much sucks. You can't really blame someone for being a bit jittery because he's more likely than not been hearing crickets from the crowd all night and dodging very obvious insults from smartasses (when you're up there, you hear things very clearly). And to top it all off, when you try to work the crowd and it blows up in your face, you're the one who gets shot at.

That's not to say that mcs are justified at being half-baked in their craft though, they still have to make an effort to connect with the crowd as bestas they can. Just that it gets very hard when every bloody face in the crowd is looking at you with a sibei guailan look and passing snide comments like a bunch of armchair critics with their bollocks in their palms.

 

[Grain]

j

partly agree.

 

[grafikpunk]

I think the kind of emcees we have should be like the gigs put up by PlayStopRewind Academy.
Less bullshit, more relevant talks and entertaining quiz.
No I am not affliated to them so this is not a biased opinion.

What happened at flow was a good idea just that some of them overdid themselves.

 

[ETERNALrocker]

I think that emcees in rock gigs, not just rock, but any kinda music gig, shud have a proper kinda emcee, such as a sophisticated looking woman with good articulation emceeing a entry piano concert, and prolly a not so talkative emcee doing a rock or metal gig.In face, wth with someone in between a metal gig hahahaha. sounds weird.

I was at a very (supposedly) classy piano show at a school, and i was ...flabbergasted at how the 'emcee' was 'enunciating' her words.
Her dressing appeared a half **** classy to me, and was disturbing to hear her voice and see her in between angelic piano works.


and at a metal gig, this 'emcee' who is actually a dj introduced the show like some chillout/lounge show or something...

If that is the case, why not parade a bikini babe in between??? like make her wear some tiny clothes advertising or something, i mean can at least let her worthy body earn something rather than some weirdo yakking.

 

[litford]

femnazis would kick up a fuss about the bikini thing.

anyway.

scapegoat emcees... haha, well, that way bad bands at bad gigs got someone else to blame besides themselves

well, i don't think it's a necessity to have an emcee, i've gone for many gigs where it's just just bands and some 'interlude' music in the middle.

but if an emcee can help make the experience more worthwhile, then by all means. but kinda 1952 though.. when they had someone introducing all the bands as well.. haha