I think an issue here is who we have played to most of our lives. I played a ton in inner city black blues clubs for the 20 years I did music full time. That audience did and still does respect a dresser and doesn't a non dresser. That audience portrays affluence via their clothes. Even though you might be poor as heck, if you have a killer suit, some great looking jewelery (most of mine was fake that was bought at truck stops while touring), then you are a millionare for the night. People want to forget their poverty and dress does it, like a nice car does too. Being born middle/upper class often comes with shame for having while the poor have not, and thus the dress down, revolt from this way of life.
I guess because I have always dressed it is part of my performance. For the past 15 years or so, I have played mainly white clubs of young to middle age and white dominated festivals. The people in these venues still flag me down to get pictures with me because of the way I dress. I played the washington state blues society picnic a while back and it was a rare 105 degree day. I wore my threads and I cannot tell you how many people stopped and said - how can you wear that in this heat? I did the same in the South's non a/c clubs in the dead of the summer. People still remember me for my dress and I can't tell you how many top notch clubs, festivals, restraunts, I have walked into dressed and got taken right in. I played the tatto and blues festival in Ca and I went in the ballroom of the hotel it was at to see the stage during the afternoon. The hells angels were there for the festival and blocked my way to the stage. I was dressed in t shirt and shorts(no tattos on me). When I came back at 11pm to do my set the place was packed. The same hells angels, bulldozed a path and basically carried me onto the stage. I was dressed in a lame suit, rings on every finger, slicked hair, and custom cowboy boots. Image is everything in our world -simple fact.
Don't think Jason just throws on clothes. He is very calculating in what he wears. He is known for his dress as much as his harp, and to be honest, to most non harp players, is know more for his dress.
Conversely, the hippy, grunge, and punk scenes )I have gigged in as well) dress very casual, to funky. Still I get the young women hounding me and I know the suit is a big part of it. This is a huge part of thr blues that I learned for the greats. It is not "entertainment". It is part of the art.
Zhin: Rick Estrin and I started at the same time and I was dressing sharp since day one. The key is the suits have to be you or you will never feel right in them or pull it off. There is nothing more comical to me than a bunch of white guys wearing period suits and can't pull it off. I would rather see them in jeans. Wear what makes you feel best. That is my advice. Walter ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
Yeah, I come from a punk rock/ hippy background, and usually dress casual, but not ratty, wearing shorts and sandals, and Austin is very tolerant that way.
I am starting to address my presentation as I get more serious however.
We were graced with an old school black bluesman named Morris from the east side the other day at the Blues Church jam...he was dressed to the nines. Also a black woman vocalist, well dressed.
It is exciting and I am looking for my physical expression now as I have for my musical.
Dressing up doesn't automatically default to the blues brothers for me, style is a huge world.
But I get the integrity, respect, and stand for myself as a performing musician that it will be. ---------- Shane
Hi Shane: I played quite a bit on the east side and always was welcomed with my wild suits and 63 caddy. Walter ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
I know you've got the chops, so having read what others have said (often bluntly) I watched your video with the sound OFF.
A lot of what I'm going to say has been said about the band I'm in. I am a shy, fat middle aged bloke fronting a band of shy, fat middle aged blokes (and one very elegant, young woman). It was hard criticism to swallow, and tough to put into practice. In many ways I/we are still working at it. Our music is very different to yours. As amateurs with day jobs and mortgages our objectives are very different too I guess, but a gig is a gig and the audience's perspective is more important than yours or my own notions of musical credibilty.
You want to think of yourself as a 'serious' musician? I got news for you, you're not. Don't get me wrong, you are very good, very talented, but I think you need to re-examine what the purpose of your live performance is. If you want to be a 'serious' musician, join an orchestra and hide yourself in the crowd: out of the limelight. If you want to make it as the frontman of a live band, then you have to be an entertainer and a musician - ditch the 'serious'; professional OK, 'serious' - no. It doesn't have to be cheesey, just engaging. As soon as you go onstage people are looking at the band, and if it's the Zack Pomerleau Band, then their eyes will be on you. Sell it. Own that stage.
Live music has to add value if it is going to beat the DJs and Karaoke rigs. Club owners want people to be entertained so they relax, drink, have a good time and come back. That's how you get repeat gigs. One day, maybe you've already reached it, you won't be able to rely on friends and family to pad out the audience and cheer for you. You need to entertain strangers who are generally less interested in the musicality and more interested in the energy of the performance. The average punter does not care about your ability to arpeggiate a Cm7-5. They want to see a tight band that has energy and plays a variety of well rehearsed material. Did you spot the verb at the start of the last sentence? When did you last hear someone say they were going out to hear a band? A live band has to be visually as well as musically engaging.
You are very static on stage. In the first minute of your video you didn't look at the audience at all, shuffling aimlessly, arms lifeless at the side looking everywhere except where it counts. Clearly self-conscious and not in a good way. You need to think about what you are going to do, how you are going to hold yourself physically when someone else is soloing. You are slouching - pull those shoulders back and hold your head up. Your guitarist is guilty too, staring at his fretboard and his feet. Look at the audience, find a cute girl in the crowd or a friend even the soundman! just someone you are comfortable giving eye contact to and do it! Small arm movements and gestures can go a long way. Grasp that mic stand with energy. Even when you play harp (I guess when you are most comfortable) you barely move - just a little rocking from side to side.
You can make that harp sing and have chops to match. Believe in yourself and show the crowd that you believe in yourself. It isn't about the clothes you wear, it isn't about being ripped, you do not have to be an Adonis, but you do have to project confidence. It comes naturally to extrovert guys like Jagger and Springsteen, they have stage presence by the truck load. The more introvert of us have to work at it. Springsteen is a good guy to watch. It doesn't matter whether his music is your cup of tea, in his prime his live shows lasted over 3 hours and there was no pyrotechnics, costume changes or gimmickry to hold the audiences attention, just a band playing music and looking like they love it. He captivates his crowd, he knows the tricks, the psychology.
Do some rock God posing dammit!
I know Jason has been a big influence on you. Watch some of his live videos - WATCH! turn off the sound and study how he engages with the crowd.
You have the musical skills, but if you are going to be the success you deserve to be, you are going to have to work at the stagecraft.
Last Edited by on Aug 19, 2010 1:02 PM
Like it or not, you can say you consider yourself either a musician or an entertainer, but truth be told, unless you're playing jazz where often times it's an audience full of intellectuals who wouldn't be caught dead dancing or you're playing classical music (and in those gigs, you HAVE to dress up, especially if you're working with symphony orchestras), you are BOTH an entertainer as well as a musician all at the same time.
The look you presently have works in front of a vey young crows with bit of a rebel attitude, but still, the look needs to clean, neat, well pressed, and all your clothes fit well and not look like you're just hanging out in your backyard somewhere.
Before I go further, I want to make this clear that this is NOT a diss. As a performer, we've all gone thru this.
In an open jam, who gives a crap because there's no pressure for anything.
Once you get paid gigs, DIFFERENT STORY. Tghe more you play out, the more you should be building your following, the more likely you'll be getting some press (and you should be a hounding like bloody hell to get music writers from every concievable media available to review you as these are also important for promoting yourself and are gonna be part of your press kit).
Justin Bieber's look is perfect for what he is, a teenage vocalist, but at some point, he's not gonna be a teenager and there will be a need for a change in his look.
I saw a posting saying why be on the bandstand with a suit when you see Jason Ricci not wearing one or whatever. Jason's look has more of a rocker tinge to it and by his own frame and the way his clothes fit him (and fit properly), the look works and he makes it look sharp, but unfortunately, the same cannot be said for most of us and if you ain't tall, slim, and "ripped" looking and your clothes dfon't fit properly, you're just gonna come off as looking like a slob.
For a lot of the 70's & 80's, Cotton hit the bandstand with T-shirts and jeans, but they were always pressed and neat, and he was clearly aiming for young white rock audiences, which were often considrably better paying gigs. Even he's changed his look somewhat.
A lot of the pictures you see of Muddy or Wolf seated was because of their age, where they could no longer do the mre grueling stage acts they once did when they stood on the bandstand all the time, and in the case of both Muddy & Wolf, also after being involved in very serious car accidents.
When you front a band, you cannot afford to have lousy stage presence, and you do have to involve the audience (yes, showmanship helps a lot). Myverylongusername is really right in a lot of what he says, and if you get a gig where you're a sideman, you can get away with it a helluva lot more than if you're the guy fronting the band.
Once you start getting press, don't be surprised to find out that these writers also include a sentence or two about the way you look and dress on the bandstand because EVERY pro of EVERY genre will tell you that this DOES happen and a helluva lot more than you think and you just can hide under a rock about it in denial. I've had it happen, and just about every pro I've met says the exact same thing, and it doesn;t matter if the writer is male or female because I've seen that from both EQUALLY. If your audience is made of 95% musicians, the appearance may not matter very much, but you can count that happening on one hand and appearance and how you interact with the audience counts for a lot.
Again, verylongusername is telling you the truth. Go make a YT video and get your audience engaged, look sharp on the bandstand (at least for your age level), look like you're having fun, and I'll bet you will get a lot more response on that video than what you've just posted here.
The video you posted, unfortunately with the sound off, gives the impression of playing AT the audience, and not TO and FOR the audience.
Again, this is not a diss, but it is something to consider. ---------- Sincerely, Barbeque Bob Maglinte Boston, MA http://www.barbequebob.com CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
Cowboy hat and boots for country, a tux for classical, flannel for grunge, hairspray for hair metal, bling for rapp, cargo shorts for college crowds, I think the best dress advice is to look at your target audience. Remember that may not always be the traditional audience for that genre. ---------- Nate Facebook Thread Organizer
narcon: I disagree. I have played with joey ramone, memebers of the new york dolls, the dead kennedys, the country bands of austin like asleep at the wheel, rockers charlie sexton, eric johnson, the call, grunge band Bob evans ( my youngest brothers band), and a lot of others outside the blues genre. I always wore my fancy suits and jewelery and was always a big topic of conversation and compliments from the audience that often dressed grungy as hell. The key is the clothes have to be you. Then they work anywhere with any group. Walter
here I am after my set with Kathi McDonald on a 105 degree outdoor festival in Seattle. She has sang on lots of gold records over the years. I broke open the top shirt button, a rare thing for me. ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
Zack - I've been told that Muddy didn't start sitting until after the accident.
You've gotten some good advice on style and dressing for success in the Blues world. Whenever I saw Junior Wells, you knew he was someone important because of the way he dressed and the way he carried himself. There is nothing wrong with taking your game to the next level, but you've got to be true to yourself.
You were at the IBC. How did people dress? If you want to fish that pond, you've got to bring the right bait.
Joe, the people at the IBC wore regular clothes mos of the time. I do hope it is realized that I am not trying to breakthrough into the blues world because I have no care to, I just play blues music. How am I not a serious musician? I think playing and practicing constantly since the age of four qualifies me to be a serious musician. Serious musician is definitely it, and you don't have to be an orchestra to do that, that is just a bad stereotype. All in all, I do like what you guys have to say but it truly seems every audience I have played has loved what we do, and what we do is simple: we play the music to the best to our ability and we have fun, we do not CREATE fun.
And, about gigs, I have played at three big blues festivals and have been invited back to all, I am now playing fill in gigs on drums, I have been asked by top blues guys to play in their groups, and my band has gigs lined up into February and I have already gotten e-mails about doing more. I personally think that is a testament to what the people want, because we always have a crowd at our gigs, even when the shows are in nowhere land.
@waltertore, that's interesting of you to mention. I actually like your sense of style and I mean it sincerely. That red suit is REALLY COOL. I would never peg you as one of those corny guys.
@BBQBob, excellent reply. I have to agree with you completely on the fact that as a performer we MUST look sharp BUT also look in context. Thank you for being classy about giving tips. I'm definately taking notes.
And now I'm gonna pull a "waltertore" by posting my own material on someone elses thread! XD
This was my most recent gig and a very successful one at that. I have been given offers to play at several venues and even got approached by a group of gospel musicians who asked me if I want to form a band. I was the most video'ed and photographed musician of the night among MANY during this mini GUITAR festival. That's right, my act had NO GUITAR at the guitar festival. And people couldn't help but notice me. Why? Because I stood out like a coordinated sore thumb. I was the only jackass who wore a shirt that wasn't black or some dark colors. In fact, I was the ONLY person who wore a hot color that night. I was also the only idiot who wore sunglasses at night indoors inside a mall for this gig.
No one said a damn thing. NO ONE. They ate it all up. So yes, I really do believe in dressing up when it counts and even being a little corny. But to say that 1 style is the only way is just too much BS to chew on. Wear whatever the hell you want as long as it makes you feel good about yourself.
The point is Zack you are in the limelight, the eyes are on you and you are there to entertain. The people who hired you are your bosses. They want you to entertain, it is why you are there - whether it's a bar, a club, someone's wedding or a blues festival. I dunno about you, but I generally do what my boss tells me. How you choose to do that is your own decision, but taking the line that you just want to play music is not going to get you far. Look at every successful act in musical history. Did they make it by shuffling around awkwardly looking only at their bandmates - It wasn't Paul's bass lines or Elvis's singing that got the girls screaming!
When I used the term 'serious musician' I was conjuring up a stereotype - an idealistic musician who thinks that image isn't important and stagecraft is just for teeny boppers. I wasn't saying you shouldn't be professional or dedicated - clearly you are, but do not look down your nose at people who understand the need to entertain and to work a crowd. It isn't cheap or selling out, it's the next step. You have what it takes musically, but it takes a lot more than that to be successful. You idealism is refreshing, but nothing new to old ears, we all start out thinking that our music alone will do the talking.
Last Edited by on Aug 19, 2010 5:26 PM
Uhhh, I never looked down upon 'entertainers,' only the ones who say that's the most important part. I DO what the 'bosses' say, hence why they keep hiring me. I've taken that piece of advice many a-time.
Noone has said your music sucks and I get the feeling that most people here are rooting for you to make it. Hell, you can blow that harp better than 90% of the people here - me included - I've not been speaking as some wise harp-guru or claiming that i'm any expert performer. I'm speaking as Joe public who might come along to one of your shows.
But it was you who asked for criticism and it has been offered by several people, some of it blunt, some of it borderline insulting and some of it constructive, but all of it basically saying the same thing: in the video you posted you have almost no stage presence and you should try and work on it.
Argue the semantics all you like, but that point isn't going to change.
Blown Out Reed, I like that, but I can't see two of the pictures...
And, VeryLong...I am not taking a defensive, I am saying you calling me an non-serious musician was an insult. I take all of the other advice and will look at it all, but that is not something I take nicely.
Lol, I have long hair too at the moment. Still I get the underlying coaching, develop an intentional presentation that expresses you, but represents your commitment as a musician and a professional.
Hey this is music, we get to take more liberty with fashion than just about anybody! Celebrate it.
BTW, while I wouldn't dress the same, I think Dennis Gruenling has a great and unique presentation, and he is a longhair. ---------- Shane
I meant that if you felt that a 'serious musician' should not need the tricks of an entertainer then you are mistaken and when you are hired to do a job, then it is what your boss (club owner/promoter etc) or your clients (audience) expect that matters - not how you see yourself or you opinion of what is credible as an artist.
We are arguing semantics.
I have not doubted your commitment: I have not criticised your playing and you clearly are a serious musician with respect to those things,
but...
You are fronting a band and the band carries your name so YOU have to stand out above everyone else. If you want people to remember the Zack Pomerleau Band, then Zack Pomerleau has to shine through, not just his music.
Last Edited by on Aug 19, 2010 6:20 PM
Mr, I was talking more about Lee or whatever his name is. Notice how he makes no mention of music and just entertaining. Do you agree that it's ALL about showmanship and being a joker? I like great music, so that comes first ALWAYS. It's one of those things, it all goes together, but I think music the biggest part of the equation, along with the musicians themselves.
Honestly - don't see it as cheap or selling out to work on presentation. Like I said, far too many bands are all presentation and no substance. You have the substance, if you can improve the presentation then you will have a real shot at it.
Seriously Zack, that is pretty near sighted and petty. You can be your own man and pay respect to those that came before you. No one said you had to take the same path, but jeez. You gonna crap all over Adam too? He was influenced by Little Walter as well...
Last Edited by on Aug 19, 2010 7:32 PM
Near sighted and petty? I do not gush all over Little Walter and I pay my respects to him but I am not going to do everything he did because quite frankly it killed the man. I do not see Adam Gussow dressing up like Little Walter, playing like him, doing the same things, etc. I'm being honest, not petty.
Non sequitur. I'm tired of trying to chase down where you take the comments. I meant them exactly and only as I said them.
Zack I truly do wish you well. You are a talented musician. I only though I was giving productive comments. I apologize if they have been taken any other way.
Last Edited by on Aug 19, 2010 7:52 PM
I think Little Walter is rolling in his grave. If mine and several others harmonica playing didn't do it, it's probably all this talk about how he would.. dress? WTF?!?!
so when skinny jason ricci takes the stage in painted on pink jeans and hair to match, and no shirt with a gypsy shroud on his head, that's okay, but when a dude plays in a casual outdoor setting in the summer and wears a tshirt with shorts, that's sacrelige? get off it boys... your opines of attire have no merit is this instance.
if i wanna listen to music, i will turn on the radio and save my $.. i go to SEE the live shows. to feel the energy from the performers. to watch them rock out on their instruments. IF a band plays a boring show, and ive seen plenty, then you will notice the croud turns and goes about there thing.. if they put on a show, its a totally different story.. i dont think its what they wear, or how they look.. hell, 50% of the shows ive been to are death metal shows, and lets face it, there not dressing to impress.. but it is the energy that they give onstage, the total immersion into their music, that makes the croud go nuts for it. im not a pro player, hell zack, you probably played better than me when you were 6.. but i do love live local bands, and try to see them every chance i get.. the good ones, all put on a great show.. cause like MrVeryLongInformativePoster(just incase your ever looking for a new name :) ) said, we all go to see the band..
you have paid gigs till feb, thats great, i have friends that can book a gig tomarrow anywhere in cleveland, cause they are great musicians too.. but if they didnt put on a great show i wouldnt go to SEE them play :)
please dont take any of this the wrong way, your playing is great, and im sure you can not change a thing and continue to book gigs.. but you will miss out on alot of the greater gigs to other bands that arent as good musically, that just "put on a good show"
just my two cents, but who am i other than a fan.. keep rocking
im wondering, after checking out some of the other videos on you tube, if maybe it wasnt just that show.. i mean, i watched the first minute or so of this video, and its way better than the others.. i dont think its your clothes, or your hair.. seriously guys, hair and clothes?! but you just seem into it.. i like this performance way better!
THANK YOU for posting that video. I have explained that gig with the short, etc, just wasn't good. Everyone was late, barely anyone showed up, etc. That show was a dud 'performance' wise, but not musically. I think we have energy, but that show was just ugh.
