what lick do you use when you're trying to impress an audience? (I know that music is not about showing off, but come on, who hasn't??)
For me, it depends on who is in it... If they are musicians, especially guitarists, I use the opening licks of the 24th caprice by Paganini (sweep, tap, string skip, it has it all) it's cool sounding, and people are always in awe of Paganini...
otherwise, if it's a standard audience, I lean towards flashier looking licks (the one Satriani uses in the Cool #9 break in the G3 DVD is in that league)with my picking hand behind my fretting one, for example...