Originally posted by diTTo
I've only played on stage once, and I hate to play for people when you feel like your "showing off". I am a very humble person when it comes to the guitar. But there is a thin red line on stage personna between showing off and impressing the crowd. YOu just have to be sure not to cross it. And the more and more you learn to reach out to your audience, then the more room you have between you and that red line.

Well, my question(s) is this/these: How does one grab the crowds attention with out people thinkng "What the hell is that guy doing up there?" How would somebody like myself go about being able to play solo, no drums or anything, and still impress people? It may only be at a dinner restarant with only a nylon stringed guitar. Seeing how most places dont like "solo" people? Not that I wouldnt mind a band... its just I cant find anybody that likes to be origional. I understand you have to have your cover songs, but there is always time to make your own songs.
Has anybody here had an experience playing for people with only you and your guitar? Other then family, freinds, school, ect. How did it go? Should I just keep looking for a band? Just some thoughts...

When I still lived in Florida, I used to find pavilions or anything possible where people would be and play my guitar, and maybe my best friend would come with me and play her guitar also, or play my tambourine. We never tried to get peoples attention, and yet we always did. When we would play, we would jump around and dance to our music, or something like that, but we were always in our own little world. I guess stuff like that works. It works for people like Mick Jagger. He is always in his own little world on stage too. You can´t play live music simply to be cool or something. You have to do it simply because it is fun and you like the pressure you are under. If you are playing for everyone else, you aren´t playing for your own benefit, and then your music loses originallity and creativity because you push away who you really are and your own desires and conform to what the audiences narrow minds want. The artist is always more creative than those onlookers who have never ever considered creating something. You can´t try to give them what they want, or you will be doing the same thing the little "pop-stars" do, and then you can never really impress them, because you will be like all the rest doing the same mindless crap.