Shit Talk Banter Rat
posted by on August 17 at 12:02 PM
Stage banter from a band is part of every show. How the singer or band engages and communicates with the audience can completely make the concert going experience. Conversely, it can also completely ruin it.
Tad was legendary for his between song dialogue. His super funnyness kept the crowd hanging and anticipating the next song break. The Posies’, Jon Auer, another gifted gabber, will string a thread of thought throughout a set, incorporating audience retorts, somehow remembering and using them four songs later.
The Saturday Knights also have finely tuned communicative instincts that make shows special, and make people at those shows feel special. They are leopards of humor - quick, nimble, and knowing when to strike.
Ben Harper, however, is a sloth. Not quick. A few Bumbershoots ago, he talked longer than he played during his Memorial Stadium set. He went on and on and on. Then there’s Axl Rose, kicking audience members in the mouth if he’s unpleased. More spectacle than special, I think. Special in a different way.
I saw a singer, this past week that topped them all. It is by far the worst stage banter I have ever seen. But it made the show, be it good or bad. After about thirteen beers, the guy took the stage. There weren’t that many people there which intensified his stumbling blabber filled attempts to be a rock star.
When the second song ended, he broke into a story about how he and his friends used to break into cars. He spilled a full cup of PBR all over his guitar player’s pedals, fumbled and said, “I hope we didn’t steal your shit.”
I thought to myself, “What a motherfucker.”
He was laughing and orating like it was a packed outdoor stadium. No one laughed. No one responded. The twenty some people there looked disgusted.
Finally, someone yelled, “You suck!”
And that he did. Big time. They broke into the next song, but it fell way flat.
That reminds me of the suck ass band that opened up for Mew at Neumos earlier this year. The bass player with man teets proceeded to tell gay jokes.
My god, gay jokes? Really?
Bunch of jackasses. Oh No! Oh My! That's what they were called. Ugh.
At the time I saw the guy laughing and joking about breaking into cars, it was so bad. I was pissed. My car got broken into a while ago and the singer was just such a dumbass anyway.
But the more I think about it the more I have found myself laughing. Because he was such a dumbass. But I'm more laughing at him.
It would have been one thing if he were Johnny Rotten, or if he had had man teets, but he didn't, and his band sucked.
The guy should not have been anywhere near the mic. But that's why it was funny.
Where's GG Allen when you need him?
Lesson to all: "let the rawkin' do the talkin'" ahhhh yeah!
From this week's Onion:
http://www.avclub.com/content/feature/more_talk_less_rock_15_masters
hey trent, weve got a good piece on gg allin coming out next week. our man fred beldin almost saw him several years back and ended up glad he didnt.
the murder junkies play el corazon aug 27.
Paul Stanley is such a God. I've heard that cd of his banter and it is so good.
GG comin up soon, can't wait.
That Onion link is killer. Thank you, Jason.
Don't forget Warren Ellis of the Dirty Three. His manic song introductions are the stuff of legend.
Elvis had a legitimate album much like the Pollard and Paul Stanley ones called Having Fun On Stage With Elvis. Nothing but banter. It's surprisingly expensive, according to Google.
Trent, that guy sounds deuchy, but nothing compared to GG.
Rats, leopards, and sloths. Now I need to watch Animal Planet.
Classic. You should have thrown an orange at him.
Spit from the stage tips: the blues gods. BB just smiles, Bonnie props the band, anything else, not music.
play on,
Tante
Spit from the stage tips: the blues gods. BB just smiles, Bonnie props the band, anything else, not music.
play on,
Tante
Comments Closed
In order to combat spam, we are no longer accepting comments on this post (or any post more than 14 days old).