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Why don't enough people get involved at unsigned gigs?

I know getting people to gigs is enough of a brain ache, what to do with them while they're actually there sometimes feels like a challenge too far. The main problem i find with all unsigned gigs I go to is the amount of participation audiences do, or don't do for that matter. Sometimes it seems like bands would have more luck bleeding stones than getting a cheer, even if the music itself is awesome.

Does it feel like, at least in Manchester, people don't care enough about unsigned bands and in particular unsigned gigs? It does to me. I've found it very frustrating that no matter how good a band, or how hard they push something, either they don't get many people turning up, or if they do, those people for some reason think it is a good idea to stand and watch the music, instead of dancing and actually having fun. The best unsigned gig I went to, consisted of myself, my singer and a few drunk people dancing stupidly to every unsigned band on the bill, and once we'd started, we found a few other people joined in. Br that has been the only time I've seen dancing at gigs.

It's not like this is a thing that has been pushed for gig etiquette. Indeed, at professional band gigs, you see people screaming, jumping, fainting (in crazy cases), crowd surfing (though I can't stand that myself) etc. why is it this hasn't carried into unsigned gigs? Have the people going to unsigned gigs never danced at gigs before? Have they never been to a gig before? The answer to these questions is mostly no, and yet at unsigned gigs everyone stands as if they are embarrassed of being seen there, which is probably the case with some people. Bu I can't understand it. Why support your friend, but then not have fun at the same time.

I think there should be a push to get people dancing at gigs. you don't have to like the band, or know the band, but if you're in a band or have emotions of any kind you should know that people dancing and cheering you along is far more enjoyable for both sides of the relationship. Imagine how much better you'd feel after coming off the stage with loads of people dancing and having fun, the buzz I know I'd get would be ridiculous. This music is loud and in most cases fast. The gigs we play at are bands playing music to dance and jump around to, not doing this should be some sort of crime.

We talk about supporting the scene and promoting the gigs, but the gig itself is surely the most important thing. It is the experience the audience remembers as much as the music, if not more. If efforts are made to get people dancing and get people having more fun, more people would tell their friends, and by extension more people would want to come to gigs and more gigs would be fuller, better and the scene would start supporting itself!

Freddie, Zsilent Z

Freddie Pitts is drummer is ZSilent Z - listen to the band here http://www.facebook.com/Zsilent.Z

Use the #supportthescene hashtag on twitter to push yours and other local bands

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