I love lots of different types, genres, and decades of music, from the greatest hits everyone knows to the obscure. When I choose songs to add to my list, I only go with songs I really like, and gladly listen to. I think that helps make my sound come across as more genuine, because I’m not having to fake it. Sure, when someone requests a song I don’t really care for, I’m happy to do it if I know it, but it’s not going to be on my song list.
I also love interacting with people. The old bartender in me comes out when I’m on stage. I love getting to know the people who I’m playing for. It’s more fun for me, more fun for them, and helps me figure out what they want to hear.
Sometimes, this leads to long running relationships. Other times, I get to be friends with someone who’s in South Florida on vacation, and I’ll likely never see them again. But either way, it’s great to make those connections
I play a lot of different venues and settings, and I like to cater my show to my audience. From how I dress, to my song selection, to how I interact with the crowd, to the volume at which I play (yup, that’s a biggie!) , I’m sometimes unrecognizable from one show to the next. That’s not an exaggeration – I’ve literally had people compliment me at one show, only to find they saw me elsewhere just days earlier and didn’t realize it was the same entertainer.
I may be barefoot in shorts at a tiki bar on Saturday, then dressed in designer jeans and a silk shirt at an upscale restaurant on Wednesday – with different hats, of course – and playing a completely different set list.
Not only does that help me fit into different settings , it makes it more interesting for me. It’s fun to be a social chameleon. And when the entertainer is having fun, it comes across in their performance.
Volume.
I alluded to this before, but I think it’s worth talking about. I play for crowds that want to party and want me to crank it up. I play for dinner crowds that want some nice background music. And I play for every crowd in between.
I try to be very cognizant of whether my volume is matching my setting. We’ve all been out to a nice dinner, only to have our conversation drowned out by a solo guy who’s imagining he’s the Stones playing Madison Square Garden. I never want to be that guy.
So I’m asking anyone who’s reading this, whether you work in a restaurant or are just there for the music, if you ever hear me get too loud, please don’t hesitate to tell me.
I really want you to enjoy what I do, so feel free to help me steer the show in the right direction.