Connecting with your audience

[ClemencyThis!Ry]

I didn't know exactly where to post this, so here we are...

What stuff do you guys do live to make a connection with the audience. I've always been a big fan of playing at least one song that the audience can chant to.

Example: Bad Religion - American Jesus (One Nation - Under God)

I was just wondering what things you did to get the crowd going.
(Don't be embarassed, even if you do the "put your hands in the air, and wave em like ya just don't care"

[haujobb]

In one of our songs I just kick in the distorsion and start pounded the strings, but sometimes I'll just hold my bass out and all the people and the front row do it.

Chant's are always good, my band all have wirelesses, I do when I can borrow one, if your not overprotective of your guitar you can go out and jam.

Once during a sad/slow song, our singer andrew sat at the edge of the stage and had people who knew the words sit beside him and sing along.

Edit: I think the best band for this would be Soulfly, at about halfway through the set when I saw them the roadies rolled out some oil drums, Max Cavalera pulled a few kids outta the audience and they all grabbed mallets and did a quick little percussion thing. I was so jealous of those kids.

[metdeth85]

I'll usually jump out on top of them. Even while I'm still playing. Go as crazy as you can and the audience will match or better you. It never fails.
I also usually have a bass solo spot where I'm all on my own in the center of the set. If I don't have to play with pedals I'll usually walk out in to the middle of the crowd and bring the energy to them person by person if I have to.

[noname]

Why is this in the bass forum?

[metdeth85]

the poster is probably a bassist. But who knows?:D