Which singers don't look at the audience?

[tammy]

Herbert's first interview cracks me up. I never realized Perry didn't look at the crowd till I read that, then started thinking about the Escape show and realized he was right. JSS also doesn't really look at the crowd either. (I just saw him Sat night, but I noticed that a long time ago as this was the 3rd solo show I'd seen him do) This is not a complaint about voices...What other big name singers don't look at the crowd? We have a local band that plays the same club I do...the bass player is hilarious, sings with his eyes closed, looks at the ground/lyrics while singing, and never ever looks at the crowd, even when not singing. Also, don't take this the wrong way as in no way am I slamming Jeff...he's great. Rob Halford was staring at the stage and walking around in circles the whole night at the Long Beach show in 2005. Wierd, I don't remember him doing that in the eighties.

John

I thought all singers kinda didn't look at people directly in order to concentrate on the singing. Jeff definitely connects with the audience and jokes with them during the show...and, REALLY connects with his bandmates. Gary & Howie are very interactive with the audience, too...I felt like I had to back away from their instruments. LOL. I love these intimate venues (or biker bars lol) where you feel a part of the music. It was so funny when Jeff said, "I'd like to dedicate this next song to someone special...me"

[Duncan]

Stevie Wonder

[finalfight]

Not sure how much of the audience you would see under the bright stage lights but Perry definitely appeared to engage with the crowd on the video I have of the FTLOSM tour.

Rob Halford of Judas Priest was utterly useless at even pretending to look at the audience on their last tour and simply shuffled around the stage looking at the floor the whole time. Zero stage presence.

[finalfight]

Stevie Wonder

Still more audience interaction than Halford though!

[X factor]

Not sure how much of the audience you would see under the bright stage lights but Perry definitely appeared to engage with the crowd on the video I have of the FTLOSM tour.

Rob Halford of Judas Priest was utterly useless at even pretending to look at the audience on their last tour and simply shuffled around the stage looking at the floor the whole time. Zero stage presence.

Really? Well, that's a new one. I saw PRIEST 5 times back in the day, and he was totally engaged with the crowd. One helluva front man, loaded with charisma.
Perhaps you just got him on a bad night?

[finalfight]

Not sure how much of the audience you would see under the bright stage lights but Perry definitely appeared to engage with the crowd on the video I have of the FTLOSM tour.

Rob Halford of Judas Priest was utterly useless at even pretending to look at the audience on their last tour and simply shuffled around the stage looking at the floor the whole time. Zero stage presence.

Really? Well, that's a new one. I saw PRIEST 5 times back in the day, and he was totally engaged with the crowd. One helluva front man, loaded with charisma.
Perhaps you just got him on a bad night?

On the contary Rob was on great vocal form. The problem with Halford at this stage is that to hit the notes he literally has to bend over, something to do with the diaphragm I believe. This is what causes him to disengage from the audience. When I saw him on the AOR tour he used the mic stand as a walking stick and would prop himself over it when singing. On the current tour he actually has a walking stick and a throne so that he can sit down to sing!

Long gone are the glory days of the old I'm afraid.

[Art Vandelay]

I never understood the argument of Perry looking at the crowd. It never seemed to be an issue while he was with the band.

Were you paying to have him look at you, or to hear him sing?

[texafana]

Steve Perry like other singers, looks back into the horizon, slightly over the crowds heads, makes it appear to be singing to the crowd when they are not. Sure once in a while there is a gaze at a fan, but the majority of the time the focal point is in the back.

Same with JSS when I saw him. In between songs, and during the occasional jam he would lock eyes, high five the peeps, but when he was signing his heart out, eyes were on the horizon.

This is typical of pretty much any professional singer. Not a big deal.

[conversationpc]

Steve Perry like other singers, looks back into the horizon, slightly over the crowds heads, makes it appear to be singing to the crowd when they are not. Sure once in a while there is a gaze at a fan, but the majority of the time the focal point is in the back.

Same with JSS when I saw him. In between songs, and during the occasional jam he would lock eyes, high five the peeps, but when he was signing his heart out, eyes were on the horizon.

This is typical of pretty much any professional singer. Not a big deal.

Yeah, I don't get it, either. It's a waste of time to argue about. It's just something that helps the singer concentrate better.

[Michigan Girl]

[quote="texafana"]Steve Perry like other singers, looks back into the horizon, slightly over the crowds heads, makes it appear to be singing to the crowd when they are not. Sure once in a while there is a gaze at a fan, but the majority of the time the focal point is in the back.
Same with JSS when I saw him. In between songs, and during the occasional jam he would lock eyes, high five the peeps, but when he was signing his heart out, eyes were on the horizon.

This is typical of pretty much any professional singer. Not a big deal.[/quote]


I don't usually agree with you, but I agree with this statement!!!

[epresley]

One time, in Lubbock, Bob Dylan played the City Auditorium. He was on stage , barely visible, dark. Who the hell knows if he was making eye contact, we COULDN'T see him!!!!!!!!!!!

[JohnH]

Not sure how much of the audience you would see under the bright stage lights but Perry definitely appeared to engage with the crowd on the video I have of the FTLOSM tour.

Rob Halford of Judas Priest was utterly useless at even pretending to look at the audience on their last tour and simply shuffled around the stage looking at the floor the whole time. Zero stage presence.

Really? Well, that's a new one. I saw PRIEST 5 times back in the day, and he was totally engaged with the crowd. One helluva front man, loaded with charisma.
Perhaps you just got him on a bad night?

No that was Rob back in the day and I remember that too. I've talked to other fans and this is what Rob is up to now...I'm not sure why he looks at the floor while singing while walking in a circle. It's wierd.

John

[conversationpc]

Not sure how much of the audience you would see under the bright stage lights but Perry definitely appeared to engage with the crowd on the video I have of the FTLOSM tour.

Rob Halford of Judas Priest was utterly useless at even pretending to look at the audience on their last tour and simply shuffled around the stage looking at the floor the whole time. Zero stage presence.

Really? Well, that's a new one. I saw PRIEST 5 times back in the day, and he was totally engaged with the crowd. One helluva front man, loaded with charisma.
Perhaps you just got him on a bad night?

No that was Rob back in the day and I remember that too. I've talked to other fans and this is what Rob is up to now...I'm not sure why he looks at the floor while singing while walking in a circle. It's wierd.

John

I've heard that, too. I've also heard that he has memory problems, so perhaps they have the lyrics taped to the floor in certain places or something like that?

[texafana]

One time, in Lubbock, Bob Dylan played the City Auditorium. He was on stage , barely visible, dark. Who the hell knows if he was making eye contact, we COULDN'T see him!!!!!!!!!!!

When I saw Steve P in Ft.Worth, he performed with his back to the audience for quite a while before turning around. It was....strange to say the least.

[epresley]

One time, in Lubbock, Bob Dylan played the City Auditorium. He was on stage , barely visible, dark. Who the hell knows if he was making eye contact, we COULDN'T see him!!!!!!!!!!!

When I saw Steve P in Ft.Worth, he performed with his back to the audience for quite a while before turning around. It was....strange to say the least.

BAHAHAHA. Well, I saw Eddie Money in Amarillo once and he COULDN'T look at the audience due to being so drunk...............

[7 Wishes]

ANY grunge act ever. They RESENT their fans.

[S2M]

Off the top of my head:

Ronnie Milsap
Stevie Wonder
Jose Feliciano
Jeff Healy

[7 Wishes]

That's a low blow, man. Wow. Not cool.

[Behshad]

That's a low blow, man. Wow. Not cool.

Roy Orbison,,,, better?

[finalfight]

ANY grunge act ever. They RESENT their fans.

Ditto for the emo crowd - "Boo hoo i'm so popular and have loads of money but I still have to be unhappy despite the fact I could get any girl I chose (although I think I might prefer boys)! F*cking record went multi platinum and now I have to kill myself or at the very least lock myself in my room for days typing up my MySpace blog about how black life is!!!"

[7 Wishes]

Just ask that over-rated douche bag Perry Ferrell and his little onstage makeout session with Dave Navarro.

I mean, when I saw Journey/Aerosmith/VH in what, 1979 or 1980, I don't recall Steven Tyler French kissing Diamond Dave.

Goodbye forever, grunge. You're done and gone.