Gaga Got it Right (In Defence of Cabaret)

Hi there,

I know Lady Gaga is not everyone’s cup of tea – and that’s ok because there is no accounting for art or taste. Certainly her recent tribute to David Bowie provoked mixed reactions. The key word here is ‘provoke’. I think it’s great when music moves people and brings out their passion – isn’t that one of the most important jobs of art? I’m a big fan of Gaga but I’m an even bigger fan of Bowie. Funny thing is, while Gaga’s detractors criticised her for being ‘cabaret’ and ‘crass’ in her tribute, that’s exactly what Bowie’s detractors used to say about him! I’m not implying Gaga has reached the artistic heights of the Starman, but I think if he is in fact looking down at us from the stars, he would have approved of Gaga’s Grammy performance.

I don’t think ‘cabaret’ is a dirty word.  I was born with glitter in my veins and I believe that stripping away the ‘show’ and theatricality from our business has been part of its demise. I’m not a fan of mother-in-law jokes, faked emotion or jazz hands, which is what cabaret gets criticised for – but great cabaret is moving and capable of lifting us out of the ordinary. I think we need more cabaret  in rock and roll, not less. Thank goodness for the flamboyant likes of Bowie and The Darkness.  And now Gaga, following in their glam footsteps. 

When we started sticking one man bands in corners of pubs, without stages, lighting and all the fanfare and pizzazz we used to expect from live performances, I think it was the beginning of the end.  And of course there is a place for shoe-gazing, understated singer songwriter types but the reason they don’t appeal to me is the same reason I’m not a big fan of reality TV. I can look around me and see plenty of ‘real’ thank you. When I watch the box, I want surreal, wild imaginings, fabulous sets and costumes and other fruits of fantasy. I want heightened reality, not the everyday drama I can see if I look out my kitchen window.

So, here‘s to cabaret, old chum. And in that theme, here is my new music video, hot off the presses, the camp, cabaret-tastic world of the post-modern discoteque, ‘Disco Disconnected’
https://youtu.be/xXXdaWcuAuM

See you next time,

Amanda
Oh, and tickets to the Sydney launch of the new album here.

Give 'em What They Want

Hi there,

I have a theory that is yet to be disproved in all my years of fronting party bands...Now, your raison d'etre is getting your audience to dance... if you can work out roughly when the majority of your audience was 20 years old ie their halcyon days, you're off to a flying start. Pluck out a big dancey hit from aroundabout that year and you're almost guaranteed to have a packed dance floor. The flow of alcohol also helps and females are generally easier to shift but the good thing is that the men generally follow the women onto the floor so get to the girls first. 

If you have a group that's hard to pick or they are of really mixed ages like at a wedding, then go for Retro hits. Even Gen Zs know the big songs from the '70s and '80s thanks to their constant re-emergence in movies and sitcoms. It doesn't seem to matter how many current hits I learn for these occasions, 'I Will Survive' and 'Girls Just Want To Have Fun' are still top of the dance floor hit parade. 

Of course you might have a bunch of hipsters that won't go for Top 40 from any era - then you have to be a bit smarter (and have a wide repertoire). Pick a hip song that regular bodies probably don't know, that still has a good beat, and pump that out while gazing at your shoes. The hep cat gets to be the dude dancing and mouthing along to a song no one else is familiar with while everyone else will join in so as not to appear uncool.

Of course it's simply understanding what your audience wants. Are they there to dance, to just listen, to impress? Are they straight-laced corporate types or wild and woolly hippies? Don't be like an agent I heard of recently (see 'Agents, who needs em?) who was sending disco dancing drag queens to entertain at events for the very elderly and very conservative! 

And if in doubt, just sing 'Brown Eyed Girl' - that'll cover more than half of your population,
Cheers,
Amanda

www.amandaeaston.com