Grandeur and Spectacle
The season is upon us! Now, you may think I am talking about Spring or the dreaded tax season, but no, I am talking about the epic Wrestlemania season and the Road to Wrestlemania that just took place. Now for those of you that are also fans, this post will make perfect sense, however, for those of you that have not yet witnessed the amazing spectacle that is the WWE, you are missing out.
Now, why, you may ask, am I talking about the WWE, and how in the world could it relate to chamber music? The simple answer...AUDIENCE CONNECTION! What few may know is that we are already in the planning stages for next year’s series shows, and as one of the series designers I am not only trying to create an exciting program of incredible classical and contemporary music, but we are trying to find new and engaging ways to bring our audience into the story that is music. We search all over to find new collaborators, attend concerts of fellow artists, and observe the best in any business to see what it is they are doing.
In our Entrepreneurial Shows we always encourage our attendees to go out into the world and see what your competition is up to, but we also encourage them to go outside their field and see what everyone else is bringing to the table. And, even though I would love to claim to be a professional wrestler, I cannot. However, Fifth House is here to entertain audiences, and, in my opinion, few entertain larger, more diverse, and more active audiences than WWE and Wrestlemania. From the lighting and pyrotechnics, to live performances by Diddy, to an homage and organizational raising of over $500,000 for the victims of Super-storm Sandy, to the constant updates via social networks and streaming, you were a part of the action from the minute you turned it on and you never wanted to leave your seat.
Fifth House may not currently have the budget of Wrestlemania (one can dream), but there are many things that I can take away and use for the purposes of our own shows.
- Audiences love a spectacle (whether it is fire bolts or projections) - We should not only put on concerts in communities, but should be a part of helping their community through positive change - Keep our audiences engaged. Social media is so powerful and can be used to propel such amazing thoughts and stories
And as my man Chris Jericho would say... - “Break the Walls Down!” Do not separate yourself from your audiences. Let them in on your story, on your process, let them in on your life, and you will have an evangelist forever. It is a powerful thing - and it works! Just look at me, holding my WWE flag high.
Can you smell what the Rock is Cookin’!
This excitement filled post was writting by Eric Snoza, 5HE's bass player, and resident photographer and techno-wizard. Eric is also a crucial partner in the creation of our signature series each year, and he is our video and photo artist for our upcoming performances of Caught: The Web.