Opinion columnists seem to despise the standing ovation these days: “The Standing Ovation is a Filthy American Habit,” “Ovation Inflation,” “Standing Ovations: an Epidemic,” etc. Thankfully, our recent Montana tour offered a rebuttal, with audiences gloriously demonstrating the impact of an enthusiastic, engaged crowd.
The glare of stage lights makes this an imprecise calculation, but by my count we received at least 20 standing ovations over four performances. Granted, these weren’t all full-audience standing Os.
Individuals stood to applaud throughout the programs, such as the two people who jumped and cheered after our intentionally elusive cover of Radiohead’s “Pyramid Song” in Big Sky. There were partial standing ovations after the first halves of the concerts as well as the world premieres. In Bozeman, an entire crowd stood up in unified, slow-motion conviction after our “Hallelujah Variations.” And in one memorable case, an audience member reacted to an encore with such enthusiasm she nearly had to be escorted out. We felt like rock stars!
As a touring artist, I’ve learned to take most compliments in stride, but this hit differently. The standing ovations weren’t just about praising our performances; they also demonstrated the genuine engagement of our listeners, signaling their active participation in the proceedings. It’s like they were saying, “We’re in this with you!”
Live performances serve our primordial need to share in something greater than ourselves, and these audiences were committed to the cause. Their attentiveness energized us, which we re-directed toward the music, which re-energized the audience, which gave us new inspiration, spiraling so forth. The concerts accumulated a thrilling energy no recording could replicate.
Here's the thing: engagement comes in many forms, whether it’s through applause, silence, or even shrieks of delight (Mozart prided himself on applause *during* performances of his music). Our Montana tour was a reminder that music isn’t just about what happens on stage; it’s about the connection we share with our audience. And in Montana, that connection ran deep.
-Greg
