KB'S DIARY OF CLARIAS TOUR: FIRST GIG IN GUAM

posted in: Music News

We arrive in Guam at 3 a.m. after 30 hours of traveling and 1 lost piece of luggage (belonging to me, of course). Clarias is scheduled to play this same day even though we are worse for wear. The show is to take place at an outdoor venue called Bamboo Willies on the Anderson Air Force Base; set between the North Pacific Ocean and the volcanic cliffs of Guam (How’s that for astmosphere?). As we arrive for load-in, Air Force soldiers relax with a game of volley ball.

Instinctively, the band wants to head to the beach but they soon return to mix and mingle with the soldiers. I previously had given Clarias the “assignment” to make friends with their audience in order to prime for the evening’s performance. Anytime a band goes into a unknown market it is advantageous to get to know the locals because these new friends will be the support team when the band hits the stage. In Clarias’ case the pre-show relationship building assignment paid off.

By the time Clarias takes the stage, they had already won over the majority of the 500+ audience members. In fact, by the end of their first song it’s vident that this is going to be one of their best shows ever. There even is a cluster of screaming teenage girls who are leading the charge. And the band continues to earn the girls’ adoration song after song. Since I have been mentoring the band for several weeks, this is an exciting moment in the band’s evolution to witness.

As their set draws to a close, lead singer Mike Giordan raises the bar even higher by lifting audience members on to the stage for the last song, “American Girl.” For touring bands with limited exposure, the inclusion of one or two covers in their song repertoire is a great way to break the ice with audience members who unfamiliar with a band’s original material. It is also nice to end a show with a familiar song so the audience can get involved with the finale. Petty’s classic is the perfect choice for this audience, who sing along before giving the band a standing ovation.

The band signs autographs for over an hour after their set. They actually are the opener for past American Idol contestant Elliot Yamin. And while the crowd is clearly full of Yamin fans, many convert to team Clarias due to the band’s efforts to build relationships before they even took the stage.

-KB

Watch footage of Clarias pre-show in Guam.