Old men, dressed in black, sloppy playing of simple blues progressions over a budget PA. Playlist includes, Free Bird, Tush, Black Magic Woman, The Joker and their big dance tune is Miss You. Long indecisive moments between songs and annoyingly long guitar solos that stray out of key. Tip jar contains a band member's $5 in it to seed tips, but there are no additions.
Sound like I have experienced this before? You bet! I have sat through many of these performances as a member of an audience at a restaurant, community event or private party.
That is why I will never tolerate such a band, nor force an audience to sit through a self-centered musician's performance, saying, "We did the song our way, with our personal touch." Which is translated, "We were too lazy to learn it the right way."
Nope! Our band, California Creedence, only exists for the pleasure of our audience. If the audience isn't loving what they are hearing, then it is not worth playing. Our band learns the songs the right way, and performs them as such. That takes time, but the audience took time to see us. So we reciprocate. That is why we are a Classic Hits (some not-so-classic) band as opposed to being just another classic rock/blues band.
Does that sound like arrogance? As I mention to our venues, "It is not arrogance if it is true." To the venues who say, "All bands talk like you," after seeing our performance, they offer their apologies, and ask us back.