I spend a lot of my time in Dubai and the demographics are pretty weird, at least among the western expat community. Live music is likely to attract a much older audience. Lots of middle aged people (mainly blokes) reliving their youth. If its a decent band there will be a lot of  Philipinos in the audiance too.
 
The DJ clubs seem to attract the younger, not necessarly Western crowd. 

 
I started gravitating to playing instrumental music as I got older.
 
I have, on a very personal level, imagined that lyrics and words amount to a sort of violence where upon you may impose your ideas on a listener, and it has occurred to me that the mere idea of ideas can place limitations on the reception your work. (I wouldn't want to press that point... I'm just sharing one of my personal ideas).
 
I have found that playing music that makes people's foot tap and gets them up and dancing is well received. If you can transcend the whole notion of style and genre than you can play to a very wide audience and what I have found is that the audience you do manage to attract has stopped by for the most simple reason; they just want to enjoy some music.
 
I find that satisfying, and I especially enjoy seeing people bring out the family because they trust that the day is simply about fun and music rather than a promotion, or display of any particular aesthetic.
 
Once again, I'm just throwing out some ideas, ideas that formed as I grew up and realized that what I enjoyed as young style cat just didn't fit me well as I started thinking like an older person. I try to play in way that reflects who I am now, I miss the passionate dedication I felt to style, but it seems natural to go with the flow.
 
 
Scott, that link I mentioned about memes in one of the previous posts is a good one. :-) I had hoped you might listen and start thinking about what you present as a Meme and what an audience expects as a Meme.
 
Looking at your experience with that sort of abstracted insight may make it easier for you to direct your musical message towards a eager and receptive audience.
 
I'll give you a hint where I am going with this; Do you think that audience came to hear a great band of stellar musicians or did they show up because that's where all the friends were hanging out that day?
 
You already know all this stuff... I'm just suggesting that there is a way to look at it that breaks it down and makes it easier to face.
 
Good luck.
 
best regards,
mike

All interesting stuff here.  As far as how we act on stage, we definitely move and get into the music.  I've been watching other rock bands a lot lately, and we move at least as much as they do - but we don't jump around like the punky bands.
 
Danny, you're right about the seriousness of the music though.  I don't know what we can do about that!  But we're pretty rehearsed too, so we can pull that stuff off and make eye contact with the audience and each other.  We're definitely not stiff.  I was watching Rush tonight on stage, and we move about as much as those guys, except Ali dances a bit, and of course, smiles when she's having a lot of fun.  
 
But I've never been into making a spectacle of myself on stage either just to get attention.  Bands that do that I usually walk away from; unless they do it "right", you can see right through it.  Of course, the more successful ones probably "believe" and "live" it.  LOL.  I can't dance so I don't try, I just get into my instrument and feed off the energy.  That's my personality.  So who knows?
 
At the end of the day, I gotta be myself - and maybe that's not the right thing to do.  
 
I will say one thing though, the people that DO come up to the stage are there EVERY TIME.  And our largest online audience is between 35 and 50.  They go ape**** for it.  
 
So it's not all bad.  

Daryl likes going ape****.

I think there are lots of folks over 40 that would like to here live music, and I'm one of them. The biggest problem is a lack of venues for a mature crowd. I don't do arena concerts any more. They're over priced, usually have lousy sound and I don't need to have a bunch of drugged out kids swarming around me.
 
Club shows in a large city like Toronto usually don't start until 11:00 pm but you have to get there by 9 to get a seat. Same issues with drunken kids and cheap perfume. I believe that's the reason you don't find mature crowds when playing out. We are over it, not past it. I survived my youth in spite of my behaviour and now I want something better.
 
There are a couple old theaters that have been putting on shows featuring indie artists and I really like going to those. You can sit and see and hear. Older audiences are out there wishing they had a place to go but there's simply too few venues that meet our standards. The really popular clubs don't even have bands, they have DJ's. It's all about booze, hormones and ecstacy. No way you'll get me out to one of those.
 
Most of my live music is now watched at outdoor festivals in the summer. They meet all of my criteria and it's easy to get away from kids barfing on their boots.

Danny Danzi
...Ok, so we have cover bands around here that make $6000 per show. The age of the guys are 50's. Yep, you heard it. 2 guys...they go by Secret Service.
 
http://secretserviceonline.com/
 
One of the biggest most successful bands around here. Booked solid...nothing much to look at if you're a younger bar hopper. However, their music and fun draws you in. Keep in mind bro...these dudes use sequencers! Two guys....6k plus per night...all the NJ hot spots...down the shores....Atlantic City, Sea Isle City, Wildwood, Ocean City, Cape May....casinos....these are the best places to play. You can't even get into Ocean Drive unless you promise large numbers. Why do they do so well? The material and presentation.
 

Sorry for the OT...     But OMG, I remember them from the early 90's when I was playing the Philly area circuit.  I can't believe they're still playing!   And apparently doing very well at it.  I'm fairly sure it was the same two guys back then too, and if so, that alone deserves props.
 
 

Ampfixer, speaking of OT, we're playing in Ann Arbor on July 13th and near Detroit that night at a club called New York New York, few of your fellow folks from Ontario are coming down to check us out!!  Make some friends!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Alice-Sweet-Alice-Ontario/627311200614176?skip_nax_wizard=true