In Performance 101, I was always taught that the energy levels given to an audience should look like a roller coaster. It starts out at low levels, gradually moves through a mid-level for awhile, and then climaxes for a short burst of pure adrenaline. After this burst, it's critical to cycle back to the beginning. Similarly, an audience should be viewed as a single entity, or an "avatar" personified with living, emotional reactions. At different moments this entity needs attention, time to process details, quiet moments of bonding, and even bursts of pure sonic chaos. The style in which you, as the entertainer, delivers this sequence to the avatar is the art of performance. The vehicle to deliver this energy to the audience avatar takes the form of a setlist. I've seen entertainers who have no problem riffing with the crowd, setting up a "bit song" delivery with epic success and failure (including my own failures), ones who seem to know the right song at the right moment, and the ones who get lost in the muse. I've included a list of the Top 100 song requests that has been curated by the Piano Entertainers Network (thanks for connecting me Jimmy!), and I have definitely performed many of the classics. There are more recent songs that I need to learn, some songs listed may be a fool's errand to attempt live, and some I just cringe at playing for the 1001th time. Here are my top 5 favorite songs I perform from the list: 1. Piano Man 2. Sweet Caroline 3. Friends in Low Places 4. Take Me Home, Country Roads 5. Hotel California Here are 5 songs that I usually bomb when trying to perform: 1. Pour Some Sugar on Me 2. Bohemian Rhapsody 3. Don't Stop Believin' (I know...this should be a staple!) 4. Paradise By the Dashboard Lights 5. Africa / Take On Me The power to transform starts with striking that first note, pen stroke, or mouse click on a blank canvas. Leave your requests in the comments below. What are songs that you absolutely love to hear played live, and what would be the song(s) that you would like to have in your arsenal of perfect song requests?