The conductor would sort of start the band playing and then would let them run free and would walk around chit-chatting with folks in the audience. Every once in a while he would return for a big crescendo or to rein them in for a ritardando, or at end of the piece. In between every song the band would chatter away with one another like school kids and the conductor would beat his baton on his stand to get their attention. It was really great. I was imagining how my conductors in high school would have reacted if our bands did that at a performance! Classic.