Okay, last night I attempted to photograph a bluegrass festival, the Uncle Dave Macon Days event.  This is the national clogging, banjo, and fiddle competition.  I will be submitting the photos I took to the event organizers at their request.  This is the first time I've tried to photograph a stage at night.  So I need feedback please.  I tried to use a variety of settings:  night, night landscape, night portrait, auto, and backlight.  I ended up throwing out about 1/2 the photos because they didn't turn out.  I am pretty sure the problem was that I didn't use a tripod, but I was running around backstage (it was crowded) and crawling up front, right in front of the stage.  So please comment, give suggestions, advice, whatever.
Thanks

narrowed world
This guy was concentrating SO hard on the music I think he had no idea all those people were around him.  I wanted the focus to be on him so I blurred the edges.  Too much?

Old time porch playing  
This event was held at a reconstructed pioneer village.  So there were people on porches everywhere.

Singing old songs
In addition to the playing, there was a lot of singing going on.

Backstage lights
This starts my night shooting.  

ropes of lights

Banjo pickin'

Young competitor

Flyin' fingers playing