To act, behave, or perform in such a way as to receive as much approval from an audience or group of spectators as one can get, especially the lowest common denominator therein. The band still puts on a great performance, even after all these years. I do wish, though, that they played more of their new material and didn't just play to the crowd with their greatest hits the whole night. Rather than acting in a way that best suits the role and the play as a whole, he prefers to play to the crowd and soak up the spotlight when he can. She's a great basketball player, but she spends more time playing to the crowd than playing to win the game.