Yes, the audience will slow down regardless. Either the band slows down with them or they keep the same tempo and the clapping gets screwed up. It's frustrating

Yes, the audience will slow down regardless. Either the band slows down with them or they keep the same tempo and the clapping gets screwed up. It's frustrating as a performer trying to fight the audience and the only solution I know is to have the house levels sufficiently loud that the audience continually adjusts.