As an audience member, not a performer, I kind of like it when an entire verse is done instrumentally every so often. On records when they do that I tend to sing along anyway, either repeating the last verse, anticipating the next, or (my favorite) sing a verse that isn't IN that version but that I know from another. So I'm not sure that's good advice for a live performance, as you probably would want your audience to shut up and listen...