Musicadium Blog

We all know that the internet has had a massive impact on the ever-changing music industry. Online distribution has helped shift the power from major labels to artists and consumers themselves. CD sales are continuously declining with the rise of downloadable music (whether legally or illegally obtained). But despite all of this change and decline, one area that has thrived is live performance; an essential way to create a large and loyal fan base.

Performing live is a cheap, simple and effective way of creating genuine word-of-mouth. And, assuming you don’t have thousands of dollars at your disposal, performing live is just about the only promotional tool an upcoming artist can utilise.

If you take anything away from this post, let it be this: network! It’s your best bet to start getting those gigs booked. Get to know as many people in the music industry as you can. Attending local gigs is mandatory. Introduce yourself to other bands and have a chat to music industry folk who may be in the crowds of larger gigs. Personally meet with venue owners or bookers. Face-to-face communication is essential to establishing and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships (and it gives you a chance to show people how friendly and charming you are!).

The next thing to remember is to start small. Don’t expect to be given a Friday or Saturday night gig first up. Initially asking to fill a Monday or Tuesday night position when you’re starting out will give you a chance to demonstrate your value to the venue owner and establish a mutually beneficial relationship. Don’t aim for huge crowds to begin with; playing in front of a smaller group is great practice and can give you a chance to flatten out any bumps that may arise.

So, you’ve got your first gig all booked and ready to go.  Now it’s time to actually perform. At first it can be pretty daunting and a lot different to practicing in the garage. It’s important to keep an open mind, expect the unexpected and be flexible. Arriving early gives you time to ensure all your gear (and the venue’s) is set up and ready to go on time. It will also give you a chance to have a chat to some people in the crowd and get to know ‘the feel’ of the venue.

Make sure every band member has a set list in front of them so that everyone knows what’s next and the audience isn’t left standing there listening to silence. Figure out what songs flow easily into the next, musically and in terms of ‘pump up’ levels. It may seem straightforward, but double check how long you are scheduled to play for and ensure that you have enough songs to fill that time - or go horrendously overtime and be asked to finish up.

When it’s your time to shine, do just that. If you are having a great time, your audience will feel that and reciprocate. Channel all of that adrenalin and be enthusiastic, energetic and interactive. Audience interaction is key to connecting with your fans. Fans that have a sense of involvement will be more likely to spread positive word-of-mouth.

Creating a fantastic stage presence is something that will come with practice, but here are some simple tips:

• Make sure the audience can see your face and make eye contact, simple yet effective way to interact with audience.
• We all know the importance of hydration so have a bottle of water handy
• Move around; if you stand like a statue, so will your audience.
• Don’t steal the limelight from your fellow band members, make sure you’re all involved and enjoying yourselves.
• You know you love your songs, but smile so that the audience knows that too.
• Don’t overdo it.  A natural stage presence will come with time.
• Don’t be afraid to speak to your audience now and again, however telling a ten minute story of how you came up with the band name is probably not the best idea.
• After your set, don’t pack up and hide in a corner by yourself. Mingle with the crowd, ask them what they thought (remember that all important word; network!).

So, now you know how to rock a crowd. Get out there and make some new fans!

This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 16th, 2009 at 5:23 pm and is filed under Useful Resources. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.