Tips for becoming a better onstage performer?

[The_Sentry]

Hey....I want to be a better onstage performer. I have to admit that one of my biggest hopes is that if people see a band I'm in, I want them to feel like they've been to a SHOW...and this goes beyond just being a wallflower IMHO.

I'm also fronting.

So...I don't care if you don't play much, or you've been playing for 10 thousand years, whether you're a novice, or an expert. (Unlike some folks, I'll just take the word of people in terms of what they do and do not like. )

What, for you, goes into seeing a great live band? Seriously?

(I'm already practicing 6-8 hours a day which is normal for me this time of year..this is relegated towards having a better onstage persona.) What helps you? What do you do to turn people on that are watching you play..or sing and play? (which is my situation...)

And advice is greatly appreciated.

[StrangerNY]

Pacing.

Keep the show moving, eliminate as much dead space as you can. Medleys, segues, mashups, they all work.

- D

[The_Sentry]

Originally Posted by StrangerNY

Pacing.

Keep the show moving, eliminate as much dead space as you can.

- D

Well, we do have that...I'm getting pretty decent with finding songs to pick it up...and occasionally, to break it up....I have one issue right now though....I'm using a music stand, and I need to run some new set lists....(we keep adding songs so damned fast I have to basically update it every 2 weeks or so.)

I'm mostly wondering about onstage presence. I don't want it where everyone's (especially me) is just standing in one spot and doing absolutely nothing to turn on an audience.

[Leumas]

A wireless system works wonders. Playing your instrument from the middle of the dance floor is a tried and true way to get remembered...so long as you're not the only one out there that is! I once walked from the stage all the way back to the bar and had a chick feed me a beer during a song.

[The_Sentry]

Originally Posted by Leumas

A wireless system works wonders. Playing your instrument from the middle of the dance floor is a tried and true way to get remembered...so long as you're not the only one out there that is! I once walked from the stage all the way back to the bar and had a chick feed me a beer during a song.

Yeah...I've been told more than once I need to get into one of those...

[Leumas]

Originally Posted by The_Sentry

Yeah...I've been told more than once I need to get into one of those...

Dude, seriously....worth their weight in gold. I've been a bassist for the last five years, so I don't worry about getting real high end systems....just something that won't cut out, but the feeling of not being tethered is liberating.

[StrangerNY]

Originally Posted by The_Sentry

Well, we do have that...I'm getting pretty decent with finding songs to pick it up...and occasionally, to break it up....I have one issue right now though....I'm using a music stand, and I need to run some new set lists....(we keep adding songs so damned fast I have to basically update it every 2 weeks or so.)

We change up our set lists for every show. We also burn through songs really quickly and presently have 120+ songs on our active list, so we always try to add a couple of new ones and rotate in stuff that we haven't played for a few gigs.

Originally Posted by The_Sentry

I'm mostly wondering about onstage presence. I don't want it where everyone's (especially me) is just standing in one spot and doing absolutely nothing to turn on an audience.

Understood.

Do you guys carry any lighting? We have a very small rig that we carry around, and it does set us apart from most of the other bands playing the places we play. Even a little bit of color helps make you look more like a band and less like three guys who decided to set up equipment and play.

- D

[The_Sentry]

Originally Posted by Leumas

Dude, seriously....worth their weight in gold. I've been a bassist for the last five years, so I don't worry about getting real high end systems....just something that won't cut out, but the feeling of not being tethered is liberating.

I can completely empathize with that. Truth be told I'd bloody love to get into a mic setup like Garth Brooks had because I get tired of standing in front of a microphone.

My only concern is that because I'm the only guitar player, and singer...I'm pretty much adding most of the color, and I really have to stroke dynamics. Would a wireless, even a cheap one cover all of that?

Originally Posted by StrangerNY

Do you guys carry any lighting? We have a very small rig that we carry around, and it does set us apart from most of the other bands playing the places we play. Even a little bit of color helps make you look more like a band and less like three guys who decided to set up equipment and play.

- D

No...not yet. Not yet...that is one thing I definitely want to get into....but if we do that, it'll be the difference between just having some lights and trying to find someone to run them. In truth I'd love to have a full projected image behind the band.

Great stuff so far, guys! Keep it coming! and THANK YOU!

[dennistruckdriver]

My pal Chris Casello makes eye contact with EVERY chick in the room, all ages and sizes....they LOVE him!
He also has a ball when he plays, and it shows.

You Tube

You Tube

[The_Sentry]

Originally Posted by dennistruckdriver

My pal Chris Casello makes eye contact with EVERY chick in the room, all ages and sizes....they LOVE him!
He also has a ball when he plays, and it shows.
YouTube - Flintstones Theme - Chris Casello Trio

Oh yeah...that's a must.

Dennis, a lot of times I'll find the oldest woman in the room, and not only make eye contact...but I'll wiggle my tongue at her when I'm playing a lead as well....

[StrangerNY]

Originally Posted by The_Sentry

No...not yet. Not yet...that is one thing I definitely want to get into....but if we do that, it'll be the difference between just having some lights and trying to find someone to run them.

We just set them up change with sound (they've got some kind of sensor built in) - set 'em and go.

- D

[Leumas]

Hmm, what else? Gimmicks gimmicks gimmicks!

We have a song in our set that the guitarist likes to do the melody to "Johnny Comes Marching Home" over. It's all very subtle and suggestive. I tried and tried and tried to convince him to structure it a bit and have all three of us doing it super tight, march style, just to smack you in the jaw with it, and he wouldn't have any of it.

Cut to two weeks later when the drummer and I decided to take matters into our own hands and we go full on march with it at the next show...it went over well.

I guess this suggestion is find some obscure march and stick it into the middle of an otherwise normal song.

[GibsonByBirth]

Don't stand still while playing. Dance with your guitar.

[The_Sentry]

Originally Posted by Leumas

Hmm, what else? Gimmicks gimmicks gimmicks!

We have a song in our set that the guitarist likes to do the melody to "Johnny Comes Marching Home" over. It's all very subtle and suggestive. I tried and tried and tried to convince him to structure it a bit and have all three of us doing it super tight, march style, just to smack you in the jaw with it, and he wouldn't have any of it.

Cut to two weeks later when the drummer and I decided to take matters into our own hands and we go full on march with it at the next show...it went over well.

I guess this suggestion is find some obscure march and stick it into the middle of an otherwise normal song.

Yeah...I know of a song or two we could do that with....one jam we have...we start with Bill Wither's "Ain't No Sunshine" and segueway it into "Darling Nikki" by Prince...

Originally Posted by GibsonByBirth

Don't stand still while playing. Dance with your guitar.

Done deal. I do that....along with playing with my eyes closed during a heavy piece if it's an extended guitar solo and I'm trying to bring it down...I'll also jerk my head, fall to my knees (I'm working towards going all the way to my back if there's room on the stage)...and running the neck of the guitar up against the mic stand...

[StrangerNY]

Originally Posted by Leumas

Hmm, what else? Gimmicks gimmicks gimmicks!

We have a song in our set that the guitarist likes to do the melody to "Johnny Comes Marching Home" over. It's all very subtle and suggestive. I tried and tried and tried to convince him to structure it a bit and have all three of us doing it super tight, march style, just to smack you in the jaw with it, and he wouldn't have any of it.

We do the same thing - but we try to find songs to mash together in weird ways. We do a version of 'American Idiot' that we grafted on to 'Hocus Pocus' by Focus (we insert the main melody from the Focus tune as a solo bit, and I play the yodeling melody on the guitar), and we also do 'Rock On' by David Essex - but we play it to the music from 'When The Levee Breaks.'

Might sound weird, but it never fails that we get somebody in the crowd thinking we're doing one song, and they're pretty surprised when we end up taking it in a totally different direction.

- D

[Quill]

You could try quitting playing live, for years and years ... get a solid, bills-payin' job in an office somewhere, or maybe in construction ... dream and dream and dream about playing ... then, when you finally get on-stage again, all that pent-up energy will completely explode and the sheer mass of your enthusiasm will knock everyone on their ass!

It works great as far as feeling "fresh" again goes, but it sure is hell on your chops!

Probably it'd be better to concentrate on the clever medleys and mix-ups (great ideas!). It's more ... how you say ... Direct!

[alligatorbling]

rub icy hot on ya balls before the show

[Angus]

Originally Posted by The_Sentry

Hey....I want to be a better onstage performer. I have to admit that one of my biggest hopes is that if people see a band I'm in, I want them to feel like they've been to a SHOW...and this goes beyond just being a wallflower IMHO.

I'm only speaking as a spectator, and my viewpoint is probably a minority one, however:

I like a band to appear to be genuinely into the music and hopefully having a good time - not aloof from the audience, but concentrating on the music. I like to see genuine interaction between the players, not just a star-player with a competent support team. I want to hear soulful songs played by people who love the music.

After that, its up to them.

[The_Sentry]

Originally Posted by Quill

You could try quitting playing live, for years and years ... get a solid, bills-payin' job in an office somewhere, or maybe in construction ... dream and dream and dream about playing ... then, when you finally get on-stage again, all that pent-up energy will completely explode and the sheer mass of your enthusiasm will knock everyone on their ass!

It works great as far as feeling "fresh" again goes, but it sure is hell on your chops!

Probably it'd be better to concentrate on the clever medleys and mix-ups (great ideas!). It's more ... how you say ... Direct!

Umm....

I'm at that point now. I gave this shit up in my late 20's. Now I'm back at it. I'm also practicing between 4 to 8 hours a day and working full time.

So....what are you trying to say here?

Originally Posted by Angus

I'm only speaking as a spectator, and my viewpoint is probably a minority one, however:

I like a band to appear to be genuinely into the music and hopefully having a good time - not aloof from the audience, but concentrating on the music. I like to see genuine interaction between the players, not just a star-player with a competent support team. I want to hear soulful songs played by people who love the music.

After that, its up to them.

That's cool. It's a long show, you know? Sometimes as long as 4 or 5 hours if it's multiple sets in a night. Bands are what they are. I dunno man...I'm definitely not the star...I front...but I don't feel that way.

[The_Sentry]

Originally Posted by alligatorbling

rub icy hot on ya balls before the show

Would I be able to sing with that stuff on mah stuff?

[benjammin420]

lets see, whats been known to work

-eat 40 hits of acid
-burn your guitar
-indecent exposure
-assault a photographer in the crowd
-bite the head off of a bat

and last but not least
-have fun. if you're having a good time, people will sense that and theyll have a good time. Carlos Santana once said "there's nothing in the world more contagious than enthusiasm"

[The_Sentry]

Originally Posted by benjammin420

lets see, whats been known to work

-eat 40 hits of acid
-burn your guitar
-indecent exposure
-assault a photographer in the crowd
-bite the head off of a bat

and last but not least
-have fun. if you're having a good time, people will sense that and theyll have a good time. Carlos Santana once said "there's nothing in the world more contagious than enthusiasm"

I'm down with the fun. I won't take the acid...but I may destroy a guitar onstage yet!! (I"ve always wanted to...)

Indecent exposure...I suppose if the crowd's big enough. I need press too badly to start assaulting photographers, and bats? Well....yuck.

[benjammin420]

hey look at axl rose, if you hit a photographer youll get press for the rest of your life. inciting a riot never hurts either

[The_Sentry]

Originally Posted by benjammin420

hey look at axl rose, if you hit a photographer youll get press for the rest of your life. inciting a riot never hurts either

I'm down for inciting riots...

But I don't think I wanna follow in Axl's er, ummm....whatever it is.....(Plus...he moves like a girlie man! )

[5F6-A]

Originally Posted by quill

you could try quitting playing live, for years and years ... Get a solid, bills-payin' job in an office somewhere, or maybe in construction ... Dream and dream and dream about playing ... Then, when you finally get on-stage again, all that pent-up energy will completely explode and the sheer mass of your enthusiasm will knock everyone on their ass!

It works great as far as feeling "fresh" again goes, but it sure is hell on your chops!

Probably it'd be better to concentrate on the clever medleys and mix-ups (great ideas!). It's more ... How you say ... Direct!

lol!!!

[alligatorbling]

Originally Posted by The_Sentry

Would I be able to sing with that stuff on mah stuff?

youd be able to nail any song by the darkness.

[AngryHatter]

Talk to the audience.
Engage them.

[The Guitarist]

It's all about eye contact and confidence. If there's a gap make a joke and be cool, it all comes down to the presence and atmosphere created.

[lp_junkie]

Sentry- the biggest thing for me is interacting with the audience, the shows people remember are the ones they are engaged in if you make it fun for everyone then it just seems like a better time.

I love a good frontman who can keep the crowd entertained and has the confidence to take the stage by storm and demand the attention of everyone in the room.

[Adwex]

If the band members are visibly having a good time, the feeling projects to the audience.