Stagecraft 101

Mark Wein

Mark Wein

Grand Poobah
Staff member
What makes a good show? I've been having this conversation with bands that I've been working with both in the studio and out for the last few months.

Here are a few things that are important to me:

1. Time Management #1. Start and stop when you are supposed to. If you are doing an original gig with 5 other bands on the bill you're just screwing the rest of the bands and they'll remember it. So will the promoter whoes show you just screwed up. If you are doing a multi set cover gig people need to stay entertained/dancing. You're getting paid to entertain and not to stand around drinking beer while the break music is on.

2, Time Management #2 - dead time on stage. There is nothing worse than watching a bunch of guys onstage discussing what they're going to play next, fiddle with their gear, tune obviously and loudly without a tuner or even (and I've seen this many times) text or update their Facebook status from the stage. :facepalm;

3. Gear management #1 - Tuning. Get a decent tuner that you can have in your pedalboard (or somewhere "inline") and don't need to unplug to tune with. Thats a time killer and a distraction for the crowd. Check your tuning regularly, especially if you are playing a really loud show.

4. Gear management #2 - Try to keep your equipment in good repair. Stuff break from time to time but playing on worn out strings or drum heads, amps that are on their last legs or broken hardware is asking for trouble.

5. Remember that the second that you've stepped onstage in front of people you are now an "entertainer". People are there to be entertained in a public place and you need to play as well as you can with as much energy and professionalism as you can muster, regardless of the gig or size of the venue. I just had a band this weekend tell me that their House of Blues show last month went great because they were excited to play a big show but their smaller local shows they didn't play as hard because there weren't as many people there. Bases on their attitude I'm sure those folks won't give them a second chance to come see a "good" show....


I'll post more later...what tips do you guys have?
 
If you're playing rock (or blues, country, etc) don't have any scripted banter or choreography. People can tell from a mile off and it's usually pretty cringeworthy.
 
Pacing. Understand the dynamics of a set. Don't start a set with 4 mid-tempo numbers.

Flexibility. Be willing to adjust the set list to the dynamics of a crowd. If they gettin they thing on, maybe skip the slow number about your dead dog.

Politeness. Mention the band before you, plug the band after you. Say nice things about the venue and staff if at all possible.

Sheer speed. Master the art of changing a broken string in seconds, so you don't have to bring a backup guitar. I've recently learned that backup guitars are for losers.
 
In my style of music, engaging the audience is key. I like to pump them up a bit, then start doing songs that are familiar to them and getting them to song along.

Remember that you are there for the audience rather than think that the audience is there for you. Engage, and, as mattburnside pointed out, be ready to adapt your performance to your audience. I have several kid-friendly songs that are not on the setlist but will be played if there are a number of kids in the audience.
 
mattburnside said:
Pacing. Understand the dynamics of a set. Don't start a set with 4 mid-tempo numbers.

Flexibility. Be willing to adjust the set list to the dynamics of a crowd. If they gettin they thing on, maybe skip the slow number about your dead dog.
Click to expand...

I've seen bands that abused the pacing thing. They started with six songs that were all around the same tempo. They lost the crowd by song #3.



Another suggestion. Do not have too much stage banter among the band - keep most of it to talking to the crowd.

And - have fun on stage. I've watched too many bands who looked like they were bored stiff playing their music. If the band is bored the audience will be as well.
 
If you're playing any kind of "intense" music and are good at switching songs very quickly, you can probably get through a whole set without saying a word, and people will think it's awesome.
 
All good stuff..from our gigging days I'd say being polite to everyone can't be overstated...you end up playing the same places and seeing the same faces..and they remember dickheads. :embarrassed:

In larger venues particularly, eye contact always helps people to feel engaged..so pick a few faces and play your heart out for them..and make sure they know it...everyone else will feel it too.
 
huskerdude said:
If you're playing any kind of "intense" music and are good at switching songs very quickly, you can probably get through a whole set without saying a word, and people will think it's awesome.
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seriously. For most bands they need to say something but I usually try and make it a couple of songs into the set before I really say anything if its an original show.
 
Every gig can be improved 20 fold with these two, simple words.......













Glow Sticks.








culver06.jpg




:messedup:



no... wait..... I thought this was the Rave-craft 101 thread. :facepalm:





BTW... that is one of my gigs pictured above. :tongue:
 
politeness gets another vote. Not only mentioning the other bands on the ticket but the venue as well. Being nice to the club gets you invited back.
 
Mark Wein said:
What makes a good show? I've been having this conversation with bands that I've been working with both in the studio and out for the last few months.

Here are a few things that are important to me:

1. Time Management #1. Start and stop when you are supposed to. If you are doing an original gig with 5 other bands on the bill you're just screwing the rest of the bands and they'll remember it. So will the promoter whoes show you just screwed up. If you are doing a multi set cover gig people need to stay entertained/dancing. You're getting paid to entertain and not to stand around drinking beer while the break music is on.

2, Time Management #2 - dead time on stage. There is nothing worse than watching a bunch of guys onstage discussing what they're going to play next, fiddle with their gear, tune obviously and loudly without a tuner or even (and I've seen this many times) text or update their Facebook status from the stage. :facepalm;

3. Gear management #1 - Tuning. Get a decent tuner that you can have in your pedalboard (or somewhere "inline") and don't need to unplug to tune with. Thats a time killer and a distraction for the crowd. Check your tuning regularly, especially if you are playing a really loud show.

4. Gear management #2 - Try to keep your equipment in good repair. Stuff break from time to time but playing on worn out strings or drum heads, amps that are on their last legs or broken hardware is asking for trouble.

5. Remember that the second that you've stepped onstage in front of people you are now an "entertainer". People are there to be entertained in a public place and you need to play as well as you can with as much energy and professionalism as you can muster, regardless of the gig or size of the venue. I just had a band this weekend tell me that their House of Blues show last month went great because they were excited to play a big show but their smaller local shows they didn't play as hard because there weren't as many people there. Bases on their attitude I'm sure those folks won't give them a second chance to come see a "good" show....


I'll post more later...what tips do you guys have?
Click to expand...

All great points.

I'd add clothes. I don't want to sound like a Jimmy James but definite nos would be:

Jean shorts (or shorts of any kind unless you are Dimebag Darrel.) I know some guys will go "it's hot" but so what? I'll never forget playing the Taste of Chicago a few years ago and it was about 95 and really humid but since it was Country Fest I wore boots, jeans, an undershirt and a long sleeve polyester western shirt. I refused to get onstage in front of about 10,000 people dressed like I was going to the beach.

Sandals of any kind.

T-shirts with "ironic" slogans on them

T-shirts with your bands logo on them (the only exceptions would be if you are in Iron Maiden or Motorhead)

White high top sneakers

Acid washed anything

Tie dye anything

Wrinkled clothes (I used to play in a band with a pedal steel player who would show up to gigs in shirts that looked like they were left in a washing machine for two weeks after washing them.)

Dress like you've been onstage before, don't show up looking like some guy who is delivering pizzas or something.
 
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Chad said:
politeness gets another vote. Not only mentioning the other bands on the ticket but the venue as well. Being nice to the club gets you invited back.
Click to expand...


yes. and pissing off the sound guys or stage manager will get you taken out of the house mix or worse :embarrassed:
 
The shorts/sandals thing is key. Unless you are playing outdoors and within sight of the ocean, wear long pants, FFS.
 
As to the dress issue, my rule of thumb is to dress appropriate to the venue and the music. When I was playing old-time/good-time music, I wore a derby and suspenders. When I played at the Swim For Life I wore shorts and sandals. For my folk music gigs I tend to go with jeans or khakis and a button-front shirt. If the occaision calls for it, I will wear a jacket and tie regardless of the style of music.
 
For the shorts thing...

I usually don't wear shorts, but the one time in recent memory that I did, we video taped the show and I posted it here. :embarrassed:
 
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