Stage Presence Help!

[oneshot1405]

Hello everyone!

I know many of you have been around the block a few times over the years and love hearing your war stories and lessons learned.

I'm a younger guy with a younger band and we are having very quick success, and we def have the music part down. The thing that has been bothering me tho lately is the fact that we don't have a more commanding stage presence. We don't do a terrible job but it def needs work.

I would love to hear any tips or success you've had over the years with any go to lines, strategies, tactics, mindsets, etc.

Thanks all

[Tahitijack]

For quick tips look at concert videos of bands you like. Try to adapt what they do and rehearse that into your set until it becomes natural and you are comfortable with it. No, you can't make a joke about what happened at your hotel yesterday but you can adapt a set up and punch line about what goes on in your life.

[oneshot1405]

good feedback. I've been watching videos of Freddie Mercury and other performers like him to get some ideas. def helps!

[rokdog49]

Stage presence can be helpful, but IMHO if you're really good it won't matter ...unless you stand there like zombies. My advice is play and sing with emotion and the rest will come out of you naturally.
BTW, there are many examples of bands who didn't do much on stage, but people loved them. Then there are bands whose stage presence was at least 50% of their draw. Those bands I generally dont care for. YMMV.

[3notes]

Watch Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead.

[SpruceTop]

In the few moments between songs, try to relate to your audience by highlighting any things that the town you're performing in is noted for. In general, just try to be congenial with between songs patter-chatter.

[JerrysGuitarBar]

Originally Posted by rokdog49

...unless you stand there like zombies.

Zombies don't just stand there
That's the problem. If they did, the zombie apocalypse wouldn't be half such a big deal.
Just sayin'

[JonPR]

Confidence - that's all it is. Just walk out there like you own it. You have more right to be on that stage than anyone else in the room. Even if Freddie Mercury happened to walk in...

You're professionals and you're there to do your job. Don't pretend to be anything you're not.

[oneshot1405]

Originally Posted by 3notes

Watch Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead.

I'm going to pull up youtube right now and check him out!

[oneshot1405]

Originally Posted by JonPR

Confidence - that's all it is. Just walk out there like you own it. You have more right to be on that stage than anyone else in the room. Even if Freddie Mercury happened to walk in...

You're professionals and you're there to do your job. Don't pretend to be anything you're not.

I really like the part about not being someone you're not. I think we as human beings have been designed to see right through that facade. Normally results in cringy performances

[Trent in WA]

You don’t mention what style of music you’re performing (which can make a huge difference) or what your band structure is (ditto). Different musical genres tend to have different performing conventions—a bluegrass band with a lead singer who performed like Freddie Mercury would just be weird, and ditto for a hard-rock band whose members all clustered around a single mic for each and every song.

If you’re playing rock-ish music (which I did for years), a lot depends on whether you have a lead singer or not. If you do, for better or worse they’re going to define what your “stage presence” is. If not, it’s going to be more of a collaborative enterprise. The crucial thing is to make it clear that you’re enjoying playing and make sure that you’re playing for each other and not just for the audience. That’ll make a world of difference.

[oneshot1405]

so right now we are an acoustic trio (lead guitarist that switches between that and piano/me on rhythm vocals/girlfriend on the cajon that splits lead vox with me)

Right now we are doing mostly covers from all genres and decades do draw people in, and now that we are quickly getting more gigs, we want to transition to full band and play originals.

For being an acoustic band we actually have a pretty full sound and energy, but to your point, need to make sure our stage antics don't outpace our setup too much..

[Mandobart]

I've been performing in public since I was a kid. I'm the front guy for our bluegrass band. We mostly play assisted living facilities and farmers markets. Having a quick wit helps to fill in tuning time. But the most important thing is make eye contact and smile. Yes easier to do in an outdoor venue in the daylight, but even under stage lights you can smile.

I acknowledge and personally thank everyone who tips us. We get $200 for a two hour show from the market management, plus $75 or more in tips.

[ChrisE]

My best advice would be to videotape your shows and sit and watch them together. Then you’ll see what the audience sees. Then adjust accordingly.

[gwlee7]

Watch George Thuroughgood perform live. If you can have as much infectious fun on stage as he does performing, your audience can’t help but have a good time.