Tips for Improving Your Band’s Stage Performance

The most popular (and lucrative) bands in the entertainment market got there by following a very basic business model – always improve. That includes relentless practice and excruciatingly high standards of quality control. With that said, it can be difficult to find the best strategy for your band’s stage performances. Let’s take a look at some tips to help improve them!

Keep your Music Fresh

You don’t have to give a live performance that’s a duplicate of the recordings you’ve released to the public. If anything, research the audiences you expect to find when you perform and compare them to audiences you’ve had recently. Did you get a reaction, good or bad, to any changes in your music at your recent performances? Keep in mind that you are trying to please your audience while staying true to your art.

Invest in Tech

The technological aspect of a stage performance is more dominant than ever. The days of being able to perform on a nearly bare stage occupied only by instruments and the bare minimum of equipment and wiring are long gone. Audiences don’t want just music anymore; they want it presented as part of a gigantic show of images and sounds. That requires an investment in equipment and technicians. That, in turn, can mean large demands on your time. To deal with this, you need to delegate.

Respect the Input List

Before the performance, get an input list to the production manager. The input list is vital for specifying direct input boxes (Dis), microphone placements and the stands needed as well as where the stands are placed. It can also be useful to specify which hardware requires phantom power to operate. If there is anything unexpected about what equipment is needed or where it’s to be placed, include those as notes in the list. Make sure the input list does not overwhelm the reader with complexity, too – keep it to a few columns of information (like a simple spreadsheet) as possible. Most important of all, make sure anyone who reads the input list has your contact information.

Don’t Forget the Stage Plot

A stage plot is very important to the success of your performance. Like the input list, it needs to go to the production manager as soon as possible. The stage plot will show how many musicians are performing, what gear they use, and where it is to be placed. You can get make your own stage plots with PowerPoint or CorelDraw, though you can also draw one by hand. You may also want to include monitor placements on the stage plot, too, as an aside. Do you have vintage equipment with special requirements? If so, include it. As with the input list, have contact information and the band or artist name clearly visible on the plot.

While there are many other issues associated with making a band’s performance successful, an organization can help overcome the complexities and create a truly spectacular show. Do some self-guided research for more in-depth information and always double-check your information with experts. They’ll know the right answers.