5 Musician must-do’s
for a kick-ass live gig
Welcome to the generation of the
D-I-Y Indie musician, where the person you can depend on the most for getting
anything done is yourself. Here are some pointers for an amazing gig with happy
audiences , happy venues and a satisfied bandJ
1.
Get a
Packed house
One thing every venue will love you for is your
ability to bring in a crowd. If it’s your first gig at a new venue this is an
important deciding factor for booking your next gig.
Here are some things you(& the venue)
must do prior to the gig:
o
Facebook
Event: Create a facebook event at least 2 weeks prior to the gig and invite
everyone on your list. Post 3 reminders as your status at intervals prior to
the gig date. This ensures that people who have missed it the first time see
it. Urge your friends & fans to share the event as much as they can.
o
Phone
Calls: Personally call your close friends, relatives, die-hard fans,anyone
who you would like to invite for the gig. Never underestimate the power of a personalized
phone-call. It’s way more effective than facebook and e-mail.
o
E-mail : People
might not always follow facebook updates. An e-mail is a sure fire way to get
the message across to them. Make sure the subject has all the gig details, as not
everyone might open the e-mail and go through all the contents.
o
Press: Get
the venue to do a press release or contact the press yourself with dets about
the show.
After the show, make sure to thank
all the people who came for the gig personally.
2.
Give the Audience
what they Want
Although some bands are opposed to the
idea, initially it’s best to have a mix
of originals & covers in your set list. When the crowd doesn’t know you and
they hear something familiar it helps them to build a connection with the band.
Your band can always do your own take on the songs and make it sound different
from the original. While selecting songs, gauge the venue, the event and the
target audience that you’re expecting for the gig.
Sense the mood of the crowd and play your set
accordingly. If the audience is looking
disengaged you might want to play one of the faster songs in your set to get
their attention or of of your numbers they’re more familiar with.
3. Engage
the Audience
Face it ..there’s a little part of everyone
that want to be up on the stage singing to a crowd and receiving applause. Why
do you think karaoke nights are always such a hit? Teach the audience a section of the song and
make them sing along or clap along. It makes them feel like a more integral
part of the experience. Needless to say this always gets the band a huge round
of applause after.
4. Have
Band merchandise/CD’s Available
Give your fans a reason to remember you after
the gig. If you have CD’s ,T-shirts or other merchandise ,make sure you or a
friend set up an area near the stage to sell them after the gig. Also make
announcements about the same during the gig. Something that I often do after
gigs is walk around with a box of my CD’s and ask people if they would like to
get one. It also helps you talk to your audience post the gig and make it a
more personal experience for them. I sold 2 boxes of CD’s at a festival gig and
got a bunch of new FB fans after I went around post the gig with my boxes of
Cd’s. I’ve even seen big artists do this at gigs with their own CD’s.
5. Announce where people can check you out online
There was this band that played
at a hip joint in Delhi and after the set “Thank you folks” was all they said
and left the stage.Now when people like your music they want to hear more of
you..but you have left them with absolutely no indication of where they can
find you.
Make sure that you announce the
band name clearly at the beginning and at end of the show & where the
audience can find your music on the web (Website/facebook page/mailing list). You
could even get your friend to hand out slips of paper to the audience with band
info that would help them remember where
to find you guys online post the gig.
That been said, remember there is no excuse
for not practicing before a gig. Practice comes first and the all the rest
comes second.
Now go kick some ass!
About the author: Pragnya Wakhlu is a
singer-songwriter from Delhi & the front woman of the folk-rock band “Soul Strings”, international all women’s
band “White Lilies” and her own band “Pragnya Wakhlu Collective”. She has performed
over 250 shows across India and the US. She released her debut album “Journey
To the Sun” in 2012 in collaboration with artists across India. (Get it at
musicfellas :http://www.oklisten.com/pragnyawakhlu )
To get in touch with Pragnya visit:
Facebook: facebook.com/pragnyawakhlumusic
Twitter
@pragnyawakhlu
