Stage Presence 101

With Be On The Scenes Live music Showcase tonight, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to discuss some useful tips i have heard on stage presence. 

All of the musicians performing tonight are professionals in the sense that they have performed live numerous times and have chosen to utilise every opportunity to perform for an audience. 

This blog is aimed at individuals who have all the talent in the world, but unsure of how to create that stage presence or for an individual who has never performed on a stage before. Remember having a great voice or song is not enough.

If you read a previous article/interview I did with record producer Stuart Epps you will know exactly what I am talking about when I say, ‘There is a difference between a musician and a performer.' A musician is someone who plays music and a performer is someone who ignites the stage.

I often read other blogs in my community and follow tips and tricks in the network, so when I came across industry expert Alex Boye from boy band Awesome, who went on to sell millions of CDs and knows a thing or two about connecting with an audience, I immediately wanted to share it with all our readers. 

There was a statement from Mac Evington in the USA that got me thinking. He said: ‘If you're making good music but don't look like you're having any fun with it, why should you expect the audience to enjoy watching it? They might as wellstay at home and listen to the mp3’

This couldn’t be more true. In order to engage your audience, you need to utilise your body. If you take a page out of any actor’s handbook you will find out about how to visualise and create the space around you. People don’t need to see to believe it, they need to feel.  For example, if you are one person on stage with the microphone and playing with a backup track, why not move around the stage to interact with the crowd, standing in the middle and maintaining eye contact is just not enough and remember to always keep your body open towards the audience.

Most people think that in order to be standing in the correct position of the stage, you need to be in the centre. What about stage left or stage right? What about the people you need to engage on either side?

This goes hand in hand with space creation and one does not have to be a dancer on stage to use this technique. Simply move around in a thought out yet not planned manner.  Have you ever watch how Mick Jagger swaggers across the stage left to right, right to left and sings to each group? It’s highly effective in allowing people to feel that you know they are there.

Alex points out an astonishing fact that 95% of artist’s revenue is made on stage performances alone and yet so much more time is spent on recording, writing and social media promotion. All of these are incredibly important, but how much time does one spend on rehearsing on stage?

At the end of the day, no one can give you stage presence, however, stage presence can be cultivated. The only thing that could change the way you or your band performs is one word and one word only that is Confidence.

Confidence can hide a multitude of sins on stage as well as discrepancies relating to singing off key or forgotten notes. If you have confidence, you don’t need anything else. 

If you are in London tonight, (28th June)  I suggest you make your way to the Archangel ( AAA) in High Street Kensington at 19;30 for a night of live music. 

Line up includes: Tom Lukas, Tony Goff, Becky Holloway and Sunrize.

I wish all our performers the best of luck and look forward to meeting everyone there. 

Romy

For more information, visit www.beonthescene.com/nextevent/