Stage Presence

[TannisRoot]

So my band's been told we need better stage presence.

What is good stage presence to you? How do you get the crowd hyped?

Any good YouTube examples of what you consider good stage presence?

[mortlock]

I think I would have asked whoever told you guys that what they mean by that.

as far as im concerned, you have to be yourself to some degree but you also have to look like you want to be on stage doing what you are doing. you cant expect anyone watching you to be into it if you guys are not into it yourselves. cant mail it in or just go through the motions, people will sense it right away.

most important thing is to have fun and it will usually translate to the audience. in my band we are all older, so we don't look that part like we did when we were in our 20s. we certainly are not the greatest band on earth, but when we play we leave it all on the stage, we bring maximum energy and people generally respond to that.

you cant care too much about what other people think, just have fun and be confident in what you are doing.   

[RacerX]

Just remember—anyone & everyone has more stage presence than Hologram Tupac.

[Danny G]

Stage presence = the band having more fun onstage than the audience.


Sent from a can on some string using Tapatalk

[everdrone]

Just remember—anyone & everyone has more stage presence than Hologram Tupac.

lool

[zachoff]

Do something besides stand in one place staring at the floor or the neck of your guitar.
Don't appear scared or anxious or timid.

Otherwise, look like you're having a good time.

[black]

Stage presence = the band having more fun onstage than the audience.

yep.

[agent of change]

Stage presence = the band having more fun onstage than the audience.

yep.

Yep yep. If your music isn't moving you, it's not gonna move your audience.

[Danny G]

Def a middle ground between jumping around/putting on a show/having fun and playing the parts correctly/not sucking.


Sent from a can on some string using Tapatalk

[liquidsmoke]

Play good music well. Own it and look like you are rocking but don't fake it. Dress well and/or appropriately, that could mean George Costanza or it could mean medieval executioner. The vocalist could do and say things between songs to hype up the crowd which may or may not work. Mostly play good music well and physically rock out if that fits your sound.

[bbottom]

In Mass Driver we move around a hell of a lot. And that kind of carried over into my other bands.

I think a lot of it depends on the type of music that you're playing. But people don't want to see a band just stand there. Most people want to be entertained. 

Here are a few clips of us: (I think that I'm wearing the same shirt in some of the clips )

[mortlock]

[spookstrickland]

Look and act with confidence, whether you are serious, crazy or whatever do it with style and confidence and you will do well.

[Submarine]

Stage presence comes in many flavors. What works for Kiss will not work for Kraftwerk (extreme example).  But like most of the above posts say:  make it look like you are confident and enjoying performing. 

[Danny G]

And it helps to know that if you make a mistake, unless it totally trainwrecks the song (and even that you can recover from), more often than not the audience won't even notice. Unless you make a big deal out of it.

To paraphrase Miles Davis: if you hit a wrong note, it's the note you play after that determines if it was good or bad.


Sent from a can on some string using Tapatalk

[BastardCthulhu]

I'm the only one in my stupid shitty bar cover band that makes any attempt to have "presence".  The guitar players have to concentrate too hard on what they're doing, and the singer runs around and fires off stupid one-liners to intro songs, but we're a pretty boring bunch to watch.  Aside from my windmill and machine gun action, that is.

[zachoff]

To paraphrase Miles Davis: if you hit a wrong note, it's the note you play after that determines if it was good or bad.

Whenever someone fucks up in my band we call them "jazz notes".

[Danny G]

Heh

When I or someone else fucks up typically I/we all immediately look up at the ceiling like "What was that?!?" then shrug, chuckle and keep on playing


Sent from a can on some string using Tapatalk

[spookstrickland]

Heh

When I or someone else fucks up typically I/we all immediately look up at the ceiling like "What was that?!?" then shrug, chuckle and keep on playing


Sent from a can on some string using Tapatalk

I dont even acknowledge mistakes anymore, just move on to the next note like Danny G said Miles did or employ the old Jimmy Page trick, know ever seems to notice.

[bbottom]

Jazz notes....I'm totally stealing that.

[mortlock]

be careful, if you use enough of them you become a jazz band.

[jibberish]

I have to change my stage presence. this everyone bowing before me business is getting boring.

ok enough of that, anyway......

jazznotes heh.
funny, I stole "dickfinger" from Danny.

[Discö Rice]

The music - is it you or an anachronism? Do you play with confidence? Are you there to ram the good shit you're bringing down the audience's collective throat, or are you hoping they like you? They can tell.

1.) Be confident. 

I have a mental toolbox for that. Anything negative I'm feeling - nervousness, fear, sexual frustration, mind-shattering depression (a constant), disinterest from the audience, I blame the audience for all of it and take it out on them (and often my instrument).

The audience is excited and the energy in the room is crackling? Let them know how right they are. Take that out on them.

You are thereby channeling raw emotion and interacting with the audience all at once. That is authenticity, and people know it when they see or hear it.

2.) Be something they can't be.

Humility has no place on the stage. Be a sensitive, sweet person everywhere but up there when you're performing. Up there, you are a fucking god. No one wants to see someone that could easily be a co-worker, or the dude that changed their oil, or made their cheeseburger. That's not a performance, that's a recital. Every second you are on stage you are the most important person in the room. Just make sure all that ego and bluster stays where it belongs, or you will quickly find yourself alone. 

[Submarine]

^yes^

[zachoff]

Or just watch f'ing Prince.  It's lame that I own none of his albums nor cared much about him before he died but the dude commands a stage like no other. Just watch.