Have you ever noticed how some concerts are just that, a “concert,” and some are an all-out party where you feel you are as much a part as the guys on stage? You may have walked away from some concerts wishing you would have just listened to their CD at home and saved a few bucks. The CD was actually better. So how can you create that amazing concert every time you play, and begin to build an army of followers?

Obviously you don’t want an army of mindless, robot zombies for an audience. But what about an ever growing number of active fans who can’t stop talking about you? How can you walk off stage having added a room full of raving fans to your mailing list, and increased the number of people spreading the word about who you are?

What is it that makes the difference between “just an average show” and a concert experience your audience can’t stop raving about? The key word in that last sentence is “experience.” Not “experience” as in skill or knowledge, but “experience” as in surrounding your audience with sights and sounds that amplify and intensify your music and message. Unforgettable concerts immerse you in a concert experience where you cannot help but be filled with the energy of the music.

“So how can I do that?”

Seeing your band from the perspective of the audience can help you create an amazing concert experience. You can be the best dressed, have awesome visuals, even the best sound, but if the audience’s only response to your show is a hand clap, how many of your shows do you think they will attend? Will they even remember who you are? What will they say to their friends about the show? “It was okay,” or “They were all right; I kind of liked the music?” But how do you get your audience to say, “It was the best concert ever!!”

Years ago, Van Halen made me feel like I was standing right beside him, indulging in his every wild gesture, moved to tears from the excitement and letting go with abandonment at the same time. He was playing to me. The crowd went wild when he stepped off the stage to look me in the face as he played a few lines. I was every person in that audience. The whole band’s energy was contagious. Others also had their two seconds of fame when they were handed the microphone to sing a few lines. Everyone was stoked. There was nothing else going on in the world at that moment but the life in that room. The entire stadium was hanging by a thread for three hours straight. To say it was an incredible night would be a major understatement. Let’s talk about how you can create that same type of unforgettable concert…

Mind control made easy

Of course I’m not actually talking about “mind control.” But just like Van Halen in the story above, you want to create and maintain a level of influence and connection with your audience that they will never forget.

Don’t let the stage separate you from your audience! Being above the ocean of people allows you to better capture your crowd. All eyes are on you, watching your every move. Your rapport with your audience will get you anything you want. Your connection with your fans should start long before the concert. Join the crowd before the show, talk to your fans, sign autographs, and even stay after the concert to continue the party and connect with your fans even more. This may seem like common sense to you, but are you really doing it? It’s one thing for a band to be there before and after their time on stage to watch the other bands and perhaps talk to a few people, but it’s much more powerful when a band makes it a point to make friends with everyone they can in the audience.

One thing to realize is that your fans are your family. Talk to your fans; tell them what you expect them to do at your shows. Ask and they will follow. Lead and they will imitate. Just like an ocean wave, the energy you put out there will ripple across the audience and back to you.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers has the knack of getting the whole crowd to jump up and down. How? By jumping themselves. Have you ever been in a concert where the lead singer moshes across the audience and back? He joined in, became one of them, and the crowd went nuts. Do you want your audience to sing along, wave their hands, jump, yell, dance and scream? Whether through your words or through your actions, ask and it’s yours. For that moment in time, your band is the center of their world.

Janis Joplin described her concerts as making love to twenty-five thousand people. She said it’s like the incredible connection usually only felt by falling in love the first time, yet multiplied by the entire audience. Can you capture that same passion for your audience? Show them you actually care about them more than the money they put in your pocket. Give them more than they expect and get more in return. If big-name bands can do it, so can you. Watch them, learn from them.

Getting your audience involved is a matter of action, a lot of playful action. From connecting with your audience before and after your concerts, to surrounding them with things that amplify and reinforce your band’s energy, to asking your fans to get involved exactly the way you want them to, truly connect with your audience and you will grow an army of loyal fans.

But it doesn’t stop there

If you can move the emotions of the audience with participation, what do you think would turn them from fans into fanatics? Think about how to appeal to all of their senses. Surround them with every part of your unique self. What imagery could you put with your music? What lighting, clothing, sounds, and more will pull them into knowing and being a part of who you are? Everything about the show should scream your message and the response you expect from your audience. The show is more about the full concert experience than the music. Take some time to talk with your band about different ways you can truly connect with your audience. Then write those things down and start doing them! Lead your army where you want it to go and they will follow.

Find the mentors and coaches you need, those that can help you create amazing and unforgettable concerts. You don’t have to walk the road to success alone. Get this free twelve day mini-course on how to turn your rock band into a success. In addition, test yourself in this free rock band success test. If nothing else, I hope you have taken this article to heart.

About the Author: On the ridged and often dangerous path to “making it” in the music industry, Draven Grey has been described as a friend, guide, and schoolmaster. Draven is a professional musician, producer, artist development specialist for Rockstar Mindset, and rock band success coach with Tom Hess and Alex Staropoli. To find out more, visit Rockstar Mindset.

Last summer the phone rang, the caller ID showed the name ABC News Chicago. I picked up the phone and a man introduced himself and asked me if our band would be interested in being included in a documentary on “Whats Keeping Rock And Roll Music Alive…” My heart was pounding, of course I said YES. He went on to explain they were looking for a local band, with memembers that still had day jobs, that still load and unload all their own gear, that does their own set up.

“Thats US!” I replied.

He then had a gentleman from ABC News in New York City call and interview me over the phone. Luckily we had a gig coming up in three days so things started to get set in place. A local producer called me to arrange a meeting place at the Mendota Fest gig we’d be playing. They wanted to be there in time to catch us unloading and setting up.

The producer brought along a sound engineer and camera man along with her. They actually arrived at the Mendota Fest just before we did. They were polite and made us feel at ease. The camera man followed us around and we actually felt like STARS. We had been instructed to bring pictures of all five of us from when we were growing up. They took our photos and attached them to a back drop with the idea of having music playing in the background while capturing out childhoods.

They followed us around as we set up all the equipment. They also attached a wireless microphone to myself and to our drummer.

The producer interviewed me and asked many questions, from “What I think is keeping Rock and Roll Music alive?” to “Why we go through all this when the pay never is equal to the amount of work and energy one puts into a gig?”

I teasingly excused myself to go to “my dressing room” (a porta-potty). The camera man loved the angle so I had to yell out to them when I was coming out of my dressing room so they could film that to. Once the setting up was complete, we gave the producer a copy of our set list and she asked if we could do certain songs in a certain order. That was no problem as we had plenty of time to change things around. They wanted to highlight on the version of Rocking in The Free Worldthat we do. It just seemed so fitting at the time.

So we started to play. As I was playing my bass, I turned to look at my husband who is our lead singer and rhythm guitar player and noticed the camera man was right next to him on stage filming his close up. When we began our second song I was tapping my feet while playing and I noticed the camera was filming my feet. They certainly did not miss a trick.

It was a wonderful time and a wonderful expierence. They were with us for over five hours. The week that this all took place, ABC was airing a lot of specials on Elvis. They wanted this documentary to be aired in conjunction with those. They told us they felt it was turning out great. The tape would be turned over the ABC in New York and would be aired on The Good Morning America Show, but they could not tell us when it would be aired. They said that the bad news was if “Breaking News” happened when it was scheduled to be shown, it could get bumped.

So everyday we all turned on the TV looking and hoping , and it never seemed to air. Then, on August 14th, 2002, my phone rang again and it was my mother, who lives in Ohio.. She was screaming with joy, telling me to hurry up and turn on ABC’s World News Tonight with Peter Jennings. They had a special called “Celebrating Elvis” and had oneminute of our documentary included with it. The editor of the Rolling Stones Magazine was interviewed in that segment, saying “Nowadays all it takes is some good rock and roll music” Then came our minute of fame! We made the World News Tonight. And even though it only aired ONE Minute , it was the most exciting minute our band has ever had.

They may still possibly air the documentary in its entirety one day. But even if they never do, it has made all this hard work and dedication to our band well worth it.

Rock ON

Peace

We were setting up the sound system, amps, drums, keyboard, and mics to provide music for an afternoon of gospel singing after everyone was well fed. Our “stage” was a flat bed trailer provided by one of the nearby ranches. It was pulled up in the shade of some large live oak trees.

We had cleaned the trailer up real nice, set up the equipment and turned on the electrical power to do the “essential” sound CHECK of the equipment. Our lead guitar man stepped up to his mic to do a sound check. He wasn’t satisfied with his mic position. He had his guitar on a strap hanging around his neck. He reached with both hands to change the position of his mic.

That’s when it happened. He turned first pale and then several shades of blue. At first we did not know what was going on; then it became obvious he was choking. We then realized what had happened. Quickly, utilizing the “Heimlich maneuver,” the obstruction in his throat was expelled and in a couple of minutes his normal breathing was restored.

He had done what I myself have done many times and have seen even professionals do. He had put his guitar pick in his mouth between his teeth to free up both hands to make the mic adjustment, and apparently took a breath pulling on the mic stand and sucked the guitar pick down his throat, where it lodged across his wind pipe. The guitar pick was triangular in shape and about the size of a quarter. It did an effective job of cutting off his air supply. Without assistance, he could not get the pick dislodged.

Fortunately for him, quick action by one of the guys on “stage” got the pick expelled. Since observing that experience, I try to remember to never put a guitar pick or any other foreign object in my mouth while setting up equipment – because next time we might not be so lucky.

The SHOW goes well and I am beat. I just want to get away as fast as I can and go out for a beer.

I don’t want to go to the usual theatre crowd hangouts, so I just go a little off the beaten path. I want to find a bar where I can simply watch the TV with the sound off and drink my beer.

So I find the perfect place – noisy but not too, really friendly people. And, all my beers seem to be being paid for. Well, this has happened before – people who enjoyed the SHOW often do this if they recognize you.

But there is something just twilight zoney about this place. I can’t figure it out. Then I go to hit the bathroom and I understand. There are no women in the place, not one. Once I figured that out, the twilight zone feeling disappears. I mean, I’m in the theatre business after all. I’m a firm believer in “to each their own.” No problema. But it’s not over yet…

I take care of my business, go to wash my hands and then figure out why all my beers are being paid for. (Scary music goes here) I look in the mirror and I have on more make-up than Tammy Fay Baker. I had forgotten to take off my stage makeup. Rouge, lipstick, eyeliner, blush, mascara – the whole nine yards. I mean, there were prostitutes walking along 14th Street with less makeup than me. As a matter of fact, there were circus clowns with less makeup than me.

Anyway, I left a tip, headed home, and washed off the makeup. But if I ever need to get my beers for free, at least I know how.

I was a starving artist at the time, so at this point I was surviving on hotel room service. About the fourth day, hotel management informed me that if I did not pay my room service bill, I was going to have to speak to the police.

Naturally, I called everyone with the company, and the big guy’s (that’s what they all called him: “big guy”) secretary came and got me. She then deposited me at the big guy’s son’s condo on a golf resort. She said that the big guy wouldn’t be back for a couple of days, and that his son was out of town on his honeymoon, so I could stay there.

It was an awesome place. I waved goodbye to the lady, and went about checking the place out. I was pretty hungry, so I went to the fridge and checked for some food. There wasn’t any.

At this point, I realized there was no point in calling these people any more. I walked down to the beach with my guitar, and talked one of the restaurant owners INTO letting me play to the dinner crowd in exchange for some food.

As I sang, a little old man came in and sat down in front. I paid little heed to him aside FROM a nice nod while I was belting out a note FROM Sarah McLachlan’s “Angel,” and I continued to play. After the song, I took a swallow of my coffee, and began again, not really looking at the little old guy who was sitting at the foot of the stage.

At some point, I noticed a young couple in the corner. The young lady was grimacing horribly at the old man, the young guy with her covered her face, and they collected their things and ran out. Looking down at the old man, I discovered that he was HAVING a party with his anatomy under the table!

I waved to the lady behind the bar, signaling that I needed another coffee, and I began trying to talk to the audience without disturbing the old guy. When the barkeep came over and handed me a cup of coffee, I leaned down to whisper in her ear about the guy. She turned, grimaced, and asked him to put that thing away before he put someone’s eye out. I was shocked, but apparently so was he, and he tucked it away.

As soon as she had turned her back and returned to the bar, he was at it again! This time I piped up, “You know, I’m sure you’re happy to be able to do that at your age. But this might not be the right place for it.”

At this point, a couple of military guys noticed it, and they went to his TABLE and picked him up to take him outdoors. He continued his activity while being carried outdoors, and told me he loved me as they carried him away. Shortly after he was “deposited” outdoors, he tried to come back in. The bartender asked him not to, but he did anyway, this time reverting to a dark corner and continuing his party. They called the police to have him removed, and he left shouting to me that I should take it as a compliment that I could do that to an old man. (Giggle)

I didn’t consider it a compliment. But I have to tell you – of all my many horror stories FROM touring, this one gets me the most. I never got paid for my costs at Myrtle Beach, and never got paid for my work. I was shoved back on a plane with no pay and told that the CHECK was in the mail. HAVING a gig to play in Atlanta, in less than five hours, I couldn’t argue. I’ve not played in the whole state of South Carolina since then.

Music Stand: This is for those of us who have set lists and key structures written out. The stand is better than picking papers off of the floor that were on your amp.

Instrument stand: I can’t even count the times that my guitarist kept forgetting his. He’d prop up the guitar and I would watch it fall across the amp. Oh well. Save your own instrument.

Ear plugs, for the obvious reasons: loud drummer, super loud guitars, etc.

At the gig: Don’t drink excessively or dope up. It shows in your playing and your professionalism or lack of.

Practice: Send a flier to the neighbors letting them know when you practice, so if there is a problem, they don’t call the cops first, they call you.

Band politics: The band sits at a round table. There are no egos, and everyone gets a say. Be democratic. Discuss your goals, tunings, dynamics, etc.

Towel: To sop up the spilled beer on your amp that your guitarist denies he caused.

Cable: Loop your cable through your amp handle and your strap so it doesn’t fall out.

Picks: Different gauges for anyone in your band who uses one.

Spare cords and cables: It worked yesterday, so why doesn’t it work today? By the way, wrap your cords when you are done; the copper wire has a memory.

Spare strap: I had a guitar player sit in a chair for the whole gig. Enough said.

Spare microphones: If you sing, it is always good to have a back up. There is nothing like watching, in slow motion, a microphone hitting the ground and splitting into pieces.

Tuner: A guaranteed need. Your guitarist thinks he’s in tune and everybody else is out.

Batteries: For the tuner (which proves your guitarist wrong) or effects pedals.

Strings: Obviously for yourself. But also get a set of guitar strings. A guitar string is guaranteed to break; it’s always the high E. This happens on a Sunday, Sam Ash is closed and the gig is in an hour.

Drum key: The drummer arrives and can’t tune his set, or can’t put a new skin on.

Power strip/surge protector: For some reason, clubs always have problems with their power. Go figure. There have been more surges or blown circuit breakers than I care to remember.

Screwdriver: To get into your instrument or amp if there are any problems.

Allen wrenches: A must, if you want to do any instrument adjustments.

Tubes: For all of you oldies out there.

Fuses: For GK amps especially.

Pen/paper: For some reason you always need this. I just don’t know why.

Crazy glue: For your fingers or your guitarist’s mouth.

Duct tape: Repairs anything — even your guitarist. It can even fix broken drum skins.

Duffel bag: To carry everything.

Spare Clothes: For yourself. Not the kinky kind, but something that is comfortable, or to change into if someone spills something on you.

I know you will feel like a walking hardware store with all this stuff. But don’t tell your band mates what you have. If you do, they will rely on you every time. The purpose of having all of this equipment on hand is to save the day for yourself and others. Most importantly, it brings a sense of professionalism to your craft.

Turns out it’s a decent place, nice stage, good sound. The people there were pretty cool to us, too. So we finish our set. All goes quite well and we go sit down to watch the other bands playing that night. We watched the next band and drank some beers.

The last band gets up there, and by this time there’s only about fifteen people left in the bar. There were a bunch of girls sitting behind us that called for a waitress and they told the waitress they had maggots on their table. The waitress behaved as if this were no big deal and brought them another table. So this made us CHECK our table. Sure enough, on the TABLE with our beers — MAGGOTS!

We told the waitress that we, too, had maggots on our table. She apologized flippantly and brought us another table. We let it go. Well, about ten minutes later the guitarist FROM my band looks at the TABLE and says, “Guys, um, there are maggots on the TABLE again.” This means: There were maggots falling FROM the ceiling!

So everyone at our TABLE let out a scream. We all went running, high-step style, out of the bar, all the while vigorously shaking our heads to get the maggots, which could have been burrowing INTO our scalps, out of our hair, and shaking our clothes to get them out of there, too.

We stood outside the club, all of us breathing heavily and pale with disgust, looking through each other’s hair to see if there were maggots still there. Then we realized we had to go back in to get our gear, our jackets — it was cold out — and everything else.

May I stress that by this time we’d had a few beers and were feeling pretty loose. So we waited until the band was finished and went back in chanting “Who got maggots in they hair? Who got maggots in they chair? You got maggots EVERYWHERE!”

After loading up the truck, fighting back the urge to vomit and pissing off the management thoroughly (who wanted to keep hidden the fact their club had maggots falling FROM the ceiling, which would have closed them down quicker than you can say “larvae”), we were informed that, since we didn’t bring enough fans to the show, we wouldn’t be invited back for the second round of the “battle of the bands.” I believe we all went “awwwww” in chorus and resumed our chanting.

Amazingly, no one was injured. The parents of the both the bride and groom offered to REPLACE any damaged equipment (though there was no damage other than scuff marks and imbedded grass). They insisted on paying double the contract amount – which was quite good to begin with! The gig turned out to be “strange” and profitable – one I’ll never forget!

But a weekend or two a month, I play bass in a blues/rock cover band. We’re the “house band” for Jammer’s Bluenote Ballroom in Bemidji, Minnesota. We’d love to open for your blues band! Call Dawn Eve at 218-751-1565 if you want to play the blues in the pine woods!

I heard there was an “open stage” for this band, so I showed up and jammed with them…and I’ve been their bass player ever since. We’re Drew’s Cruisers: guitar, bass, drums, and a keys/tenor sax fellow. The other three have played together for a while so they are all tight with each other; it’s an easy job for me to fit in with them because they all know what they’re doing already. No egos, no hassles, just folks who like to make music.

This has been my peak experience as a bass player . . . classically trained as a flute player, but wanting to get away from the sheet music and just play, knowing the music and knowing what to do with it while listening to your bandmates to know what to do next. That’s exactly what I do in this band.

We play a variety of songs from Grateful Dead and Van Morrison to Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash, plus some interesting original songs and instrumentals from the guitar player. He always introduces them as “a song of our own device…” reflecting that, even though the framework is his idea, the song becomes whatever the rest of us bring to it.

I’m having a huge amount of fun playing this music . . . but growing up as a non-smoking, non-drinking, classical musician, I’m playing music I never much listened to, in a setting I never would have frequented!

We have had a lot of interesting experiences in the few months I’ve played with them: the drunken bridegroom wanting to jam with us and nearly falling onto the keyboard onstage; the folks who didn’t like what we were playing and came up and screamed obscenities at us; playing at a music festival on an outdoor stage; opening for a band that never showed and for which we continued playing — for 6 hours total. But the best gig experience so far was the most recent one, where the appreciative audience bought the musicians a beverage!

That night it was a different gig; it was open stage hosted by the drummer, who this time played acoustic guitar instead of drums. The guitar player was off to his 10th high school reunion in town and hoped to bring some classmates back to the bar. Apparently they weren’t interested.

So it was the drummer on guitar and me on bass. What a different experience with just me being the rhythm section. I found I had to adjust my bass lines to be appropriate. Then another fellow well known to the drummer stepped up and wailed nicely on electric guitar with us for a while.

Then a fellow in town visiting his brother (a bar regular) admitted that he was a drummer, and sat in on the minimal drum set. Suddenly we were a band!

After a while the guitar player showed up and we did some of the songs we usually do.

The dynamics were so interesting and different with literally “a different drummer,” yet with our drummer still playing our songs on a different instrument. I’ve played with these guys long enough now that I feel that special, extra sense of how they play and how we play together. It’s so magical and wonderful and hard to put into words, but something marvelous happens when we all get together and play.

The bass gods smiled on me abundantly when they got me lined up with these guys. I feel so at home on that stage. The time just flew by; I had no idea it was as late as it was.

And I made $24 from the musician’s tip bucket! What a generous, appreciative (yet always small) crowd!

Slowly the word is getting out that there’s an old lady playing bass at the bar. After one gig, a young woman came up to me and said, “I was in your daughter’s class, do you remember me?” I did, after she told me her name! I explained that playing the bass was my “empty nest project.” Now I have to wonder what she’s telling her friends and her mom… “did you hear what Gwyneth’s mom is doing?”

Next gig is for a biker rally, the last A.B.A.T.E. get-together for the year, next month. The drummer promises me that the bikers will remember me for a LONG time. I’m afraid my secret is getting out!

The Manager is the poor slob that gets the job no one else wants. The person that can talk to anyone, anytime, anywhere, and about anything, and do it well. It is my job to make contact, keep in contact, and keep the contact happy. This involves many things, please, allow me to explain…

1) Record Keeping

Keep records of all the clubs you are interested in playing. A little black address book works very well. Keep the contacts name, the phone number of the club and the contact’s home number if you can get it and (this is not an easy thing to get, trust me..) the full address of the club.

*And very important* !! The date you sent the promo! When they received it, and what your conversation involved!

It is very easy to become confused when you call 10 clubs a day!! Nothing says “rookie” better than calling back a person you called yesterday, and they said no…AND, even if they say no this time, maybe they won’t next time, so, always, always be polite and respectful.

2) The Gift of Gab

Having the “Gift of Gab” is a blessing. You MUST be able to make small talk, and be sincere. I know all of my “Contacts” spouses names, their kids, and even the family dog. You can’t be business all the time, and coming across as a friend makes you more real, and them, more willing to work with you.

If no one in the band is able to do this, you may have to enlist someone from the outside. A spouse, girlfriend, boyfriend. Every Christmas I send cards to the club contacts and also the people at the local newspapers, and I thank them for their help in the past year. This not only keeps “My band’s” name upfront in their mind, but it is a show of my appreciation of what they have done to better my career.

Is it just luck that our photo is in the “Entertainment Section” 2 to 3 times more than other bands? No. Also, if a special feature was done, or an article, I send a thank you card right away. This is not only good business, but good manners.

3) Your Promo

Your promo is the first impression, not only of the band, but also of yourselves. Always include a bio on every band member. What experience you have, how long have you played, points of interest. Don’t make it too “Busy” though. Figure, on average, you have less than a minute to capture this persons interest.

Any press release material on you or the group always looks good. Include an 8 x 10 black and white photo, also a color one if you can. A schedule can also be included. This shows that you are working steady, and they like to see that.

A CD is a must; cassettes don’t cut it anymore. Studio time can be afforded if everyone pitches in. After all this is a group effort, right? A video is optional.

4) Your First Gig

Once you are able to get that first gig, show up early, get everything set up nice. This means tape your cords, so no one is hurt in a “horrible tripping over a cord accident”. Strange things happen when alcohol is involved, cover your rear. Also, tape cords on stage. This looks clean and professional.

Start 5 minutes early, if you can, clubs love this. When you take a 15 minute break, take a 15 minute break,or even better, a 13 minute break, not a 17 or 20. They will be watching.

Always act professional. Most musicians get a bad rap, because of a few idiots. We NEVER drink when we are gigging, some bands do. In my own personal opinion, if you want to drink, wait until you are done. Contrary to popular belief, you do not sing or play better when you have had a couple – trust me. Go listen to karaoke some night if you don’t believe me… It’s not pretty. Be polite to the help, and always remind the crowd to tip the waitresses and bartenders. Why? Because if you make it a point to look out for the other people trying to make a living, like you are, they are going to greatly appreciate your acknowledgment of them, and that means more tips. They are happy to have you there, they will be in your corner when it comes to hiring bands for future gigs.

P.S. if someone tells you to turn it down, do it immediately!! Do not argue or complain, you are working for them, you are not in charge!!!!

I hope my years of frustration and mistakes will help you to be more successful in your musical career. And remember, the most important thing of all… Have Fun!!