Being the Consummate Performer
By Carlos Morgan
One of the most important aspects of being an artist, in the music industry, is having the ability to perform live. Live performances, shows, and concerts are important for every artist and their career. Whether starting out at as a new artist, or a music veteran, live performances are a necessary component to having a successful music career. If artists lack the ability to perform, engage their audiences and fans during their performances or bring energy and excitement to their performances, their artistic and musical credibility can be detrimentally affected. To become a high energy, exciting, engaging and prolific live performer, there are a few ways that artists should take into consideration, work on and strive to be the best, when it comes to their shows, concerts and live performances.
PREPARING FOR A SHOW/CONCERT
There are many, various roles artists, and musicians, need to do to have successful, entertaining, engaging and memorable performances. Whether a solo artist, group or band, signed to a label or an independent, there are many important aspects to making sure live performances are successful. However, artists and musicians should keep in mind there’s always a possibility for their live performance, shows or concerts to have glitches, issues and problems. Here are a few pointers artists and musicians should keep in mind, and consider, when preparing for their performances.
WORKING WITH A TOUR PRODUCTION TEAM
Getting ready and preparing to perform at a show/concert, takes a team. From looking for and booking venues, scheduling dates of the show(s), tour or concerts, planning what songs to perform, order of the songs and their sequence, scheduling rehearsals for the musicians and singers, booking the rehearsal location, marketing and promoting the show, then to performing the show, takes a team to make sure the show is successful. The team can consist, and include a record label, artist management, booking agent, tour manager, publicist, a musical director, and if there’s a budget to add more tour personnel, having an assistant for the artist, choreographer and a creative director can be included on the artists tour production team.
Artists that can afford to have a touring production team are usually signed to major labels. And if they are not signed to a major label, they may have financial support from investors. But what about artists who aren’t signed to major labels or have the support of investors?
Independent artists who can’t afford to have, and work with a touring production team, must do all the work themselves to make sure that their shows and performances are just as successful, exciting and engaging. Speaking from experience, and as a solo artist, I perform all the tasks of a tour manager, show producer, booking agent, publicist, marketing and promotion, musical director, band leader, scheduling the dates and times of rehearsals, being my own stylist and then on the days of performing, making sure all the stage, technical and contractual details and logistics are in order and the musicians and singers are on time and ready to perform. As the headliner, or the main performer, I also must be vocally, physically, mentally and emotionally rested and ready to give my best performance, bring excitement, be engaged and present for my audience and fans.
GIVING THE BEST PERFORMANCE
Despite the venue the show is taking place at, and whether the artist has a team or not, the main goal and objective of every artist should be to put on the best performance possible for their fans. Fans spend their money to see, experience and enjoy the music, live, of their favourite artists. There are super fans,that go all out waiting and preparing for days, weeks and months to see their favourite artists in concert. If artists don’t give their best performance or don’t show up to perform for their fans, it can negatively affect and impact the artist’s career and possibly be the loss of a fan.
It’s a possibility that artists may feel tired, not be at their best and not always have the energy to put on a high energy and engaging performance. After all, we’re human beings. However, every time artists and musicians hit the stage, being the professional, consummate performer is the goal. In the end, it’s not about us. It’s about pleasing our fans.
Carlos Morgan is a Solroc Music, multi award winning singer, songwriter, producer, performer, vocal and performance coach
Contact Carlos Morgan at: carlosmorganmusic@hotmail.com.