Advice Needed from Seasoned Stage Performers
Wednesday, August 25 2010 @ 06:30 AM CDT

So, here is the verdict from the judges. Have the talent, have the skill, have the potential, but low stage presence killed it.
So this is where we need some advice... especially from people with folk-y-er backgrounds. Some simple advice already has been attire for the group, especially us who are supporting Kitty, dress the same and highlight her outfit. Sounds great and we will implement that.
Any more thoughts. Please be specific if you can, and provide video examples if possible.

Click Here for the Performance Example

Re:Advice Needed from Seasoned Stage Performers
Wednesday, August 25 2010 @ 06:54 AM CDT

Hi Nigel,

I'm probably the last person to offer live performance advice from personal experience, but as I've never been one to baulk at an opportunity to make an idiot of myself ...............

Comments are meant to be critically constructive:

I thought Kitty seemed a little under pressure out the front like that - perhaps if she was sitting down and just using the one keyboard - was the Korg necessary? I accept that Kitty is the star of the show, but it must have been pretty scary for her out front.

Maybe all 3 of you in the front line would have made for a more relaxed show? There didn't seem to be a lot of visual communication between the 4 of you, and Kitty way out front certainly made that difficult.

I don't think band uniforms would have made any difference - I hate them, so probably the wrong person to comment.

Did you get much of a warmup before this song? Seems a bit like you were still a little tight with nerves.

Very hard to be noticed when playing in front of Niagara Falls! Get a black backdrop

Having said all that, I think it was a terrific performance.

Hope that is helpful,
Cheers,
Neil

Re:Advice Needed from Seasoned Stage Performers
Wednesday, August 25 2010 @ 07:09 AM CDT

Interesting comments from the judges.

What do you want to do with the band? Do you actually give a stuff about what you look like or what judges in some competition say? How far do you want to take it? Local gigs, national, radio, TV????

But, as you've asked the question .......

Stage presence is a bit of an elusive quality but here's my view.

Going purely from the video example, you're playing pretty laid back music so it's not going to be of any use getting you move around the stage any more than you do.

The focal point of the band is Kitty. That makes it difficult as she's standing behind keyboards which hides her from the audience. I may be wrong here but she seems a little "shy" and maybe needs to try and project herself a little more. Then again, at 15 she's doing remarkably well!

Could be stage gear but first she needs to own the space she's in. She needs to feel confident about what she's doing and even if she isn't she has to learn how to appear that way.

Maybe set the mic a little higher so she doesn't have to lean forward to sing as it looks like she's hiding behind her hair. It's also better for the vocal chords to be slightly stretched.

I know it might seem odd but a couple of acting classes could help. Singers are rarely the same person off stage than they are when they're performing. Performance is not just singing it's a projection of a different person or an exaggerated version of yourself.

Once again I'd ask where you want to go with this and are you prepared to put in the work?

Personally I think a simple reposition of the mic would really help and it's certainly worth trying that before getting into anything more complex.

All this is coming from a bloke who used to hide at the back of the stage for the first 20 years of gigging and couldn't look at the audience. It wasn't until I started to believe I had a right to be on the stage that I started to enjoy it more and more and now I've stopped gigging I really miss it

Edit: I've just read Neil's comments and I'd echo the question about the Korg.

Best of luck

Cheers

Dick

Re:Advice Needed from Seasoned Stage Performers
Wednesday, August 25 2010 @ 07:39 AM CDT

OK, so first to touch on what you both mentioned. Yes, very tense and uncomfortable. Kitty is nervous up there, but it was made worse with a mic that kept sinking After watching this she is more aware that she needs to improve on those things, and has already put in a lot of effort.
The keys, yes they are both needed, not in that song but for a few. Until I can afford a sound splitting one it might be worth while to put it beside her maybe?

Neil, I am torn on the up front thing, but perhaps sitting like Dick mentioned combined with that would work?

Dick, As far as how far we want to go... as far as we can. We've already done radio, webcasts, and now this. So pushing seems logical. We are absolutely going to put in the effort to improve our show. However, like mentioned we are more like Norah Jones, not Metallica, so effective stage presence is difficult so that is why I am asking.

Going to start with the simple things, Hair, Mic Placement, and 2nd Keyboard placement.
Any more specifics from anyone?

Re:Advice Needed from Seasoned Stage Performers
Wednesday, August 25 2010 @ 09:01 AM CDT

Guys, that's easy: burn the piano or something. Why not some pyrotechnics?
Now seriously: for the style of music you guys do, the band composition, etc, I visualize something like Norah Jones at the House of Blues concert DVD. They are professionals with a lot of experience, so I think it's a good place to get some ideas. They try to create ambient in the stage. Anyway, a lot of people would say they don't have a great stage presence: well, I don't see Norah Jones burning a piano.

Re:Advice Needed from Seasoned Stage Performers
Wednesday, August 25 2010 @ 09:28 AM CDT

I agree with all the above comments. Most important thing is the mic has to be higher, no slouching. I'd rather see reaching up with her chin than slouching downward.

Even tho its a big stage, bringing the guitarists up and slightlt closer would help. It is always a positive visual to watch communication between players.

The guys around the singer should love her, think she is the greatest, sexiest thing on earth. In this small clip, without context regarding what happened earlier, I didn't get that feeling. They seemed like anonymous guys that either didn't know her and were a tad bored.

And even tho you didn't ask for music/audio critiques, there is something lacking in the vocal diction, in my ears. If you have more energy, more commitment to communicating the meaning behind the lyrics, more breath behind the end of your phrases, more passion, it would lend more energy to the overall performance. Plus, the piano playing didn't really have an edge, was a little clunky and not always in the groove. In fact, the band overall wasn't as precise rhythmically as I would expect if I were a judge. The guitar strumming could also have more variation from verse to verse, providing something more interesting to the actual structure of the song.

Good luck with working everything out. I've always enjoyed the rehearsing process more than performing. Be sure and run your rehearsals with fun, occasional experimentation, and openness, and maybe something more exciting will come out of that experience. Including a greater sense of bonding.

As for clothing, I dig the guy's hat. None of the band's clothing bothers me... Except, I think a female singer who is hidden behind a stack of keyboards should wear slightly less black. And maybe not a t-shirt. Performance is a sexist world and, I think, audiences expect a different wardrobe from a lead female singer. Even if they don't expect it, it might be appreciated. Don't let long hair shade the face. Wear a top with flare, maybe even something that displays a visible from the stage necklace. That might sound stupid, but it might add life to the visuals. This is, however, the least important of my mentioned critiques.

Re:Advice Needed from Seasoned Stage Performers
Wednesday, August 25 2010 @ 11:21 AM CDT

So if I am getting the gist of the advice:

Appear more confident by;
Opening up the face by pulling hair back, prettying up the outfit, correcting posture

Be more engaging by, this can be done by;
Stage positioning, being more relaxed

Be more interactive by;
relocating a keyboard, stage non-verbal banter between musicians

Watched some of that Norah at the house of blues, also in the Netherlands. Really not a whole lot of difference it seems other then what I just typed in summary. Thanks for the specifics guys, anything else?

Re:Advice Needed from Seasoned Stage Performers
Wednesday, August 25 2010 @ 11:37 AM CDT

Mostly, stagecraft is learned from experience, but there's a few things.

Audiences respond to your passion and love for what you're doing; get that across and the rest is almost irrelevant (assuming a minimum level of competence).

Never let the audience know you're rushed; appear calm and relaxed right to the moment you hit it. Take that extra 30 seconds to make sure you're comfortable.

Once you're under way, NO DEAD AIR. If you're no good at talking to audiences, then LEARN HOW.

When the spotlight hits, take a step forward, not 2 steps back.

Watch your own videos, figure for yourselves how you want to present your music (don't be above stealing ideas from others).

Remember, popular musics are entertainment first and art second. Enjoy yourselves on stage and let that joy flow into the audience and back to you.

Re:Advice Needed from Seasoned Stage Performers
Wednesday, August 25 2010 @ 12:26 PM CDT

I thought Norah Jones exactly when I heard this. As simple as possible. I would huddle you all together in a club atmosphere very intimate like, OR put her forward and black out the rest of the band to where she is the obvious highlight. For this type music, scale back on equipment as you can. As far as matching outfits, I disagree. That exudes cheeze to me. Nice, understated clothing like what you have is fine as long as you aren't clashing. You need to be similar but not exact.

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Wednesday, August 25 2010 @ 01:09 PM CDT

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