jmstone Posted July 15, 2009 Author Share Posted July 15, 2009 [quote name='OldGit' post='541090' date='Jul 15 2009, 10:54 AM']Call an "Image" meeting. Totally switch from this negative attitude to a positive one and go with whatever she comes up with. This is such a small thing in the overall scheme of things that it really isn't worth getting in a huff about it and spoiling your enjoyment and the band's enjoyment. Oh if we are talking image, you and the male guitarist need to start looking at the crowd or the exit signs and stop watching your frets. That will vastly improve your audience's enjoyment of the gig. If you look like you are having fun they will too.[/quote] Good points. Thanks The looking at the crowd part is going to be a toughie! Any advice on how to do that? Looking at individual people? Smiling at everyone?? Do you have suggestions on bands I could watch to try to emulate? We actually have a new guitarist now, who I think should be a lot more theatrical than our last one, so that just leaves me... James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 [quote name='thedontcarebear' post='541097' date='Jul 15 2009, 10:59 AM']Yes, I care about the music, not about looking at people, you got me![/quote] Do you care about the people who make the music? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGit Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 [quote name='jmstone' post='541087' date='Jul 15 2009, 10:52 AM']Oh I'm so in the dark here.. perhaps I need to speak to am image consultant! [/quote] No ... you need to listen to one (or the ones are giving you the answer on here) Ok Here we go: standard image consultant's questions: What constitutes success for your band? More gigs and bigger audiences? Nicer venues? Playing support for big names? Selling 20 Cd's at your gigs? Your mates telling you it was great? Sober total strangers telling you your showwas great and they want to join your mailing list, Myspace, twitter and come to every gig and bring all their mates? Total strangers asking you to play their party/company christmas do/stage at Womad? All of the above? What do the bands you look up to look like on stage or in their publicity shots and videos? Once we know that us image consultants can suggest a few ideas you can take back to your band. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thepurpleblob Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 [quote name='51m0n' post='541093' date='Jul 15 2009, 10:57 AM']You said she sings? Who cares...... [/quote] Exactly my point Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 [quote name='jmstone' post='541098' date='Jul 15 2009, 10:59 AM']Good points. Thanks The looking at the crowd part is going to be a toughie! Any advice on how to do that? Looking at individual people? Smiling at everyone?? Do you have suggestions on bands I could watch to try to emulate? We actually have a new guitarist now, who I think should be a lot more theatrical than our last one, so that just leaves me... James[/quote] Top help from Old Git, as usual. If you look like you are enjoying performing, the audience are much more likely to aswell. It can be tough if you are nervous about doing it. Public speakers are usually taught to look at the whole audience by cycling side to side, front to back, focus on a person directly for a few seconds in each quadrant, like you are talking only to them. It makes the audience feel much more included in the experience. Do'nt overdo it, just try to do it naturally. If you are really uncomfortable, you can look at the fire exits, but that works better in bigger venues. In small venues, practice the 100 yard stare Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thepurpleblob Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 [quote name='jmstone' post='541098' date='Jul 15 2009, 10:59 AM']Good points. Thanks The looking at the crowd part is going to be a toughie! Any advice on how to do that? Looking at individual people? Smiling at everyone?? Do you have suggestions on bands I could watch to try to emulate? We actually have a new guitarist now, who I think should be a lot more theatrical than our last one, so that just leaves me... James[/quote] I'm a natural fret watcher. It's quite hard habit to get out of and you do have to look sometimes - it looks a bit weird if you don't I think. I would start by simply victimising a few people in the audience. Just catch their eye and smile then go back to your normal mode. Just try - it's actually more fun that way. Eventually you'll be buying a radio rig and running about in the audience like a lunatic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdgrsr400 Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 [quote name='Geoff' post='541058' date='Jul 15 2009, 10:25 AM']Unfortunately image is important. My band played a gig a couple of months back at the Underworld and everyone but the guitarist turned up wearing what we have agreed on (black tee's, black jeans, black shoes - apparently should look more 'metal'). In every review we read, people went on about the guitarist looking like an idiot and that was because he was wearing brown boots, not black ones. However petty it can seem going on about image etc, the public will pick up on it which is annoying when they go on about that and not your music.[/quote] Footwear is very important and should not be overlooked. Sandals and toenails anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeavyJay Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 [quote name='jmstone' post='541098' date='Jul 15 2009, 10:59 AM']The looking at the crowd part is going to be a toughie! Any advice on how to do that? Looking at individual people? Smiling at everyone?[/quote] I found that you don't have to eyeball anyone directly (or even smile) to look like you're connecting, pick a few spots around the room on walls and doors that are around crowd head height (ish), keep checking back to those in between making sure you're at the right spot on the fretboard. The not eyeballing people is a good idea in some of the rougher venues around. A good head bob in the appropriate place helps too. Alternatively you could just make eyes at all the hotties. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmstone Posted July 15, 2009 Author Share Posted July 15, 2009 [quote name='OldGit' post='541102' date='Jul 15 2009, 11:04 AM']No ... you need to listen to one (or the ones are giving you the answer on here)[/quote] I am listening! And thanks for taking the time to answer me - the advice is definitely being taken on board - believe me. [quote]Ok Here we go: standard image consultant's questions: What constitutes success for your band? More gigs and bigger audiences? Nicer venues? Playing support for big names? Selling 20 Cd's at your gigs? Your mates telling you it was great? Sober total strangers telling you your showwas great and they want to join your mailing list, Myspace, twitter and come to every gig and bring all their mates? Total strangers asking you to play their party/company christmas do/stage at Womad? All of the above?[/quote] Yep.. all of that would be fantastic! I think our main aim at present is to try to build up a fan-base that is not entirely composed of friends, relatives and work colleagues! [quote]What do the bands you look up to look like on stage or in their publicity shots and videos?[/quote] Well, that's a difficult one - I guess the bands I like have a slightly different style from this band I'm in. For example: The Pixies [url="http://www.metroactive.com/papers/metro/05.19.04/gifs/concert-0421-pixies.jpg"]http://www.metroactive.com/papers/metro/05...0421-pixies.jpg[/url] Sonic Youth [url="http://www.highergroundmusic.com/u/shows/3/sonicyouth1.jpg"]http://www.highergroundmusic.com/u/shows/3/sonicyouth1.jpg[/url] My Bloody Valentine [url="http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/reverb/assets_c/2009/03/My%20Bloody%20Valentine-thumb-320x320.jpg"]http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/reverb/asse...umb-320x320.jpg[/url] But this band is decidedly not like that - and I like the band I'm in - I like the music - but I really have no clue what we should look like.... Maybe something like: [url="http://thedrummersguide.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/blondie.jpg"]http://thedrummersguide.files.wordpress.co.../06/blondie.jpg[/url] ??? James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Low End Bee Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 My point of view is people have come to see you for entertainment and it's a bit rude to look like you've just got up on stage after a days hod carrying. Well unless you're in a band called the Labourers or something. I wouldn't say you need to wear gold spandex. Especially if you're a certain age. Just look a bit rock n roll or whatever your genre is. Black t shirts/shirts are really good for us middle aged spreaders too! One of us refuses to buy in occasionally which is a shame and we suffer visually from it. This is always confirmed with unsolicited post gig audience feedback. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGit Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 [quote name='jmstone' post='541098' date='Jul 15 2009, 10:59 AM']Good points. Thanks The looking at the crowd part is going to be a toughie! Any advice on how to do that? Looking at individual people? Smiling at everyone?? Do you have suggestions on bands I could watch to try to emulate?[/quote] You are welcome. We have covered that many times on the forum so a quick search may help. Search in the advanced search for "exit signs" That's because one of the top tips is to look just above the heads of the crowd if you are too shy to look directly in the eyes or faces of the people. The exit signs on the back wall are a good one as long as they are not high up as then you look like you are off with the faeries.. Looking at the people who have bothered to come and see you is a great way to be more than a backing band for a front person. You have a great confident, good looking front person so you need to make more of your presence, get up the front a bit more and maybe add some backing vocals. Another few tips. Practice your stuff in the dark with the lights off (at home!) until you can play it without looking. W Watch telly (muted ) whilst you run through your set. Do one number per night and run through it 20 times without looking. You'll soon get how to play without looking. If you are worried about making a mistake, don't. No one will notice unless it's a howler in which case smile and shrug and make a note to practice that tune a bit more. Train your band to not look round and give you the death stare if you play a C over an A rather than an A .. (used to happen to me - the guitarist had never heard of a bass player that didn't always play roots and fifths.. He didn't last) Make sure you know where the bits are in the set where you [i]really [/i]have to look at your frets and the bits where you don't. Where you don't have to (say just grooving on a note) then look up. Make looking down the exception rather than the rule. Another idea, especially if you have a new guitarist who maybe hasn't settled in yet, would be to swap sides so you are stage right of the drums. Then you can look along the neck of your bass and still keep the rest of the band in sight for visual cues, plus a slight change of sight line takes you to most of the audience whilst still having your fretboard in line of sight should you need it. The down side is that your drummer looks towards his hi hat but you can probably train him to look up for cues too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGit Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 [quote name='sdgrsr400' post='541110' date='Jul 15 2009, 11:11 AM']Footwear is very important and should not be overlooked. Sandals and toenails anyone? [/quote] If in doubt: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest subaudio Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 (edited) To each their own, I personally think an "image" is a good thing it helps you stand out and be memorable, people have eyes and ears.....so ask drummers to bathe as most audience members have operative noses too , that said a band uniform or everyone wearing exactly the same thing looks terrible, in my own opinion, unless it's a big band type thing. You can never go wrong with all black stage clothes in my experience Edited July 15, 2009 by subaudio Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bumnote Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 [quote name='jmstone' post='541098' date='Jul 15 2009, 10:59 AM']Good points. Thanks The looking at the crowd part is going to be a toughie! Any advice on how to do that? Looking at individual people? Smiling at everyone?? Do you have suggestions on bands I could watch to try to emulate? We actually have a new guitarist now, who I think should be a lot more theatrical than our last one, so that just leaves me... James[/quote] For how to interact with an audience watch status quo, doesnt matter if you like them or not, wartch rossi parfitt and rhino edwards, they make you feel special cos they look at you, smile at you, thumbs up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeavyJay Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 [quote name='OldGit' post='541148' date='Jul 15 2009, 11:43 AM']If in doubt: [/quote] Pffff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGit Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 [quote name='jmstone' post='541119' date='Jul 15 2009, 11:15 AM']I am listening! And thanks for taking the time to answer me - the advice is definitely being taken on board - believe me.[/quote] Great [quote]Yep.. all of that would be fantastic! I think our main aim at present is to try to build up a fan-base that is not entirely composed of friends, relatives and work colleagues![/quote] Then you need to do everything you can to be entertaining.That really is teh bottom line. From your videos you are playing entertaining music in an entertaining way. However right now your front person is carrying the band in the visuals department. That's going to happen anyway but it doesn't have to be all down to her. If you were up the front, smiling and laughing and looking at the audience,essentially sharing the [i]entertainer[/i] load, she'd probably let you wear your Blondie tribute black jeans outfit and not be moaning about it so much... [quote]Well, that's a difficult one - I guess the bands I like have a slightly different style from this band I'm in. For example: The Pixies [url="http://www.metroactive.com/papers/metro/05.19.04/gifs/concert-0421-pixies.jpg"]http://www.metroactive.com/papers/metro/05...0421-pixies.jpg[/url] Sonic Youth [url="http://www.highergroundmusic.com/u/shows/3/sonicyouth1.jpg"]http://www.highergroundmusic.com/u/shows/3/sonicyouth1.jpg[/url] My Bloody Valentine [url="http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/reverb/assets_c/2009/03/My%20Bloody%20Valentine-thumb-320x320.jpg"]http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/reverb/asse...umb-320x320.jpg[/url][/quote] Er... anybody a bit younger? [quote]But this band is decidedly not like that - and I like the band I'm in - I like the music - but I really have no clue what we should look like.... Maybe something like: [url="http://thedrummersguide.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/blondie.jpg"]http://thedrummersguide.files.wordpress.co.../06/blondie.jpg[/url] ???[/quote] Well the white shirt and thin black tie is a standard rock and roll cliche look, along with "all black" and biker tee shirts and jackets .. Nowt wrong with that unless you get your singer to bleach her hair ... Oh, as you were, I forgot The Pretenders .... Brunette and strat,white shirt and thin tie .... and Patti Smith too Go on, dress up and stand up the front... You know you want to really Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skankdelvar Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 (edited) I'm all in favour of working out what visual image will best support the music. But I always wriggle when someone talks about "Uniforms": [size=1]Sven the psycho guitarist at far left[/size] Edited July 15, 2009 by skankdelvar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeavyJay Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 [quote name='skankdelvar' post='541217' date='Jul 15 2009, 12:47 PM']I'm all in favour of working out what visual image will best support the music. But I always wriggle when someone talks about "Uniforms": [size=1]Sven the psycho guitarist at far left[/size][/quote] I think you've just solved the OP's problem! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Burrito Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 Anyone who says "it's just about the music" is missing the point. Music is about passion AND music is about fashion. Even NOT having an image is an image! You are unlikely to see a BC Rich in a Jazz band. I don't think all bands need a uniform (although it *can* work) but I think you do need to look like you belong together. I often make sure that we all know to be smart or we all know to be casual. I like to see a band present a united front. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 [quote name='skankdelvar' post='541217' date='Jul 15 2009, 12:47 PM']I'm all in favour of working out what visual image will best support the music. But I always wriggle when someone talks about "Uniforms": [size=1][b]Sven the psycho guitarist [/b]at far left[/size][/quote] I just knew they came from Lapland .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmer61 Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 (edited) Think so, although one of my bands is really struggling with this. We once got a comment passed to us that we played alright but didn't look like a band. Two of our group have no dress sense at all......think accountants. For the last wedding I suggested we go for a madness/two tone look - suits, thin ties etc. Our singer came on looking like Simon Cowell. Getting the look right is proving to be a bridge too far for our band, we could stick our guitarist and singer behind a curtain and it wouldn't detract from the "live performance"......ho hum. Edited July 15, 2009 by farmer61 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGit Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 [quote name='silddx' post='541226' date='Jul 15 2009, 12:55 PM']I just knew they came from Lapland ..[/quote] Or Lapel Land "All your lapel needs in one great store" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 [quote name='OldGit' post='541250' date='Jul 15 2009, 01:10 PM']Or Lapel Land "All your lapel needs in one great store"[/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGit Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 [quote name='farmer61' post='541230' date='Jul 15 2009, 12:55 PM']Two of our group have no dress sense at all......think accountants.[/quote] You mean they wear suits? That can be cool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmer61 Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 [quote name='OldGit' post='541254' date='Jul 15 2009, 01:15 PM']You mean they wear suits? That can be cool [/quote] No they wear suits badly......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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