The Stage Is Mine!!!

Its all about your music right? Once you got the sound and the record its all good.....then you gotta perform! I often talk everyday about perception being reality. The eyes as well as the ears have to be satisfied when looking to acquire fans. Every successful artist can attest to the fact. The greatest artist capture through their sheer power as performers. A lot of musicians think that "stage presence" means dressing, moving, and acting in an unnatural way. Nah homie that is not the business! The best "image" of all is one that is truly YOU, truly original. Don't feel that just because Busta Rhymes is jumping around, you have to follow suit. Style comes from learning to express your true self in front of your audience, combined with the confidence of experience.

CLOTHES: It's not necessary to dress in matching costumes (which does work for some bands!), but be sure to project the band's "vibe" in the clothing your wear on stage (or in photos). That is what we talk about with SWAGGER folks. My man Senor Kaos preaches Swagger is nothing, Talent is everything! Pay Attention!!! It's great to be extravagant, which makes you memorable. But it's also OK to lay low if that's your style. Get right and get tight.

ATTITUDE: Bring something to the table. Have some kind of attitude. Nothing is worse then watching a group or an artist perform and there is no energy. Simply on stage doing absolutely nothing. Your attitude should match the style of your music. Do ANYTHING except stand there staring at the floor. Move around, dance, mosh, bounce, do the dougie, souljah boy, something! LOL!!! WORKING THE AUDIENCE: Make sure you interact with your audience. You are a entertainer so ENTERTAIN!!!! Make friends with them. Look at them, talk to them between songs, tell jokes, give away drinks or CDs. Don't have those dreaded silent minutes when the audience is waiting while the dj is trying to stay relevant. Say something witty instead. Be the life of the party. Also work the crowd between sets. I gotta give Young Joc props because he comes to mind as a live performer I seen recently. Mos def had the crowd open. That is a must.

LIGHTING & STAGING: Another visual addition to add interest to the show and draw in the listeners. You can use creative lighting effects, props, ramps, platforms, banners, etc. to make your show more appealing to the eye. For the 100th time entertain the crowd. You don't have to do the Steven Spielberg effects but give them something to look at.

IMPROVEMENT IDEAS: Practice in a room with full length mirrors. See which movements look good, and which come across as awkward. Practice facing the mirror, as you would do in a live performance. You should be able to see yourself like the crowd would see you. Videotape your performances and practices. Play full sets, and later watch the tapes to analyze your stage presence. Mentally prepare for performances by getting into the right frame of mind. Breathe properly because breathe control is key to you communicating effectively. Remember that this is about fun and expression. That's why they call it "playing". Work towards completely revealing yourself in your performance, never holding back. Suspend your fears of screwing up and let it all out. It sounds silly, but the best performers do just that. Once you have perfected your parts through rehearsals, forget all the technicalities and instead utilize inspiration on stage. Allow yourself to "play a role" while performing, if you like. Some people have a sort of "alter ego" on stage that is less inhibited than their normal personality. The diva herself Beyonce admits when she is on stage she uses her alter ego, Sasha, to get into the groove. In the end, good stage presence is simple - don't be BORING. The stage is your playing field and your competing with no one but yourself. You're free to do whatever you like as long as it is visually interesting. All you have to do is spend a little time working on it, and you'll improve the quality of your live shows by leaps and bounds.