Non-musical influences on your stage presence

pklima · #1 04-02-2010, 10:44 AM

Is how you look or what you do on stage influenced by anything beyond other musicians? Like, say, movie characters, athletes or cartoons?

I got to thinking about this watching the ring entrances of a guy who recently won a K1 martial arts tournament:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYS-MCYbIlY

I won't spoil them for you, but they certainly are effective at getting everyone's attention!

This reminded me that when playing simple parts, I will sometimes make exaggerated movements... like I was trying to make the notes look bigger than they really are! Kinda like pro wrestlers throwing exaggerated telegraphed punches. this thread features one of the most egregious examples.

chaosMK · #2 04-02-2010, 12:58 PM

For me, booze.

Phalex · #3 04-02-2010, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chaosMK

For me, booze.

Same here. I stumble around the stage with my eyes closed like a cross between Otis Campbell and Barney Gumble. And I belch a lot too. (Not so much into the microphone any more since "The Incident")

Meddle · #4 04-02-2010, 02:35 PM

I like the piano player out of Sparks, that sort of indifference thing with odd staring a bit. People say I look spaced onstage as I wander around at odds with the rest of my band and the music etc... I like that though. To me if I want to hear the drums maybe I walk over to the drums or whatever. Its therapy.

ugly_bassplayer · #5 04-02-2010, 02:37 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEif2C_Pr0U

varunkapahi · #6 04-02-2010, 02:46 PM

lol beer helps

kesslari · #7 04-02-2010, 04:59 PM

I remember a George Thoroughgood interview from years back where he cited Jackie Gleason as one of his main influences...

MatticusMania · #8 04-02-2010, 05:03 PM

Mary Jane Watson

5StringBlues · #9 04-02-2010, 05:06 PM

Godzilla.

xxfaux_punkxx · #10 04-02-2010, 05:57 PM

Sid Vicious.

Although I haven't hit anyone with my bass yet but I have played through pools of self inflicted blood on my old peavey.

JohnMCA72 · #11 04-02-2010, 11:09 PM

Magicians.

Oddly enough, I just had this conversation live earlier this evening!

pklima · #12 04-03-2010, 02:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnMCA72

Magicians.

C'mon, you gotta tell us more! Do you pull your bass out of a hat?

JohnMCA72 · #13 04-03-2010, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pklima

C'mon, you gotta tell us more! Do you pull your bass out of a hat?

Nothing like that at all. Watch a magic show sometime & see how they keep everything moving, engage the crowd, etc.

I sat up all day once with a magician friend, got him drunk, etc. enough to show me how to do some of his tricks (they almost never give up secrets to outsiders!). Almost all of it is based on a few standard movements. The rest is all showmanship, to direct people's eyes were you want them (or away from where you don't). To direct people's eyes, first they have to be paying attention to you! Magic doesn't work as a background activity, like music can (ever see a magician working in an elevator???). Getting & keeping an audience's attention is a finely-crafted skill. The actual "tricks" are a very small part of it.

And, like musicians, they have to practice over, & over, & over,...

pklima · #14 04-03-2010, 11:05 AM

A fascinating post, exactly the kind of thing I was hoping for when I started this thread.

skidrawk · #15 04-03-2010, 11:52 AM

Yes great post. We watched a video of ourselves from last months gig and noticed we were not connecting well with the crowd. I believe I even sported a grimmace most of the time. We made improvements based on that. You can learn alot by video taping your shows. You hear mistakes that you didn't notice before. Now we should be doing better...

sarcastro83 · #16 04-03-2010, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meddle

I like the piano player out of Sparks, that sort of indifference thing with odd staring a bit. People say I look spaced onstage as I wander around at odds with the rest of my band and the music etc... I like that though. To me if I want to hear the drums maybe I walk over to the drums or whatever. Its therapy.

Ron Mael freaking RULES! I'm also told that I look pissed while playing... I just can't smile and concentrate at the same time.

nutso42 · #17 04-03-2010, 01:03 PM

I model my stage appearance after this guy....

Minus the green face. Also, my fedora is orange, not yellowish.

And sometimes I tie balloons to the hat brim.....

CBgaragebassist · #18 04-03-2010, 01:30 PM

I dont really have any influences, i'm more of a reactionary person anyway. I do wear fedoras and other hats though.

JohnMCA72 · #19 04-03-2010, 03:09 PM

Consider a simple card trick: Fan out a deck of cards & pick one out. Look at the card to see what it is, & put it back in the deck. Shuffle, then deal, cut, etc. right to the same card again.

If you stick to just the basics outlined above, it's pretty boring stuff. Ever seen a little kid, who just got his 1st magic book/trick & is all eager to demonstrate? Maybe he'll get the mechanics right, maybe not, but it's almost never very "good".

It's all in the delivery. The difference between going through the motions and putting on a performance is showmanship. Showmanship turns what's basically a boring activity to watch into something downright riveting!

I like to study magicians precisely because what they do is completely centered on showmanship. There is no such thing as "magic", at least in the "Harry Potter" sense. But taking something that, by itself, isn't terribly interesting (of course, you know it's a trick & he didn't really pull that coin out of the kid's ear!) and turning it into something that captures people's attention, keeps it, and gives them enjoyment - well, the best word I can think of to describe that, is just pure "magic"!

Another type of entertainer that's interesting to watch work is a comedian. I've shared bills with a few, & I've got to say, that must be about the toughest job in all of live entertainment! Timing, pace, dynamics - never mind having the material - all needs to be there & sometimes even when it is, they can still bomb & there's nothing to hide behind up on stage all alone!

**251** · #20 04-03-2010, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pklima

Is how you look or what you do on stage influenced by anything beyond other musicians? Like, say, movie characters, athletes or cartoons?

I got to thinking about this watching the ring entrances of a guy who recently won a K1 martial arts tournament:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYS-MCYbIlY

I won't spoil them for you, but they certainly are effective at getting everyone's attention!

This reminded me that when playing simple parts, I will sometimes make exaggerated movements... like I was trying to make the notes look bigger than they really are! Kinda like pro wrestlers throwing exaggerated telegraphed punches. this thread features one of the most egregious examples.

Cigar Store Indians

8-)