Seeking advice on stage presence

[CrankenStein]

Hey folks, Im joining a band soon and im pretty exited about it. I pretty much have the gig locked in but when i was talking to the sax player she told me they are looking for someone who has a good stage presence. Ive played a good amount of punk shows but with this band ill be playing bigger venues to bigger crowds ect. so im looking for some advice on presence. Its a ska band so i looked at some old vids of the specials for some ideas, but can anyone offer some advice or tips on getting people pumped and/or not looking like a stiff on stage?

Thanks,
Wes

 

[hrodbert696]

If you're going to move, MOVE. Run around the stage, jump, be dynamic. If you're not going to really move, then PLANT YOUR FEET and project cool stability, keep your energy intense and focused. What you don't want to do is hesitantly shift around, kind of drifting, a tentative step or two this way or that way. That just dissipates your energy.

 

[sound of bass]

I cant sing to save my life....regrettably, but If I was singing lead vocals, I would do my best to show the audience that the music / songs bleed through me! Wether moving or standing still, show them the music is coming from ur soul. They'll get the energy.

 

[yarrr]

depends what 'kind' of singer you plan to be, are you going to jump around or just stand there? if the latter, grab on to the microphone, make sure you wave your arms around every now and then too that helps sometimes (it doesnt other times) and also tell really crap jokes in the breaks

 

[bolophonic]

Know the songs really well so that you don't have to spend all of your time onstage trying to remember how to play them. Don't worry about jumping around, stay focused on owning the bass lines and looking confident. If you spend all of your time with your head craned around to look at your fretboard, you do not have good stage presence.

 

[Tajue17]

I say this,,, if I see someone up there really over doing it (strife) with the stage presense it becomes a laughing joke and more of a novelty act (waiting to see what they will do next) to me but if you can create your own charisma by just looking like your enjoying and really getting into your music and the presense will come naturally.

 

[bluewine]

Know the songs really well so that you don't have to spend all of your time onstage trying to remember how to play them.

Good point, good idea. Watching videos for ideas is also good, just remember what looks cool seeing another guy do it doesn't mean it's something that will work for you.

Know the song dynamics inside out, then you can start to say things like ok, when we drop to that change I can run up by the guitarist and then move back with him then run to the other side of the stage. Just make sure what you do makes sense and goes somewhere and don't step on any of your band mates.

blue

 

[Vakmere]

Make sure your zipper is up and your nose is not running. To me that is a priority. Seriuosly though, you dont need to mimic other peoples moves. If the music is moving you then that will be enough to inspire how you look when you groove on stage. This isn't dancing with the stars.

 

[hdracer]

PM D.R.

 

[cheezewiz]

Just be yourself. NOTHING looks worse than jumping and running around like a moron when the audience can tell you're just doing it for "effect".

 

[HeadyVan Halen]

Narcotics...heavy amounts.

 

[JohnMCA72]

Look at people. Make eye contact. Act like you're having fun - it's contagious!

There's a happy medium somewhere between standing stiff like a statue & jumping around like a scalded ape.

 

[StevieMac]

I’d go with some of this guy’s moves
YouTube - Rich Kelly & Friendship - I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing

 

[bluewine]

Just be yourself. NOTHING looks worse than jumping and running around like a moron when the audience can tell you're just doing it for "effect".

Fact, being yourself does not cut it for everyone.Some of us have to work at stage presence.

 

[bluewine]

I say this,,, if I see someone up there really over doing it (strife) with the stage presense it becomes a laughing joke and more of a novelty act (waiting to see what they will do next) to me but if you can create your own charisma by just looking like your enjoying and really getting into your music and the presense will come naturally.

Your right,really over doing it (strife) with the stage presense it becomes a laughing joke and more of a novelty act However the whole stage presence thing does not come natually to all of us and it is something you have to work at so you don't over do it or come off as weird.

 

[Ripley]

No matter what, smile and laugh. Your face is more important than your legs when you're playing.

Check out some live Reel Big Fish videos - they know how to have a good time even though most of them don't get to move around the stage too much.

 

[CrankenStein]

by the way guys im playing bass, not singing haha i dont know where that came from. But anyways, does anyone know any bass players with some sick dance moves that they can pull off while still holding down the low end? (the more vids the better)

 

[pklima]

Some bassists with moves from very different genres:

YouTube - Spinal Tap-Big Bottoms (you get all the classic cliches in this one)
YouTube - Reg Kehoe & His Marimba Queens - A Study in Brown


Know your parts and don't play too many notes so you don't have to concentrate on playing them and can focus on more important things, like looking good! And don't start off moving a lot on a song, then gradually move less and less. A lot of guys who "think they should move around more" do that.

 

[jaywa]

Stage presence is important but don't sacrifice your playing for the "show". Sloppy or lame bass playing won't feed the bulldog whether it's covered by mad stage moves or not. That crap went out with the 80s hair bands.

 

[stratovani]

Just relax, be natural, and look like you're having fun. Your bass playing is your first priority, but if you let the music go through you and you look like you're enjoying yourself then the audience will pick up on that. Then you're all set.