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PUBROCKER.COM ...LIVE SOUND INFO...MAKING IT WORK...STAGE WEAR 101...LINKS Stage Wear 101: ‘Owning It’
This article is going to talk more about the man (or woman) behind the clothes. As important as looking the part is, portraying that ‘look at me, but don’t hate me for being cool’ image is more important. Whether your shtick is wearing nerd outfits with beanie caps and pocket protectors, being brooding and Goth, or just looking all-out rock and roll, ‘Owning’ your image is what really brings it all together. Think of Mick Jagger and his frontman skillz, or Anthony Kiedis-- they OWN IT! “But HOW do I OWN it?” you ask? Like the athletic brand Nike says, “Just do it!” You shouldn’t be putting yourself into any uncomfortable zones when it comes to any part of your performance. Owning the look is just part of the ‘it’ that you need to own. Starting out as a gigging band has its own issues. Obviously new material, and a lot of it at that, can make for some nervous first gigs. People will understand if you are fairly new to playing out, but don’t let that be your crutch. Rehearsing (at home and with the band) is a key element to ‘Owning it’. When you know the material and are comfortable with each other as a band, the audience can see that. Your natural character will start to show through once you look away from the guitar neck, keyboard, or music stand, and that’s what the crowd wants to see-- authentic personality. Developing your stage presence will take a solid, well rehearsed, musical performance to the next level. Once you are comfortable enough to move around the stage, each member will develop his (or her) own persona at gigs, which is a good thing! Imagine five people who are all doing the same thing all the time... Now imagine a band of five unique individuals with their own moves. Much better! Now you have the gigs, you’ve got your rock moves, you’ve put on the right clothes for the gig. Do you own it? Maybe. Maybe not. You’ve got the lock. The attitude that you put across for people to see is the key to ‘Owning it’… As a musician onstage, in front of the whole world (or at least a few friends and family members… Hi Mom!), you have to make it known that you are THE band. The rest of the goings-on around you are minor compared to your rock/pop/variety show. You are the entertainment, meant to entertain, to be the center of the crowd’s attention. You are THE band!!! Now that you have that ego, tone it down to a reasonable level. The hard part comes in about now. I’m going to use myself as a personal example here: When I walk into a bar to set up, you know I’m in the band. When we are doing sound-check, you know that I am in the band. When we hit the down-beat of set 1, you know we are here to RAWK, and we are serious about rockin’ you good. Does that make sense? It’s hard to explain. Because of the way I dress and the way I act, there is no question that I am in the band. In my case, I front the band, so I am also the figure-head. I have spent some time around the bar manager when booking the dates, and I’ve probably been seen on my off weekends checking out the bar to get a feel for the place/crowd. The regulars may know who I am (from other bars or from jamming with a friend’s band when they played at the venue). When I say, “What’s up *Bar Name*?! Make some NOISE!” In between songs, the people in attendance know to make some noise. I am cocky enough to be giving an *order*, but I’m a nice enough guy that you don’t dislike me. It’s a fine line, because if you are too nice and too shy, it isn’t going to work. If you are too cocky, it gets old really quickly, and people will really dislike you. So, you just have to OWN IT. Find out what your ‘thing’ is, rehearse your show, get comfortable in your own skin, and OWN IT. Beyond making good music well, it’s the only way to put yourself above the average weekend warrior type bands and get known in your area. Good luck!
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