Any concert is an audiovisual act that touches many perceptive organs of both the audience and the musicians. It is an experience, an exchange of energy. And you have to look better on stage & good while doing it. You probably don’t have the budget or support of a label to play or go on tour with a full production: lights, pyrotechnics, costumes, etc. And that’s fine.
It’s quite possible you’re not even ready for that, or you just don’t like any “contrivances” that you feel only distracted from the music. Your favorite jeans, and off you go! So be it, your show doesn’t have to look like Beyoncé’s epic performances, but it doesn’t have to be boring, dull, visually unappealing, or put the audience to sleep. There are simple and cheap (or free) visual techniques that will perfectly complement the music of the concert. Here are some of them:
1. CHANGE THE ARRANGEMENT ON STAGE.
Vocalist in the middle, the drummer behind, guitarist, and bassist on each side. It’s all classic. Of course, the arrangement of people and equipment should not conflict directly with the sound – it all depends on the size of the stage and other stage features. But if you have some leeway, why not try something new? The drummer on the side or with his back to the audience, vocalist or guitarist in the audience?
American noise-rock duo Lightning Bolt, for example, until recently performed for many years exclusively in the hall, in the thick of the ring of raving fans – now the concerts are attended by much more people, and the musicians got on stage only out of respect for the fans who want to see something at least. Shuffling works especially well if you know you have to play in a half-filled hall – here you can do what Lightning Bolt did, either move the drummer into the hall or jump out there and dance with the instrument and the fans. These concerts always make for an unforgettable experience.
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2. DRESS UP FOR CONCERTS TOGETHER.
A large number of musical genres automatically determine the appearance of musicians – rockabilly, goth rock, punk, etc. However, there are more and more genres and subgenres, and the bloated cult of normcore, although it has not gained much popularity, still lives in the hearts of some musicians. It’s better not to act according to the principle “what I took out the trash, that’s what I’m going on stage with”.
You’re on stage, you’re in the spotlight, so why not do it in every way possible? The clear uniforms of the musicians are always very cool if it doesn’t look contrived and fake. For example, completely white clothing always looks good on a dark stage in the smoke. Of course, you don’t have to make up your own costumes at all, but you should call before the show and make arrangements so that there isn’t a lot of variation on stage, there is some uniform style, all the same.
3. USE CHEAP PROPS.
Some musicians put a wall of broken Marshall amps in the background, they are useless in practice, but look very impressive! Okay, it’s not an option for everyone, because many people have nowhere to store such voluminous props and nothing to transport them on. But you can think of plenty of other easy-to-handle things. For example, you can buy a couple of small but powerful spotlights for very little money and set them behind the stage before each show.
The backlight always gives a sense of epicness of the event, and if the club has a smoke machine, you will look like superstars at all! You can hang ribbons, sequins – anything you want on the mic. If you’re playing an acoustic show in a place not meant for concerts, where there’s probably no lighting equipment and the audience won’t be raving, bring candles or collect some cozy homemade lamps from friends. It will look fabulous both at the concert and in photos afterward.
4. BRING A VIDEO DISC
If the club has a projector or screen connected to a DVD player, bring a video. Make it video art specially made for your music by you or your friends. Or a cut from some existing films and programs. For example, you’re giving a Halloween show. Dig through old horror movies and B-movies, you can make a great accompaniment to a concert out of excerpts from them. It’s pretty easy to do on your own by spending 20 minutes learning how a simple editing program works. Or you can just ask a friend who is good at it.
5. USE YOUR OWN LOGO
If you don’t have one, make one right away! You’ll have to spend some money here, but trust me, it’s worth it. You can print your logo on bass drum resonator plastic (2000-4000 rubles) or cheaper, just order a sticker for it. Or you can make a vinyl stretch or banner that will flaunt behind your backs during the concert.
