Front Singer Stage Banter
Lina
2.0 PRO Posts: 77
I am a new front singer for a dance band (we don't do concerts; rather sing at bars, restaurants, festivals). I have around 100 new songs I am learning, and naturally have to look at an ipad as I sing or I will mess up the lyrics. Yet, as a front singer, I am hearing complaints that I am not interacting enough with the audience. My questions:
1--Any tips on how i can both read lyrics and schmooze to build rapport with the bands followers? Keep in mind, these followers have not warmed up to ME; they are followers of the other two band members, who they knew and followed for many years, when another front singer was with the band. Sometimes, even when I try to greet t hem before or during a break, they will tak to the other musicians but not me. so I really do need very much to make a connection.
2-What kind of stage banter do you suggest? A Joke? personal story? audience interaction?
Thank you!
Lina
1--Any tips on how i can both read lyrics and schmooze to build rapport with the bands followers? Keep in mind, these followers have not warmed up to ME; they are followers of the other two band members, who they knew and followed for many years, when another front singer was with the band. Sometimes, even when I try to greet t hem before or during a break, they will tak to the other musicians but not me. so I really do need very much to make a connection.
2-What kind of stage banter do you suggest? A Joke? personal story? audience interaction?
Thank you!
Lina
Answers
That would allow you to 1) have the lyrics arranged in your iPad in the order you will be singing them. They have footswitches you can use with iPads to advance to the next page. Then you could just either tap and swipe, or better yet, click a foot switch. That would allow you to not be futzing with your ipad so that you could be conversational and the iPad situation become transparent.
Thank people. Acknowledge them. Interact. Start talking about the next song. Who wrote it, what year, was it a big hit, is it a dance song, a slow dance, that kind of thing. If it's something near and dear to your heart, go on about that. Interact with your stage partners, too. Give them praise and kudos.
Have fun. Convince yourself that these people in the audience like you and you like them. It's all good. Act as if everything is cool and you are having a great time, because you actually are. Be humble. Be kind. Be energetic. Be happy. Be someone you would enjoy watching and listening to.
Look up from you iPad as much as you can and look into the audience, or at least just above their heads so that they think you are looking at them.
Have fun. Fun is contagious if it's genuine.
Feel free to comment on band birthdays/milestones.. even crazy sports stuff, and or funny anecdotes.
I usually have a few verbal setups for songs that I have honed over time, and sometimes that takes things out on new tangent. You just have to be sensitive enough to catch on to funny waves as they happen.
The lyrics will sink in over time, especially for choruses. If the crowd starts singing the chorus, point the mic at them to help engage them.
I am curios what you will tell us after your gig.
Good luck, mate.
Doc