Succeeding in the Performing Arts
Introduction
December 21, 2007
Ken-at-Bose[1]
Hi Folks,
For the past few years, we've had discussions amongst the moderators and others about the idea of collecting our experiences in the performing arts (mostly live music) into some short essays that might help to disseminate the knowledge.
The time has come to begin this effort.
Each "lesson learned" will be a new thread, whose title will begin with "Succeeding in the Performing Arts" followed by a colon and few words about the topic.
We are completely comfortable, in fact we are hoping, that members of this community will start threads. If you do so, please use the format just given so that others will quickly know it is part of the series.
The threads are "open", meaning anyone from the community can reply and comment on the thread. We really encourage you to do this. This is an unbelievably strong community with an astonishing amount of experience in the performing arts. Let's put it to good use, okay?
Please try to stick the topic at hand. If you find yourself straying, perhaps that is an indication that you need to start another thread.
Eventually, we are hoping to copy the information over to the L1 Wiki.
We very much look forward to your participation.
Will you help us do this?
Ken Jacob
Director, Advanced Development
Bose Professional Systems
Physical Preparation
Hydration
Ken-at-Bose[2]
The stage is a very de-hydrating environment.
We recommend that you keep hydrated all day before a performance.
Avoid sudden hydrating before the show unless you have breaks planned accordingly.
When we are dehydrated we are not at our best -- a fact proven in many studies. It is also not good for general heath.
If you must sip from plastic water bottles of water on stage do so discretely, for example during the initial applause after a song. Sipping from a bottle when the audience's full attention is on you -- for example when you are talking between tunes to them -- is often awkward for the audience.
The Green Room
Ken-at-Bose[3]
The Green Room; A green room is a room in a theater, studio, or other public venue for the accommodation of performers or speakers when not required on the stage. -- Wikipedia Green Room
Here's a link to the full Wikipedia entry for Green Room which contains a fascinating discussion of the mysterious roots of the term.
We think performing artists need and deserve "a place of their own". In many venues this place must be improvised but we feel it is essential nevertheless.
Many times, the venue operators will say "oh, we don't have a dressing room". But often times, if you quietly scope the venue you can find a quiet place not far from the stage that if you ask can be used as a private place.
Scouting the Venue
Ken-at-Bose[4]
Whenever possible, I try to scout a venue before the day of show. I've seen so many train wrecks because problems are discovered without enough time to deal with them.
A stressed out artist is unlikely to perform his or her best.
Scouting allows you to meet the people with whom you'll be working. It allows you to do obvious things like scope out the stage and the AC power. To look at the lighting.
And it allows you to get the gestalt of the place. As an artist, you can begin to think about what things you might do in the performance to take advantage of the venue.
If you can not scout the venue in person, scout it on the phone. If you're the organized type, use a list of questions to be sure you get as much valuable information as possible. If the venue has a website, scout that, but we feel this is not a substitute for a live conversation with someone who works at the venue.
If you know other artists that have played the venue, ask them about it.
Questions for the Venue
See: Scouting the Venue for a separate page suitable for printing or if you want to add to the questions that appear below.
Questions to Ask When Scouting the Venue
General Questions
Most of these have been incorporated into the Who, What, When... model below.
- What volume is acceptable in this place?
- What external noise factors are there?
- Does the type of crowd change throughout the night? How quickly?
- Are there sound issues you weren't aware of?
- How far ahead of time can I set up? Is the stage area being used for something else before I play?
- I have my own PA.
- Am I allowed to use it, or
- do you insist on my using the one you have set up?
- Is there a house sound-man?
- Which entrance do you prefer I bring my equipment through, and how far is it to the stage?
- If you won't be at the venue when I'm playing, who is my contact person, for pay and instructions?
- And of course:
- How big is the stage?
- IS there a stage?
- Is it raised at all?
- Do you have lighting of any kind?
- How far away is the power?
Topical Break Down
You might use a different model based on a time line through the event, or centered around the physical layout. This is far from complete, but food for thought.
Who
- Who is in the audience?
- Does the type of crowd change throughout the night? How quickly?
- Who do we talk to if there are issues?
- Who do we talk to to get paid?
- Who is running the sound system?
- Who else will need to access the stage?
- Special events may have talkers, announcements, auctions, guest performers.
What
- What volume is acceptable in this place?
- What external noise factors are there?
- What kind of music are you expecting?
- What kind of sound system do you have?
- What kind of music do you play in the background?
- What kind of stage do you have?
- How big is it?
- Where is it?
- Is it elevated?
- What is the dress code?
- What is your policy about food and drink for the performers?
- What is your policy about having non-paid performers on the stage?
- What is your policy about original music?
- Are you paying a Performing Rights Organization to allow us to play copyrighted material? See: Why are they pickin' on us little guy venues?
When
- When can we gain access to the premises?
- When can we access the stage area?
- When will the audience arrive?
This can be important if this is a special event.
- When do we start playing?
- When do we take breaks?
- When will the announcements, events or speeches happen? (Special Events)
- When do we shut down?
- Are encores okay?
Where
- Where do we park?
- Is there a loading zone or loading bay?
- Where do we load in?
- Where do we store gear, bags, cases, anything that should not be visible on the stage?
- Where do you want us to go during the breaks? (the bar, the lounge, a "band" table).
- Where is the stage?
- Where are the electrical outlets?
- What else is on the same circuits?
- Are there any outlets that we should not use?
- Where does the sound have to be heard?
- Is there any place where the sound will not be reachable from the stage? (outside, separate rooms, balconies)
Why
- Why does this venue have live music?
- Why are the people in the audience there?
- Why are you holding this event? (Wedding, Funeral, Concert, Party, ...)
- Will there be photographers, video, recording?
How
- How big is the room?
- How big is the stage?
- How do we get paid?
- How do you want us to handle requests? (Happy Birthday?)
- How is the stage lit?
- How do you want us to access the stage?
- Is there a set route through the venue.
Being There — It's Showtime!
What do you do to prepare in that time brief time just before setting foot on stage? I am talking about
- mentally
- emotionally
- physically
- spiritually
- musically
When I am disciplined about it I have a routine that I go through before the performance. It is basically about being deliberately, consciously, purposefully committed to the moment, the audience and the music. I used to have to do it out loud, but these days I am more likely to do it quietly. It generally works better for me to take a moment to be alone to do this. It used to involve a mental checklist but these days it is usually good enough to say to myself, "It's Showtime!".
If I am working with other players then depending on my relationship with them, I get them involved.
Some of the people I have played with seem to have a nonchalant, almost too casual approach. They hit the stage running while still fuming over the events of the day, or running late, or chewing a sandwich or finishing a sentence. It doesn't work for me. I need to pause for a moment to remember why I am there and direct my full attention to that.
There are so many things I cannot control it is a miracle when things work at all. But one thing I can usually control is my state of mind when it is time to perform.
How about you?
The discussion is ongoing in Succeeding in the Performing Arts: Being There -- It's Showtime!
Larger Than Life
Ken-at-Bose[5]
Sometimes, when we see a performer backstage or in the wings, they look "larger than life" or even a little garish. The makeup may look overdone, or the clothing too, well, big.
But there's a long tradition in the performing arts of compensating for the emptiness of the stage and distance of the audience by exaggerating wardrobe, makeup, hair, etc.
We know a performer who has special shoes for playing. He's a frontman. And the shoes are BIG -- way too big for his feat. And yet, when you see him on stage, everything's in proportion. He takes the shoes off after the show and would never wear them to drinks or dinner. They'd stand out as odd.
Ken
Packing Your Own Parachute
Ken-at-Bose[6]
We've learned that it's always worth the extra effort to quickly set up your rig before you leave for the gig, then pack it yourself so that you are almost guaranteed that you won't have left anything and that things will work on the gig end.
We call this "packing your own parachute" -- an old term from the military used in the literal sense. If your parachute doesn't open, whom do you have to blame?