Cultural Icons

-- David "Skinny Devil" McLean
originally published at Tinfoil Music
Friday, 26 June 2009 13:00

 
I'm old enough to remember....

I remember the day Elvis died. I was playing at a friend's house. Paul R. Living in DC at the time. We were in the basement and his mom came down stairs in tears. "It's the End of an Era. The King is dead." was all she said. I didn't know what king she was talking about, I was just bummed because she sent me home - it was time to mourn. I walked home and my mom explained...

5 Tips for Being a Better Live Musician

5 Tips for Being a Better Live Musician

- Paul Felice

There are many facets to being a professional musician, and wise folks quickly realize that having multiple revenue streams, skill-building and promotional opportunities is key to being successful in the business. Among the most important of these is live performance.

Live shows promote your band image, create connections, have a relatively high hourly rate of pay, hone your skills and... well they're a heck of a lot of fun!

As with any endeavor, some approaches are clearly better than others when making a foray into your local coffee shop, bar, club or concert hall. Every situation is different, and as you gain experience you'll begin to gain a feel for what works best at a particular time and place.

That being said, there are a few basic guidelines that artists should really keep in mind at all times. Your best live shows will be the ones where your audience wants to know more about you, feels comfortable approaching you, and shows their appreciation for your performance.