Giving a Solo Concert vs. Taking Part in a Festival

Thursday, November 22, 2012 When giving a solo performance, depending on what style of music you are playing, it tends to be a lot more contained and focused; whereas if you were playing a festival, generally you strive for a more upbeat and confident performance.

When giving a solo performance it's a lot more intimate than if you were playing at a festival. For a solo performance you really have to engage with the audience so you would most probably play songs that would fit the mood. If I were playing a solo gig I would usually do an acoustic set because the music I like to create is a mixture of acoustic soul and blues; I feel this is a very good way to engage your audience and make them feel really connected to your music. However your goals must be realistic: a common mistake for most people is setting goals that are unrealistic. Sometimes this is due to overreaching: you must be challenged and prepared to give your audience all they expect and more but without trying to reach the impossible.

I personally prefer solo intimate performances because I feel like the artist is really feeling every word they are singing or playing and gives a much better representation of what music really is trying to portray. In an intimate performance if you make a mistake it is a lot easier to actually see it in this type of setting, but just keep going and act like nothing happened don’t let it show in your face. It will be easier to give your audience eye contact which is sometimes what the audience craves in order to feel more included.

However beginners tend to aspire to playing bigger venues such as festivals as their career progresses, while at the same time finding the thought of putting their act across in a really big venue a little scary. However if you get the opportunity to play at a big live stage which is generally outside, do not feel like you are a little fish in a big pond; even if you are nervous try not to show it. I believe confidence is key in situations like this.

Be sure to follow these tips:

·    relax the night before the performance and get a good night's sleep. You may be very nervous and have trouble falling asleep. But just make sure that you are prepared in both settings, intimate and festival.

·    make sure you keep yourself hydrated throughout the day (you don’t want your throat to feel dry).

·    always be on time or even early, no one wants to be kept waiting

·    make sure you keep your band happy also, and always ALWAYS introduce yourself to the sound Engineer; after all they have the ability to make you sound better.