How Not to Be a Boring Musician When You’re Onstage

As a musician, you’d be thinking…we’re here to play music, not make people like us or worse, make people laugh. However, if you’re doing a concert, you are officially an entertainer. People go to you not just for music, but the whole package. Anything to make them smile or laugh is a big bonus. Here are some ways you can connect with your fans and not be boring when you’re onstage:

1. Throw in some jokes. It’s almost a requirement to effortlessly insert jokes from time to time. People go to your gigs to be entertained, to watch a performance. I know, I know. You’re thinking ” but we’re not comedians”, but you’re a performing so that means people would want to get to know your stories and your personality. They’d want to know how you have so much in common with them. You don’t have to give knock-knock jokes if that’s not your thing. Just insert a bit of humor and fun now and then.
2. Wear cool clothes. I don’t mean the latest fad. Wear something that shows your personality. Just look at Lady Gaga, Placebo’s Brian Molko, and Madonna. It just makes your presence more memorable. They’ll be staring at you for a long time, make sure you’re a pleasure to look at.
3. Tell stories. It could be something about your life, a current event, about why you made the song…anything! Your fans could have heard your songs more than a hundred times and things like this is actually what they’re looking for.
4. Throw some freebie merch. Make some affordable but adorable band merch (like bands, stickers, or even candies) and give them away. Some bands even leave stickers in the toilet just so everyone can have ém.
5. Let some fans come up the stage. Not only will this make everyone excited, it can be totally fun for all of you. You could perform a duet, have a showdown, or let them share something about himself.
6. Contests. Throw contests and give shirts or CDs to the winners. It’s the easiest way to make your concert fun. Perfect if you’re having a hard time being a funny guy.
7. Cover a song. For those who are not too familiar of your music, this will make them relate to your performance. It’s the breaker that everyone would love. Make sure you put a twist/variation on the song you’re covering because that’s what artists do- they don’t simply immitate, they make their own version.  It will also showcase what makes you different as an artist.
8. Play videos on the background. It doesn’t have to be the music video of your song, it could be just any video that enhances the mood of your music. This will add more oomph, for sure.
9. Dance if you want to. Who’s stopping you? It would be delightful to your audience. Dancing adds life and is a wonderful release for you and for your audience. You are a singer alright, but come on. Dancing doesn’t hurt.
10. Invite other artists to perform with you. Collaborate with other artists, preferably those with similar fan base as yours, and perform a song or two together. This is the kind of cross-promotion that’s fun!

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James Hill is a veteran of the music industry. He first worked at Warner Reprise Records then later joined Interscope/ Geffen Records where he managed producers and songwriters and got his first platinum record for Keyshia Cole’s The Way It Is. He is now helping indie artists with branding and manufacturing through his company Unified Manufacturing, a CD/DVD/vinyl and merch company in LA.