Enjoy it

Not often in my life has a lightbulb appeared above my head. But 11 or so years ago, very early in my “career” (I use the term VERY loosely), during a houseparty gig the lightbulb was shining bright and it still is. Most of the good ideas I have come to me way after it is useful (and they are usually someone else’s idea). Not that this idea was mine…but the realisation of it’s importance came to me straight away!

At my older brother’s houseparty the band was cranking out a mix of covers and originals. For a few reasons I was really nervous. I was feeling funny about my singing and that I just wasn’t up to the task of being in a band. I spent most of the 1st set looking down at my feet closing my eyes the whole time. The band sounded OK but there was certainly something lacking…me. The crowd wasn’t digging it so much either, being polite but not really getting into it.
Halfway through the first set my brother Phil took over the vocal duties for a song. The song he got to sing was the early ‘f*** you’ classic “My Generation“.
Phil’s approach to the mic was completely different to mine in the songs before. He swaggered up to the mic and played up to My generation menace and malcontent with a wink and a smile. Immediately the energy level picked up and the band started firing. People cheered and dance and Phil had a big old grin plastered on his face. he was loving every minute of it and was willing to screech the lyrics out and didn’t give a stuff when his voice gave away in the key change. He just laughed and kept going.
“The scene stealing little prick!” I thought as I tried to hide my jealousy on stage. He was making my previous efforts look very poor indeed. He’s having so much fun. Then KABOOM! Lightbulb moment.
Having fun!! That was it. Phil had said that he loved singing My generation as it was a chance for him to put his guitar down and muck around. He loved being the centre of attention and this was his chance to be the MAN. Or the frontman.
Why couldn’t I do that….
Well couldn’t I do that…
I could do that
And for the rest of the show and from then on I have tried my arse off at doing that.

Since that day the more I have enjoyed the experience of fronting a band the more I have felt comfortable on stage. Which then led to being able to release more and more of my inhibitions and being more expressive than just singing the words. Singing dancing yelling posing etc.

And when you come to think of it, when does one get to do all of these things? Try a high form of self expression at work, on the train or at school (yeah yeah outside of music/drama class) and you are quickly told to shut up!

On a stage in a bar or pub or conert hall people WANT to see something interesting. They don’t just want to hear the music but they NEED to see how the performers interact with each other and the audience. And the fronter* can combine a whole bunch of elements (not just performing with their instrument but also ideas from theatre and dance) to get the point of the music across. And to me this is where the challenge and enjoyment of being a fronter lies.

In my case enjoying the shows have been showing a happy side of me to the audience but depending on what kind of music you play having a big grin plastered on your face mightn’t be the best thing. But you can still get your enjoyment across by moving with the music or trying out some good poses or playing your instrument in a way that is a lot more that just the ‘right way’.

I have always felt that ’sounding good’ was also a very big part of being a performer as well as enjoying it. A poor sounding fronter having fun can be embarrassing, but a great sounding fronter without enjoyment is as interesting as watching paint dry.

Mix the good sound good fronter then you get the magical a great performer: someone with stage presence who can help get the the band over.