Let's talk, briefly, about ceilings.
Q: What is a performance "ceiling"?
A: A "ceiling" is a stopping point -an end point -a point where you can't go any further.
I'm discouraged, immediately, whenever a ceiling is identified in a performance setting that I'm involved. I'm unbridled. I'm a little crazy. I don't like constraints to my success.
Cover bands, for example, have a distinct ceiling to their success -determined by the region they are located.
UNLESS: They have a niche...
Q: What is a niche?
A: A niche is something that sets them apart from other bands.
For example, I had the honor of opening for a band called Hair Ball a couple years ago under my Billy Saffyre character. They have a rotation of singers that dress in costumes related to the bands/artists they are covering. The band is highly theatrical and the shows are no longer than two hours. Their niche is costumes, 80's music, and theatrics. The audience responds well to songs they know, but are constantly anticipating what is going to be happening next! It's brilliant!
Another band with a niche of which I'm quite fond is: Bennie and the Gents. They are a 70's glam tribute band. They have a band that is fully outfit in seventies glam fashion, and they deliver music from the underground seventies glam era. There could've been a ceiling on this band (in the sense they do covers), however, they coordinate costuming, theatrics, and genre to a level where only the individuals involved can pull it off. Not to mention, they put together a full tribute set to celebrate the life of David Bowie. Think about that... a FULL set. That, in and of itself, destroyed the potential ceiling.
Post Modern Jukebox is one of my favorite examples of transcending a "ceiling". They exclusively do covers of top 40 songs, but they put a vintage twist to them. I included a link at the beginning of this paragraph... just check them out! ;-)
So, how do I identify if I'm restricted by a ceiling?
1. Can anybody replicate what I'm doing?
2. Is anybody currently attempting to create what I'm trying to do?
3. Am I trying to re-create something that is currently being done?
4. Am I covering songs for the sole purpose of people noticing me?
If the answer to all of the above questions are "Yes"... then you, my friend, have met your ceiling. Living under the "ceiling" isn't necessarily a bad thing. I, personally, don't resonate with it. The key to finding success under a ceiling is by booking yourself in local venues (not playing in the same suburb more than twice per month), and playing until you've drawn enough of a crowd to break fire codes in said venue. The ceiling comes when it's time to switch metro areas/cities and the following starts at zero. I'm not saying this to kill anybody's buzz, I'm just a realist. I fully believe that SELF AWARENESS IS A POWERFUL THING!
The key to moving beyond this is by finding and putting a unique spin -that only YOU can offer to it. That's what will make it special! That's what will remove the ceiling.
The easiest way to break through the "ceiling" is by including original songs in your sets. The covers are familiar -they'll capture peoples' attention- and then throw in an original! If you don't write music, start thinking about what will make your cover/tribute band an outfit that will inspire people and can't be replicated. If I had specifics, I'd write them here... but I don't have an easy answer for this one... After all, what you decide to do is what will set your act apart!
I've gone a little longer than brief... so this is where I'm going to leave it!
Until next time,
-T.