Silence.
Are you comfortable with silence?
If not, it's time to start practicing!!! In every concert setting, there's a special moment that happens between songs. If the venue is full and loving every minute of it -this space is usually filled with clapping and screaming fans! When the venue isn't full, this space tends to be a little quieter. What you do with that space can determine how much longer the audience will want you to play for.
The first thing you'll notice, if there is no audience response after your song, is how long the silence feels. Welcome to the onstage time warp. It feels like a lifetime. There's a wave of thoughts that might rush through your mind ranging from "REALLY?!" to "Wow, I must have really sucked that one up..." to "There must be something wrong with ME!"...
Let's dive into some of these hypothetical responses:
1. "REALLY?!" = I played the stuff outta that song... This one's on the audience!
2. "Wow, I must have really sucked that one up..." = I'll take ownership of that, but maybe I need to revisit how I'm performing it in rehearsals.
3. "There must be something wrong with ME!" = The lack of audience response had nothing to do with my music, they've all hated me from the moment I started.
There are only two appropriate interpretations of the "Silence Situation" above (One and Two) and one very incorrect interpretation (Three)... Strangely, the incorrect interpretation is the one I see embraced the majority of the time.
Here's what I've seen happen too many times from the stage:
1. Song finishes and silence ensues.
3. Artist makes an awkward self-deprecating comment.
4. Audience feels awkward.
5. A couple of engaged audience members head to the bar because of the awkward.
6. Artist starts the next song.
Repeat from One
All of these steps happen in a timeframe of about 5 seconds to your audience, but it feels like hours to you from the stage. Hence feeling the need to insert some kind of "clever-banter" that fills in steps 3 through 6. Also note that because of this "clever-banter" that you're losing at least two people in your "engaged audience" every time you finish a song.
Here's the problem with on-the-fly "banter" that is self-deprecating: It's not clever, it's not healthy, and it makes everybody feel awkward. Remember when I said that the only incorrect interpretation of silence at the end of one of your songs is because there is something wrong with you? Well, if you've ever said something self-deprecating from the stage -you've taken that awful interpretation to heart. We, as artists, can be a delicate bunch that have a tendency to take things from zero to sixty in a heartbeat. I'm guilty of it, too. Here's a friendly reminder:
Your audience does not validate you.
Your audience's response does not determine your identity.
If you created something that you feel is worth performing from a stage -you are the one who is winning. The audience members don't realize the privilege they have getting to be part of it!
Now, let's get back to that Time Warp that happens from the stage. You hit that last chord and nobody seems to care. The clock starts now. In "real life" this takes about 3 seconds. Onstage it feels like a lifetime.
Try this:
1. Song finishes and silence ensues.
2. Smile and take a deep breath. ***SMILING TAKES PRACTICE***
3. Say "Thank You".
4. Look at your setlist and start your next song.
Repeat from One
Notice, this incorporates a brief speaking point and then starts in with the next song. If you incorporate these 4 steps, you can reserve the verbal "Thank you" for every few songs (to not become repetitive).
Three.
Seconds.
Again, it'll feel like a lifetime if there is silence. That's completely normal! When you rehearse on your own -in the comfort of your silent practice space- practice one of your sets using the 4 steps listed immediately above. It'll give you a feel for exactly how long that three seconds feels when you are alone. If you embed it into your rehearsal, it'll become automatic during your performances. This will give you an immediate "out" if the onstage time warp catches you by surprise. You'll know EXACTLY what to do and what to say. If you'd like some tips on stage-banter, here is a link to some thoughts I've shared on that: http://www.tylerlarson.rocks/blog/2017/4/1/a-beginners-guide-to-onstage-banter
Tomorrow's post will be about practicing smiling -it sounds ridiculous and maybe a little silly- but it's important and makes a WORLD of difference!
Until next time,
-T.