More practice for live performers

By Rosalia David

WITH more and more Namibian musicians moving into live performances, artists will soon have to put in a lot more work rehearsing with a live band to avoid mishaps on stage.

Of course not all musicians are blessed with a beautiful voice or can execute a live performance without backing tracks, thanks to all producers out there making sure that artists’ voices sound good, but nothing is impossible.

Judging from a few live performances I have watched so far, it’s hard to say that we are at a point where all local musicians can actually rock the stage with a live band. Even though many have tried and some have managed, clearly it is not for everyone.

However, it is not rocket science if you are a performer, practice makes perfect and it is high time our musicians start investing in live bands to prepare for bigger festivals that can actually fork out the money to pay for a fully equipped stage and a full band.

I personally think that our musicians should soon be able to deliver a slick live performance without employing an acoustic engineer, backtrack or the audience knowing the difference between a live performance and background music performance.

It is not easy for all, but I’m sure that performing live can be one of the most satisfying things to do as a musician, especially when the performance is polished and perfected, because not only do you as a musician get to showcase your talents to a live audience but you’d also have the opportunity to connect with people through your performance.

It is obvious that performing live is a completely different beast from performing music in the leisure of your own home or at a show with an off mic, but whether you are an experienced performer or a person who hasn’t performed once, by practicing the right way and regularly, we can get there.

Maybe a few tips can be of help, although I personally can’t sing to save my life.

Preparing for live performances, such as working on stage performance abilities, working out all the transitions for each song and finding spots in one’s performance that would make a great moment, and coordinating movements for when you’re on stage to have an idea where you should be and what you should be doing on stage can be of much help.

Engaging with the audience when performing live also allows the artist to connect on a deeper level with their fans, which can make the performance easier to deliver and watch.