April 2023 Guitar Newsletter: What’s Behind A Live Music Event
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In this month’s newsletter, I want to shine some light on what is behind the makings of live music. From the people who have shaped the performer to the crew who set up the stage, I would like to remind all of us to be more grateful for all involved in enabling the magic of live music. When we watch an artist, we witness a product that has deep roots. We are only seeing the blossom, the fruit so to speak, of a long growing process. Not only is the event a manifestation of their creativity but also an accumulation of their past work and experiences. We don’t see all the inspirations, teachers, mentors, books, musicians, music, recordings, art studies, instrument knowledge, schooling, endless practice, rehearsals and past concerts and much more behind the momentary performance.
In order for live music or any form of art to be shared, somebody needs to provide a stage to perform on. Whether at a professional or amateur level, it’s obvious; no stage means no performance! The playing environment could be in an auditorium, a festival, a church building, a bar or a garden party. Somebody needs to provide a setting and allow for musicians and audience to come together. I have not appreciated enough the act of folks opening up their businesses or homes for an opportunity to experience live music. A music venue doesn’t just pop up out of nowhere; somebody had to think through every little detail--from the placement of the stage to the P.A. setup to the soundproofing of the room for optimal acoustics to seating the audience.
Getting a good sound from the stage to an audience requires an alert set of ears and knowledge about acoustics and musical equipment of all sorts. This is the responsibility of a soundman. He has to be a good problem solver and work well under pressure. It is not unusual for something to go wrong during a live music performance. Murphy’s Law rings true. There are so many factors to running sound, the art of projecting the music made by performers towards an audience. This requires a P.A. system, a mixing board, power amplifiers, a whole lot of cables, microphones and more. Larger touring acts hire professionals to do this work, but in a local setting this is part of the musician’s job. Even the business owner of the venue is likely to give a helping hand by carrying in a drum kit from a van or clearing away tables to make room for the dance floor and making sure the power outlets are working!
If artists want to be heard they will have to make themselves seen in the public eye. How do we find out about who is playing where? Promoters and artists themselves have to engage with advertising in all its possibilities. Social media has certainly changed that game and made it easier to inform people. Take a selfie, write a quick description of the gig and send it off and hope it gets passed on! I still enjoy seeing a flyer posted downtown and will glance at the artwork or photography and your local radio stations using live DJs still inform people of what music is coming to town.
I hope this article reveals the bigger picture of all that is behind making live music happen. From bandmates, to stagehands, to sound engineers, to promoters to venue operators, bartenders, doorkeepers, to donors contributing financially, isn’t it a wonderful picture of community coming together and rejoicing in the joy of artistic expression? It really boils down to a communal effort, and the final puzzle piece is of course the audience.
Let’s put a little more thought into what took place behind the scenes and let people know we appreciate their effort. Support your local art community in whatever way possible, don’t forget to tip your servers well, and put some cash into the musician’s tip jar to help compensate the musicians adequately!
May spring usher in abundant local live music, and I hope to see you in the crowd,
Chris
