I love knowing that I'm a professional singer in an incredibly artistic town. It's an amazing feeling every time I say to someone: "Yeah! I'm the lead singer and- yeah! We actually have a gig tonight; at Cedar Street. You should come!"
What's interesting, though, is how much I've learned about this craft. In random order:
1. Always listen to the bass. It just makes you a better singer.
2. You can say "thank you" at the end of a song before people clap.
3. The pause *before* people clap at the end of a song is the most awkward feeling in the world; as is the pause before your next song begins.
4. I can totally get why people drink/use drugs in order to relax while they're performing. I had a drink a couple weeks back and it was a whole different feeling while I was up there- it makes sense that people get dependent upon it. Growing up doing theatre I never saw alcohol as a part of a performance; but when you're singing at a bar, it is perfectly acceptable to take a swig in the middle of songs. So strange.
5. I like it when people are chatting and enjoying conversation when I sing, as opposed to the weird 'stare' that I can get from the audience. I'd rather know that I'm something in the background making their night better and they can enjoy their people's company.
6. Since you perform so much, it is VITAL to keep things fresh. I feel bad if my band members hear me sing the same songs the same way every time. It is scary as hell to do, because there are definitely times when I try a new riff/line that *completely* fails... but at least I challenged myself, right?
7. Like any other performing, it is work. It's fun, yes... but it is work, and it can become a chore. I didn't think I'd feel that way, but there are times when I think: "ugh. I don't wanna put on makeup and find an outfit and go find parking and sing in the heat and pray that people like it..." Sometimes it is a job just like anything else.
8. Audience members' participation/enjoyment can completely change the type of performance you have. I think that, usually, this is even more apparent with gigging as a band than with the theatre, solely because you're closer to them and can actually see them. There's also more audience participation- if a guy in the audience is clapping along, nodding his head, you feel that- you respond to that. It makes you a better performer. It's fantastic.
9. Because we're singing all original music I've learned that people can only listen; they've never heard our songs before! However, we do have a couple covers- when we do those and people recognize them there's this little *spark* on their face like: "oh, I know this!!" It makes me wonder what singing with a cover band would be like...
Those are my thoughts for now... I'm sure this will be updated!!
