So this started out as a post about my all-time favorite band, Ghost, but after writing about 200 words gushing about them, I’ve sort of realized that this post isn’t really just about their stage presence, and to just talk about that would kind of be doing them and other bands a bit of a disservice. So today, we’re talking stage presence (and of course Ghost).
So, in my life I’ve been to six concerts, three of which have been in the last three months, and by far, Ghost has been my favorite. My first concert was 21 Pilots way back in middle school, then I went to see Billy Joel in NYC for his 100th concert, during high school I went to this Christian concert with my friend (I’m not Christian, nor do I like Christian music, but their tickets were like $10 and they had Skillet). However, during the last three months I have seen Ghost (which I drove to Duluth, GA for), IDK How/Joywave (they were co-leading that concert), and Mother Mother. I love concerts–I love how you can have this life-altering experience for $20 and then go out remembering absolutely none of it. But while a big part of concerts is the music itself, an even larger part I would argue, is the way it’s performed. So, let’s talk about it.
The Location
One of the first things to think about is where you’re playing. This should be relatively obvious–after all you need to ensure that you have enough space for your audience. But, on a broader scale, it’s also to ensure your space to match the performance that you’re doing. For example, The Ritz in Raleigh is a small almost bar like venue. Ghost wouldn’t work well in the Ritz (at least as they are now)–their performance is too bombastic, with large stained glass backdrop, complex lights, and not to mention the fire they use in their performance. But more than that, the larger space matches Ghost’s energy. They have the room to run around and perform their skits. They might not need something like an giant outdoor venue like someone in the top 40 (and I would argue that that wouldn’t fit their stage presence either) but something like the Gas South Arena is kind of the perfect fit for them. Meanwhile, there’s Mother Mother. Mother Mother’s concerts are personal. With them talking about the impact their new influx of fans have had on them, the way certain songs they made have now been transformed by their fans and how their fans have used it to understand really personal aspects of themselves (like being trans), and even going so far as to talk to specific fans about how their conversation in the parking lot had an impact on them–it’s personal. A larger venue like the Gas South Arena would depersonalize it in way. Add more distance between the audience and the performer that a place like the Ritz removes.
And then of course is the performance itself. How you move, how you interact with the audience when you take a break, what your stage set up is, and how you use your lights all add to it. Are your lights flashing–perhaps to give a sense of energy to your performance? Or is there a certain color scheme you can do to amplify the energy of the song? When I went to see IDK How and Joywave, this was a prime example of this. Joywave had this really cool set up that included this half-car prop and lights that honestly kind of reminded me of being in aquarium. IDK How also had lights, but more than that Joywave just had more energy in their performance, despite both bands having equally energetic songs.
So why do I ramble about all of this? Even though it doesn’t have to do wi