Evaluation:
Overall, both performances went down well. I feel as though in the second performance we all looked much more relaxed about being on stage, and more comfortable with performing on the whole. This is probably because we had the past experience of playing together already, combined with that we chose the set list for the second performance, rather than it being previously set. One of the points to improve upon from this gig however, was the songs we picked. Although we all played something that we enjoyed, the style of each song didn’t always fit together with each other, so perhaps this is something we need to have in mind when choosing a set for future performances. This will also help in making an identity for the band and go towards deciding which venues or events we will play at.
I also think that even though we are all confident at performing live, we could improve upon moving around a bit more on stage and even include some more interaction with the audience – particularly in between songs instead of just moving onto the next track instantly. This was a point brought up by the rest of the group as well, so this will be out focal point for improvement in future.
I think choosing The Underground as our venue for the second gig was a really good decision. This is because they provided a full backline for the band so the only thing we actually needed to bring with us was our instruments. Their PA system has a really good sound overall, and the size of the room really helps the sound project itself. They also provide on stage monitors so we can hear ourselves really clearly on stage. Also another point is that the set for this gig was a bit more ‘rocky’ in parts than the last one, so the venue was well suited to our sound.
One more thing is that The Underground have an in-house sound engineer who was working the live mix for us while we were on stage, so we maintained a really good sound balance throughout the performance.
The audience received our performance really well. Their expectations will have been a professional cover band performing comfortably with an authentic sound, and I feel as though we delivered on that well.
Overall though I think both performances were well received. The later gig at The Underground I would say was received better than the first, mainly due to this being at an external venue with a larger crowd, but also because we were all far more confident on stage and we all seemed to enjoy playing this set list more than the original one.
Technical Evaluation:
Personally, I feel as though many of my technical skills have improved in the second performance. I think I made a good choice of amp settings to get the most appropriate guitar tone for each song, and my actual knowledge of the songs was at a far better standard for this gig than the previous one. Another skill I think I improved upon is my performing of various styles. This is because the second set was more varied stylistically, with songs in the styles of Rock, Pop, Soul, and Funk, etc…
I feel as though I have also increased the amount of stamina I have when performing, as the second gig was a lot more energetic than the first, and I managed to get through each song easily while still playing to the best of my ability throughout.
The main areas to improve upon from this I think are mainly my communication with the sound engineer and my tech requirements. When performing at The Underground, it was difficult to hear my own guitar at times, which in turn makes it hard to keep up with where you are – especially in improvisational sections. I need to in future signal the sound engineer to increase my level in the monitors so that I can hear myself more clearly. I also need to bring the appropriate gear for the gig; I ended up needing a foot-switch on the night so that I could change guitar sound without having to do it directly from the amp. Although this wasn’t a huge issue, It would definitely look much more professional if I had used a pedal board instead.
Overall I think I am beginning to get my technical skills to a professional level now, and I need to focus on getting more performances booked in so that I can improve further.
Feedback:
This is some feedback from one of the audience members, and it was really positive overall. Most of the people I spoke to on the night had similar things to say too so I was really pleased about that.
Our tutor also thought we all did well and put on a good performance, so overall I am really happy with all the feedback that we received.
Targets:
A few targets I want to set for myself to start doing in future are:
- Performing as part of various bands. – I think a good way for me to improve my playing of various styles now is to be actively performing in several bands of varying styles. I feel as though I am at a point in my career as a professional guitarist where I can comfortably perform most genres of music, so I really need to start building up live experience of this to improve further.
- Working on the way I portray myself. – Currently I look like a stereotypical rock/metal musician, which can in some ways limit the styles of bands I can apply to play in; a jazz band for example will have a completely different persona than my own, therefore I need to work on making myself adaptable to fit into a band of any genre in order to get more live work.
- Tribute work. – I think another way I can improve upon my playing is through the possibility of working in a tribute band. This will require me to provide an authentic performance of an established artists’ music, both through my persona on stage, and through the setting of my guitar and equipment so that the tone is authentic too.
- Original performances. – I also think performing my own music live is a good way to develop further, as it will allow me to not only be creative, but to start building a name for myself as an artist an a guitarist.
- Speed and picking techniques. – Playing wise, the main thing to work on I’d my various picking techniques and speed. I have recently started looking at more technical picking patterns for moving up and down stings for efficiently, and this is going to be really useful for fast solos and improvisational work. I need to keep practicing these techniques in order to perfect them, and then start using them in context at live events.