Many people now just listen to individual songs from a collective of different artists rather than whole albums from a handful. This alongside the recent decrease in physical album sales means that artists are making less money through royalties, and therefore have to rely on live performances as a key source of income.
What is live performance and why is it important?
A live performance is an event which is broadcast at the same time it takes place. A live music performance usually takes place with an audience present.
Live performance is so important to a lot of music listeners; it can often promote connections among people and it creates a sense of community, whether it be with fandoms of people supporting a singular artist, or festival goers enjoying many different genres. Typically, live performances are a great way for new and upcoming artists to generate a fan base, and to also begin building strong connections within the industry.
Live performances often differ from the original tracks of songs, as musicians tend to put their own twist on it which they may not have thought to do when recording it initially, therefore live performances give artists the chance to tweak tracks and make them more interesting. Some audiences prefer this, some don’t but it gives them the opportunity to experience both.
How do live performances vary?
An artists genre/style will influence the direction of the show and the reactions from the audience. A performance from a pop artist is usually very lively, and they may have back up dancers and singers as well as pyrotechnics. Whereas a singer-songwriter’s gig will have less focus on the production, and a bit more on the music, most of the time they are accompanied by a band.
The location of the venue also changes depending on the type of performance. Indoor venues have the best acoustics, but they generally have a much smaller capacity than a lot of outdoor venues. An outdoor venue’s location can also provide ambiance that indoor venues may lack.
While majority for live performances intend to entertain, a handful are put on to raise awareness of certain serious topics or charities (e.g. Comic Relief – Red Nose Day).