You often put down Gibson tuning instability but Tony Iommi had so much trouble tuning his he would tell Ozzy to organize a raffle while tuning. This led directly to Ozzy becoming a great front man.
If true I like that idea. When the band has to change instruments or tune, the last thing the front man has to do is look bored, or announce the next song and then wait for the band to get ready. Although I disagree that Ozzy is a great front man. Running from one end of the stage to another, clapping, doing frog leaps, and throwing a bucket of water over your head does not make a good front man in my opinion. Although I am willing to admit that having only seen him in his later brain damaged years I might have missed something.
As someone who has been the frontman of a semi-professional band for almost three decades, I can say with confidence that one of the most simple yet effective things you can do as a frontman is to have fun on stage - and let the audience see/know that you're having fun. Joy is positively contagious. And it works - every time. Also, don't disrespect the audience just because there is a low turnout. The ten people that came out don't deserve to get shit on because they're the only ones there. Those guys are the troopers, your MVPs. Do right by them and the next time you're in the area, they'll bring their friends along.
@@scudz323 That's how Guns N' Roses started actually, Duff said in an interview that at their first show they only had some friends present and family members. But then at the next one, the number doubled and continued to grow in time.
I’ve noticed that a lot of professional Japanese rock bands have a mirrored wall in their rehearsal spaces like you’d find in a dance studio. That’s a pretty smart idea.
There's one rehearsal space with the mirror in my city and we always try to get to practice there the day before the show. Really helps to build the choreography.
The best tip I can give is to enter the stage with your mind set to: "I am a movie actor". This is a thing I've been doing for years and now I just step into an alterego of myself as a frontman. This has helped me with the fear of playing the center role in my band and having all eyes on me. Once you naturally step into the playing role as a frontman you don't give a shit about your mistakes or if you miss on the lyrics. You are free to do whatever you like as your mindset is an alterego of yourself and therfore it's not you who miss the lyrics and you can let go of your miss instantly and move on. I use a wireless mic live and now and then I run out in the crowd singing and engageing them to sing along. We play covers, and I do forget lyrics when I do this but who cares if the crowd likes the interaction. And by the way, I am a person who doesn't like to be the center of attention, but if I'm acting, I can do whatever I want.
I read an article about Axle Rose being a good frontman and Mick Jagger was quoted as saying something to the effect of, “No matter how you think of yourself as a person or offstage, when you step on that stage you’ve got to think you’re a god.“
100% this. I used to do photo shoots with a model in Oregon who immediately went into "Movie star mode" when the camera came out. As a result, almost every single shot turned out amazing. This mentality totally can transfer to any sort of performance!
I recently went to a local rock event and I felt underwhelmed a bit. The music was great, but nobody except the singers would move around and had no stage presence (on one show, both guitarists just stared at their fretboards), so I think a video on stage presence for everybody is necessary too
My band mates never understood why I recorded every rehearsal on audio or video, I want to see where I can improve and how we look. Humans are visual animals.
A few years back a former friend of mine opened up for van Halen on the canadian leg of the tour. He told me that, he saw Eddie stand in front of a mirror before the show and practice rock poses. If Ed can do it at his level why not you… just a side note he also git to play Eddies guitar rig during soundcheck. He said Eddies tech was a great guy.
Queen, 1985 Live Aid. Freddy Mercury put on a 20 minute master class in what it means to be a Rock and Roll frontman. He was literally playing the audience like a musical instrument. And to top it off, they completed their alloted 20 minute set in 20 minutes, 12 seconds.
Got another one for ya, don't let your ego speak for the band. There was a local band where I live that immediately got on everyone's bad side as soon as the lead singer bitched about how their first show they were performing wasn't a headlining act. This was for a popular local metal festival, so it would have been an honor even to be considered for an opening spot. It pretty much blacklisted all the members of the band until they were able to show that they weren't the problematic ones by essentially jumping ship. Last I heard the band dissolved, the singer kept blacklisting himself from venues, and no one talks to him anymore.
Our band got banned from a venue because we got moved up from our later time slot and our vocalist decided to air his displeasure on stage instead of actually talking it out with management like a professional. We're currently on undetermined hiatus, haha.
"Don't insult audience" - yes! And be careful what audience and how to treat them. I once played in a 3/4-cover rock band. We played Judas Priest, AC/DC, some popcovers we made in this direction. In other words: biker party compatible music. And so we played through all biker clubs in our area. And one good gig lead to another. And biker clubs are very correct and not stingy. Once we played on one of the biggest party of the biggest biker club (not hells angel or banditos, a local but big club, that is still independed) in our area. And we played as first or second band late afternoon. Of course most people are sitting and drinking beer than an do not make party as much. But out singer want to animate them and said "what are you for lame fucking bikers?". Guess what happend? I heard this evening about 20 times or more from guests and the presi itself "cool music, but you singer sucks", "cool show, but kick this singer out, he's an ashole. And we never played in this club or chapters again ... (band split anyway, but this was one coffin nail)
By the way you worded the statement the singer made to the bikers, I'm guessing your main language is Dutch. That is a near suicidal thing to do though. Don't piss off your audience, especially don't piss off some bikers that'll likely be drunk later that same evening.
Good stuff Glenn, especially #10. Van Halen was playing to a crowd of 6 like it was a crowd of 6,000 at the Whiskey before they got signed. After that gig they got signed, in the audience was Gene Simmons of KISS who helped produce their first album.
if there is one thing i can add that kinda goes with the moving around. CARDIO CARDIO CARDIO it is essential for being able to move around and still sing or scream well. for years i was just sitting around practicing but i would never have the stamina to move around the stage and id be out of breath all the time, now after doing cardio since january there are miles of difference between my stamina before and now and it also help my actual singing too now all i really gotta do is quit smoking.
I know that this is obvious advice, but just quit buying them. Here me out: I used to be in the Navy, where the kitchen would serve cake for EVERY. FREAKING. MEAL. I don't even like cake all that much, but when you're stuck on a ship, you don't have a lot of variety. I didn't need the empty calories and I found that all I had to do was get through the chow line *without* putting cake on my tray. If I could resist the sweet tooth for 2 minutes, I wouldn't eat cake. Cigarettes are hard to quit, but YOU are in charge of what goes in your shopping cart. Start by not keeping a pack in your car (driving), and don't take them in to work (so you have to go get them to smoke). Once you start tapering off, stop buying them. It's 2 minutes with the cashier, just don't ask for smokes. Pay at the pump when you get gas. You can do it! Good luck!
Hey man, I feel you. 20 years of smoking but had to quit because it’s expensive in the U.K. I got a little discreet vape that doesn’t look like a steampunk laser or blow plumes of smoke out and it’s working and my voice lasts way longer now. I’d be shredded after 2 songs before and lost all but one octave on the cigs but it’s back now. Trust me, it took over a month of having the vape before I went a day without a cigarette and I still had to have them around for the occasional one. Once you have one and it doesn’t hit the way it used to though, you’ll know you’re in a better place.
This is good advice for all of the band members. I play guitar in my current band, and our show schedule is increasing, and I've noticed I get out of breath faster than I used to, so now it's back to doing cardio again to get my stamina back up.
@@Lawrence330 thank you my friend, its sad to say that while i am still young i did start at an early age and as of right now in life it is hard but im down from one pack a day to maybe a pack a month and i can for sure tell a difference
"The bar supplied the sound guy." And it's likely a bartender. I was at a friends show, talking to the "sound person" and she said "this is bullshit, I mix drinks, I don't know anything about this!" She slams the faders all the way up, twists random knobs and storms off to smoke a cigarette.
That's when a bit of chat before the show is vital. Sympathise with the crap the barstaff have to put up with. If they don't mind someone else doing basic sound (and if they do, then be even nicer to them) it mean they can deal with the dickhead punters and not get pestered by the dickheads who don't do sound but seem to know exactly what's wrong with it. As for random knobs etc. -- I get asked to adjust levels and eq by audience members while I'm running lights -- I'll click on a few things, move a fader or two and it does the trick every time.
I went to go see a friend's band at a bar. During one of the opening acts, one of the band members rushed over to us and said, "Guys, the sound in there is TERRIBLE!" Eyes turned to me... "Do you want me to mix your show?" "Would you please??" So I did. Afterward, the house sound guy asked me what the hell I did to make the mix sound good. I told him, and he listened!
@@soundman1402 In small venues we usually had our bassist do the mixing (he was a sound engineer). But I still remember one of our shows in which we had a sound guy supplied by the venue. And he was absolutely great, we had a wonderful sound on this evening and our bassist went over to talk to him and ask what he did. I really don't know why everyone shits on them, some sound guys are employed by the venues for the simple reason that they are good.
Yeesh, how many gigs over the years you find a guy standing there half dressed in his rec softball team uniform, he was late arriving, for sound check? "Been doing this for 20 yrs.." Insists you use the encrusted sm58s the house has used for 18+ yrs because he knows how they sound and has the EQ 'dialed in'. (Plus he thinks he won't have to change any settings) Uh huh, I'm not really looking to get herpes thx. F'n gross....No. By the beginning of 2nd set, monitors are blaring thru FOH timid sound, everything WAY too loud for room and people. Dude blames hot new modern mics (never did change the channel eq settings, the dust wasn't disturbed) along with that inverted barrel sound from the room mostly filled by stage monitor sound and low rumbly non descript FOH. And NOT thinking maybe not having an eq on the monitor system to catch bum frequencies, let alone never ringing out a room on an eq at some point to find out what the room doesn't like.😬 And that was only ONE of those guys we ran into cyclically. Awesome stuff Glenn, f*cK you very much.🤟 Also, has no idea what a DI box is. Club owner loved us, booked us 4+ times a year, dreaded every drive there. 😅
Adding one more: Study the greats. In a day and age where UA-cam exists there is no excuse for a lead singer not to pull up videos and see how the legends and soon-to-be legends work an audience. You don't have to clone anyone, but study how they do all the things Glen mentions. Take notes, do what works for you, and hit the skip button if you somehow land on Pearl Jam or Oasis. And don't if you come across the Rolling Stones. Jagger may be geriatric but he wrote the book on how to be a front man and still does it better than 90% of the people out there.
@@footos8511 Eddie Vedder was the antithesis of the high-energy front person of the 80s. So that set him apart and got him attention. The right thing at the right time. But to Glenn's point, if you are a young band playing a club do you want the center of attention to have all the movement of a potted plant? Especially when the next guy up is channeling his inner Randy Blythe?
Not a front man, and I can't sing to save my life, but I do frequently present to large audiences (conferences, meetings, etc) and I can doubly recommend the practice in front of a mirror and recording yourself to get better at the gestures, facial motions, and overall emoting. Great advice Glenn
Want to know how to be a good frontman? Watch Freddie Mercury. Guy was the ultimate entertainer. When he came onstage he had thousands of people in the palm of his hand. And I'm not talking about prancing around in spandex. It doesn't matter what your genre is, you take the basics and adjust it to fit your image.
Naah when you've done bohemian rhapsody and stuff like that ten years before hitting Wembley it's obvious you can get ppl in your pocket rightfully so, as much charisma as Freddie did have, thing is, he earn the right to getaway with that, and it didnt happened overnight, being at the right moment can make history, put Freddie in another band and he wouldnt made it i bet. There s a difference. And certainly Queen wasnt freddies band.
@@nathaninostroza7655 the whole point is you have to start somewhere just like Freddie. He didn't just pop on stage fully formed. But like Glenn said, you have to move around, you have to interact with the audience. You won't have 100 thousand people singing back to you, but you have to have that level of confidence that some day you WILL be there. You've heard the phrase being "larger than life", that's how you have to carry yourself. I remember when Pantera was just getting rolling and they hired Phil Anselmo and they were playing shitty little clubs. But Phil, dude acted like he was 10 feet tall and bulletproof. And they got noticed because of that. No question the whole group was talented but it was Phil's presence that shot them up the charts.
@@rbilleaud at first you didnt sounded like that, but here you ve explained it better, and phil Anselmo is a better take on what you re trying to convey. The larger than life thing is clearly essential when it comes to this matter for sure.
Some buddies of mine who were in a band used to review their performances like "game tapes". It was hilarious! They had NO mercy on themselves whatsoever. "Oooh, look, I'm a rock star", "Let's not do THAT again!", "Nope, that didn't look as good as I thought. " 🤣
I was preparing for a gig and someone asked if I was the singer, and I said I was. They noticed I was lugging around guitar gear, and they were like "WAAAAOOOOWWW I NEVER saw a singer move real music gear before!" I retorted: "It's my gear, as I also play guitar."
The psychology aspect of being a frontman is something I'd never considered. Currently just a solo guitar player writing songs in Reaper (which I did pay for), and dabble in some singing, but working on finding a group to play with and front for. I'll definitely be making note to study how people behave in groups, that seems like a powerful tool to have as a frontman
I know a guy who's played lead guitar for a long time. Not a front man but did say this about performing on stage, which made it "click" for me: In his day job, he interacts with people one on one. He likes what he does, but said that interacting with one person at a time gets "boring", and that's why he plays on stage. "Interacting with hundreds of people at a time" keeps him going. Before he said that, I'd never thought of playing live as a two-way experience (I know, stupid in retrospect). I'd only thought of it as one-way, like "look what I'm doing." But it's not like that. It's a relationship.
It's tricky. A lot of singers have huge egos because actually wanting to be a front man is a huge ego trip. People are always telling you how awesome you are, and when you're onstage, you have to act larger than life and command the crowd. The trick is being able to switch that off once you step off the stage. Some people are really good at it, but some people are not.
Having over fifty years of experience in music, I've grown to love these rants. I'm watching as I have my coffee at noon (I'm still a working musician). If you get through to one young (in some cases, not so young) singer, this will be worthwhile. Keep fighting the good fight Glen.
I sing and play guitar on stage. I always have issues with talking in between songs and connecting with crowd. Once I prepared my in between song speeches and tried them on my band mates on rehearsal. Obviously I felt terrible and stiff, but it prepared me for shit that people do and say when You are on stage. And guess what. Next gig I was so relaxed and cool in between songs, that not only it helps my performance, but I go with the flow with people and came with not prepared parts like a boss. After the show more people came by to high five or to take a picture than ever before.
@@kimo63kimo1 yeah dude. Its always better when people are laughing and smiling. There’s a chance that people would laugh on Your not funny joke, than admire Your 16 min balls to the wall guitar solo. It’s because they came to have fun.
My choir director emphasized planning what you will say, even made us write it down and show her. It was a good lesson. That same director asked me if Symphony X was satanic though.
When it comes to audience reaction, give it your all no matter what. Henry Rollins told the story of how he was playing a show with Black Flag with like 3 people who didn’t care and said into the mic “here’s another song if you give a…” before being knocked to the ground by bass player Chuck Dukowski who said to him “you never give any less then your best with this band”.
I sure wouldn't want to see my first shows as a frontman back in the day. Yikes. Eventually I learned how to work the crowd, move around etc. But then all of a sudden we had some shows on really big stages instead of smaller venues and that was a total mindfuck. So one time I did too much on stage and the other too little. To be fair: the same goes for playing guitar on stage. I used to be too focused on playing perfectly. Result? I didn't move an inch. Now I just go with it and move like I feel. Do I play some more minor mistakes on stage? Sure. Do people hear them? No. Do they remember an energetic show? Fuck yeah. Great video once again, Glenn! Keep up the good work and never stop screaming passionately.
*IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE A FUCKING ROCK STAR GO BE ONE. PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO SEE THE GUY NEXT DOOR ON STAGE: THEY WANT TO SEE A BEING FROM ANOTHER PLANET. YOU WANT TO SEE SOMEBODY YOU'D NEVER MEET IN ORDINARY LIFE. - Lemmy Kilmister Yea I’m pretty sure he yelled it.
As a frontman in a rock cover bar band, i see myself as one of four instruments. I am not the most important person on stage, but i am the voice and it is my job to read the crowd, interact with them, and be fun. Its a fine balance between being confident and "extra" while not being too self indulgent. Alot of this is because i joined this band, they brought me in, so I never forget that it's a privelege for me to hold that mic (not cupping it lol). I do lean on my mic/mic stand alot though. I think it is most important to visibly enjoy performing, the crowd picks right up on that and lets them know its ok to cut loose and have fun too. If were not having fun onstage, aint nobody having fun on the floor
13:08 Twisted Sister handled not getting good audience reactions well in their early days. Dee would say something to the effect of “if we’re not you’re thing, that’s fine, all we ask is you sing along on this ONE section” then the whole place would sing with him.
Dee and Twisted Sister grew up not to far from where I did and played a lot of local clubs on Long Island in NY for a long while. They paid their dues before they made it and they’re really cool guys. I knew them and the guys from Zebra before they recorded their first album.
Saw a video recently of Matt from Trivium even rehearsing what he was going to say as he introduced a song. Plan it out so that it flows well. Adds confidence to what you’re doing because you’ve already done it.
Matt was live on Twitch a lot over the big "C" pause, keeping his chops up on guitar, honing his audience interactions, keeping his voice in shape and training his body to stand up for hours in order to perform. He told stories, kept on chatting as he switched instruments, showed things off etc - all incredibly useful for a return to festivals and stages.
I'm not a soundman, (my brother is.) and I'm barely a musician (although I have taught myself Blues Theory as a way to understand guitar better in the last couple of years.) I used to be a wanna be rockstar but now at 60 I just like telling people to get off of my lawn. All that said, you are entertaining and informative, and I refer my musician and sound-hippy friends to your videos all the time! Keep up the magnificent work!
If i turn 60 although i'm a fulltime musician and i'm 30, i wanna yell at ppl to get the fuck off my lawn too. Thanks for sharing the right values in life Frank.
I want to talk about the first thing on the list. As a frontman who hasn’t been able to play a show in 3 years (drummers in Nashville only want to play deathcore or 70s covers not punk rock, which is what I play) I feel it is extremely important for everyone who can move around to do so! I am lead singer and the only guitar player. And I only stop moving when I’m stuck in front of the microphone. I’m always jumping and talking to the crowd. Trying my best to be entertaining. But damn is it tough to be the only person moving on stage in front of robots! Even if your bass player is mouthing words and looking like he is enjoying himself goes a looooonnnnnngggg way! Great advice Glenn!
I agree with everything in this video 100%. I will add that the frontman should never turn his back to the audience and sing while only looking at the drummer. That happened to me during a show I played with a tribute band as their drummer during "Master of Puppets" and the video my buddy took looked ridiculous! Also, the frontman should move to the side of the stage during a guitar solo or any other soloed instrument. It's awkward and distracting if the frontman stands there during a moment he is not the central foucs of the music.
Im lead singer in a rock cover/bar band, we play and practice in small spaces where I'm basically blocking the drummer. When my band goes into a long instrumental I'll step aside and use it as a moment to give the band some shine while i just get out of the way. I have found people love when they can actually see the drummer going off!
I know it has been a while, but here is a question for you…. How do you deal with small crowds and empty rooms ?? How do you judge how much “energy” you throw at them ?? It’s a weird one, but how do you come across as authentic rather than try hard
One thing I see musicians doing that looks amateurish- they get the wireless mic/guitar system and get so carried away showing it off that they leave the stage. They think it looks like better audience interaction but it really tells me “they’re off the stage and they should stay there.” Saw a guitarist one time showing off that he could go all over the club wirelessly. He decided to jump up on the bar while he was playing and walked right into a ceiling fan.
OMFG yes on help carry! In all my bands, it was a rule that EVERYONE offloads the drum kit and PA first. Everyone. After that, you go back to the truck to get your own kit, and everyone helps each other because you can seriously injure yourself trying to carry a full amp stack on your own. If you only sing, you aren't done until everyone else is done. Period.
I remember when my singer wouldn't help me move "OUR" gear because I was "late". I wasn't late, we were headlining and didn't have to be on stage for another hour. I had just worked ALL day and had to haul most of "OUR" equipment to the show because our band was using my amp, my guitar and I played MY drums (I was the drummer). He said, "you're late" I said "okay, I just got off work and most of our gear is in my car. I'll just go home then". That's how you get the singer to help move your drums. Don't fuck with me. We're playing a shithole bar, I've had a LONG day, and I've got no fucks left to give.
Couldnt have got it more right with Steel Panther being the masters, I saw them a couple weeks ago and the crowd interaction was incredible, I had so much fun being a part of the audience
Glenn, if you really want to see the greatest frontmen….and women….in the world, look no further than Cuban salsa music. From the old school to more modern bands, these people sing their hearts out, they generate hype, and they NEVER stop moving. Even the backup singers never stop moving. Check out singers like Tirso Duarte. Mandy Quintero. Mayito Rivera. Celia Cruz. Pedrito Calvo. Vanessa Formell. Yasser Ramos. There are countless examples. It’s not metal, but metal singers sure could learn from them. Even as they age, they still move just like when they were younger.
These people came out to hear you doing what you love!! That is a tremendous gift and opportunity to shine. Be appreciative of those people supporting your dream!! Remind them they’re beautiful, incredible human beings and that you’re there to put a cramp in their necks and make their ears ring for two days! Lol. You know the glory that comes with Metal music!!
i'm a vocalist/frontman/keyboard player in a 80's cover band .... so i'm the total opposite of metal, but I still watch your videos because there is always something to learn from "almost" every genre and pro musican/advice giver/engineer... blah blah blah. Awesome video and great advice that can be applied to every performer and front man no matter what style of music you're playing.... and agreed, Steel Panther are fricken awesome (and that coming from a 80's Europop/dance music guy!)
As a frontman I am proud to announce I already did all of this stuff. Yes I even carry my weight with the packing and unpacking of gear (mainly because I own most of the gear and don’t trust the other boneheads enough to touch my shit). Glenn please pat me on the back!
I do too man, and I'm 6'4 270lbs size 16EEE feet, so I am more than capable of loading in and out . Tip, get a high velocity fan for the front of stage. Keeps you cool and with long hair or loose clothes gives the illusion of more movement and imagery. Got the Idea from Jeff Walker of Carcass
My band, Suturist played our first show ever on Saturday (5 days ago) and I’m the Vocalist. I can confidently say I did everything on this list except “Learn From Past Performances” since it was our first show. 😅 Local Metal show and we got over 240 people in the door, I had the time of my life. We had someone record the entire set and I’m watching it like game footage, which is why I can confidently say I (and my band as a whole) did all of these things. That being said, there is ALWAYS room for improvement. The A/C was out that night and it KILLED my stamina. Was a very humbling experience struggling through the set sweating my ass off but still sounding halfway decent on the receiving end. I can’t wait to do more shows so I can continue refining and building on the steps you laid out in this video! Great advice! As always.
There is a rock band here in central Texas called American Merit I have had the pleasure of sharing a bill with a couple of times now. The first time I was blown away, not just by the quality of the songs and playing, but the fact that it was like 38 minutes into the set before the music stopped. Each member got a pause to rest/tune/drink water etc but they employed lots of segues and even when there was a break between songs at least two members were keeping a groove going. I asked them about it and it was definitely rehearsed. They said they had had a band meeting and in it what to do to minimize dead time between songs had come up. It really made them one of the most professional sounding local acts I have ever seen. I think my band had just as good songs and playing, but the professionalism of the show they put on was just several steps above.
A friend of mine told me a story about going to a Who concert at an Air Force base. There was some kind of alert that called all personnel to stations, so the theatre was nearly empty. My friend said The Who came out and did an amazing show. That is consummate professionalism.
“I want to stop the song to take a short 20min to talk about an issue that’s close to my heart.” That’s what a good front man does. I saw Bono do it many times. 😂
11:42 Tell that to the Greta Van Fleet vocalist! I went to Firenze Rocks last Sunday to see Metallica, but I arrived earlier, and they were playing. I don't really know them but boy was the concert boring... the vocalist didn't really interact, he just stood there doing his thing and so did the rest of the band. On the other hand, Metallica has a *huge* stage presence. It might've seemed less boring as I actually know their songs, but they still have a lot more crowd interaction.
Er... I'm guilty of leaving my amp on standby for the first song of the set.... Thank God there was two guitarists in the band. I am in tune most of the time and don't keep switching up the volume on my amp after soundcheck in my defense!
Glenn screaming "Stop cupping the mic..." at .25 is probably the funniest thing I'll see all day and it's only 0750! Yes, I am easily pleased...I'm a bass player!
This is why I loved 80s glam rock. Most of the bands I saw live put on a great show!! They looked cool and they played to the crowd. It was awesome. And usually only cost 20 bucks.
If I want to be bored I'll go to a jazz show. - My sentiments exactly regarding jazz music. Incredibly musical and technically excellent, boring as watching paint dry to listen too. Also getting a singer to invest in a good mic or in-ear? Good luck with that. They're even bigger cheap skates then bass players. Addendum: If you want to observe great front men or women, go to a gym and join a group fitness class. Those instructors sink or swim on their ability to get a room full of people to jump and move with enthusiasm.
Jazz can seriously kick ass live. It does originate as dance music after all. Just avoid the fancy-pants crowd and orchestras and go see a quartet at a bar. The energy can be extreme.
As a singer that has played in front of no one and thousands, sang Gregorian chant in the dark (it was cool) and is just now getting into a new band at 60, this was a great preso. Some good reminders. And no, I was never the guy who just carried his microphone to a gig. Dad worked for a living and taught me right.
I remember, back in 2014 I was at a folk metal concert, and the opening act was dressed in all suits and ties. Looked quite interesting and created a dissonance between their looks and tone.
I have health issues and have to sit now, but I give it my all, so much so I've nearly fell out of my chair, or slid backwards, this was great and I no longer feel bad for having to sit down because this made me realize I still give it all I have, even when I can't breath.
Before I watch the video - there is one thing that I wish wannabe rock stars would finally stop doing, because it makes an extremely bad impression and I've seen it more than enough times at local music festivals. Please, do not hit on girls in the audience while you're on stage. Do not make comments. Just... Don't. Please.
As a frontman of, well, more bands than I'd like to admit... I've broken all of these... I didn't really figure it out until I started being a singer/songwriter and on a stage by myself... only then did I learn. Great video, love the content
I've got one: Do not "read the room!" YES, you should actually read the room, but you're only doing that to inform and supplement what you're REALLY doing: LEADING the room. You are not there to be a follower. Being onstage is a LEADERSHIP position. You are there to create an experience, not wait around for others to tell you what that experience should be. If your primary goal is "read the room," you're already doing it wrong. Take control and lead the room first, THEN read the room to do it better.
While I strongly doubt some people's ability to read I highly recommend Atom Habits by James Clear and Be Exceptional by Joe Navarro. Both these books contain actual usable tools that you can apply to anything including your show, practice regime and more. First book is basically a collection of all we know about the science of human habits, if you want to improve your practice, speed up getting on and off stage, get off your drug addiction etc you will find a lot of useful advice here. The second book is by a former FBI interrogator and one of the best experts in human behavior and body language. His book has many tools you can use on and off stage to achieve your goals. This book will help you better read a room which is one of the most important skills as a frontman.
Being friendly and helping out with the other band members setups will make people want to continue working with you. The music business is so much more than what goes on when you’re on stage. As a singer, always help out with the other crew members tasks if you can and you will be much more respected than if you were to just stand there and smoke.
One thing I love about this guy's videos is that the sound IS ALWAYS NORMALIZED!! Even when he shouts, my neighbors don't have to "enjoy" his rants. Why can't other content producers do this simple thing???
EXACTLY!!! I think of warming up the vocal chords in the same vein as tuning an instrument. It doesn't take a lot of effort, but gets the throat and mind ready for the neck gymnastics the organ's gonna be subjected to. We wouldn't expect the musicians to play without making sure they're in tune, have stretched-in strings etc, so why should vocalists think they can just rock up to a mic and sing perfectly in tune? This is a great video/topic, and you're an invaluable benefit to our greater community for selflessly giving us dumbasses a needed knuckle to the proverbial jaw.
I knew a lot of these but the last point on get an Audible sub and book up in charisma and crowd psych is gold. Great points, I am not even metal but I watch you a lot.
"Help carry the equipment" - That's such important advice for the burgeoning rock frontman. I can see why you thought it merited the second spot on your list.
"Don't insult the Audience", is spot on advice. Heh... I saw Nitzer Ebb open up for Depeche Mode back in like 1991 or something. I remember Nitzer Ebb was pretty freaking dull on stage. It seems the took their club show and did exactly that in a huge arena and people didn't get it. And at one point the singer says in a gothy stoic kinda voice, 'nobody is dancing... why?' So, right there, he's asking why the audience sucks, or whatever. A bunch of people shouted back to the stage, 'because you suck!' Don't ask questions when you don't want to hear the answer, especially at large crowds.
Also working on those stage speeches would be nice. I love those "All right, how is it going so far? Ahm... Are you with us? Ahm... All right... Ahm..."
My high school garage band back in the day, Broken Coccyx, had 3 singers, first guy Tim spoke or rapped his lines, couldn't sing worth a crap, looked like a 15 year old Opie from The Andy Griffith Show, but he was our buddy so he got a shot. Singer 2 Phil sang with his eyes closed, just standing there, but sounded pretty good, Tom Arayaish. Our 3rd guy Wayne sounded Brian Johnsony, he jumped around, did action poses, made stupid faces, air guitared etc. He was inspired by David Lee Roth and Eddie Murphy's stand-up. Don't know what ever happened to him after high school. Everyone liked Wayne.
David Coverdale "don't turn your back on the audience". So true. The audience is there to see you and usually the frontman only (Angus excepted). The frontman is the one communicating most clearly. You are the focus of their attention. But as soon as you turn your back you take that focus away and the audience is left scrabbling to find a new one. It's why Coverdale will sidle up to the guitarist during a solo to 'give' the focus to the player. The only time you should turn your back to the audience is when you specifically don't want them to look at you - during another player's solo spot for example, or god forbid, a drum solo.
GLEN!!! I played a show once and it was everyone's first time playing except me and my singer was bombing hard. He also kept apologizing in and after songs for messing up. I told him after that he shouldn't have done that because no one would have noticed or gave a fuck. Everyone else did good and we actually got some compliments.
Putting on a show was always a priority in the 70s, 80's, early 90's. Intro music, nobody sees the band for 10-30 min before showtime, segues, light and sound cues, breakdowns, a bit of choreography- even if simply "groove in place". But you still cannot suck musically. We sometimes managed to not horribly suck and put on an actual show...sometimes.
My bands have turned around so many shit shows by simply saying to each other "let's fuck them up. Crank it to eleven and and make them dance". And it works.
Bruce Dickinson from Iron Maiden is the best example of a front man who is always moving while singing and sounds awesome and knows how to get the crowd going even as a older man his endurance is off the charts and constantly kicks ass every thing he brings to the table makes him the best Up The Irons 🤘
I remember watching an interview with Bruce Dickinson and he said he took his cues from old Vaudeville performers, how they made grand gestures on stage. He also said that he wants the kid stuck all the way in the back of the stadium/arena to be able to see him, so he tries to make himself as big as possible on stage. One singer taking that cue is Brent Smith from Shinedown, he stands on a block and projects himself physically and vocally in any venue.
Mindblowing concept that only one or two bands I've been in could understand: Practice the show. Not just the songs, the entire show. We aren't naturally talented entertainers, but let's just make it look like we are. Put cues and direction on the setlist, like after the second song, singer does some banter while guitarist changes instruments, after 4th song drummer needs to change something, so we do a little back and forth silly stuff. Just make sure that there's never a point when nobodoy knows what to do.
Great tips, even for seasoned stage vets who may forget some of these from time to time (yeah, I’m admittedly looking in the mirror as I say that! Lol)…I was a drummer for years, and when I switched to being a frontman back in 2004 or so I just never saw the merit of not helping not only my band but other bands on the lineup help drag gear in and setup. Everyone always seemed so shocked and I didn’t get why til we did some shows with the “wannabe rockstar singers” you spoke of. That said, I just kinda like being involved in the whole process anyway (I play many instruments, love live sound and setup, recording, management, etc)…not a control freak, I just have an interest in the process from all angles. Also, I couldn’t resist…I took heed of what you said and listened to the cupping part at .25 percent speed. Fuckin Hilarious!! Thanks and fuck you Glen!!
You often put down Gibson tuning instability but Tony Iommi had so much trouble tuning his he would tell Ozzy to organize a raffle while tuning. This led directly to Ozzy becoming a great front man.
If true I like that idea. When the band has to change instruments or tune, the last thing the front man has to do is look bored, or announce the next song and then wait for the band to get ready. Although I disagree that Ozzy is a great front man. Running from one end of the stage to another, clapping, doing frog leaps, and throwing a bucket of water over your head does not make a good front man in my opinion. Although I am willing to admit that having only seen him in his later brain damaged years I might have missed something.
@@chaptermasterpedrokantor1623 At least he wasn't boring then. He is, now.
I can see that happening.
I never considered the fact that a lot of the Black Sabbath stuff being out of tune is a result of a Gibson. Priceless
His guitar didn't have a truss rod, and the neck was incredibly unstable.
As someone who has been the frontman of a semi-professional band for almost three decades, I can say with confidence that one of the most simple yet effective things you can do as a frontman is to have fun on stage - and let the audience see/know that you're having fun. Joy is positively contagious. And it works - every time. Also, don't disrespect the audience just because there is a low turnout. The ten people that came out don't deserve to get shit on because they're the only ones there. Those guys are the troopers, your MVPs. Do right by them and the next time you're in the area, they'll bring their friends along.
Well said and you sir are a true professional. If you ever gig downunder let us know. I for one will be there with bells on.
That ten people will bring a friend and the next gig can become 20 people. Think of it as a compounding investment in fans.
@@scudz323 That's how Guns N' Roses started actually, Duff said in an interview that at their first show they only had some friends present and family members. But then at the next one, the number doubled and continued to grow in time.
100% 👍
There isn’t enough money in the music industry to try that hard
I’ve noticed that a lot of professional Japanese rock bands have a mirrored wall in their rehearsal spaces like you’d find in a dance studio. That’s a pretty smart idea.
i actually do something kind of like this, i have a mirror in my room so i’ll often play in front of that so i can see what i’m doing/what i look like
@@mophead7759 That's the way! ;)
Very smart idea. They are total professionals.
Man, this is *exactly* what I have been planning to do, when I move into my new space.
Super cool to know that it’s a thing other musicians do, also.
There's one rehearsal space with the mirror in my city and we always try to get to practice there the day before the show. Really helps to build the choreography.
The best tip I can give is to enter the stage with your mind set to: "I am a movie actor". This is a thing I've been doing for years and now I just step into an alterego of myself as a frontman. This has helped me with the fear of playing the center role in my band and having all eyes on me. Once you naturally step into the playing role as a frontman you don't give a shit about your mistakes or if you miss on the lyrics. You are free to do whatever you like as your mindset is an alterego of yourself and therfore it's not you who miss the lyrics and you can let go of your miss instantly and move on.
I use a wireless mic live and now and then I run out in the crowd singing and engageing them to sing along. We play covers, and I do forget lyrics when I do this but who cares if the crowd likes the interaction.
And by the way, I am a person who doesn't like to be the center of attention, but if I'm acting, I can do whatever I want.
Give this man a medal for giving the best advice!!
This is how I prepare for a show and I'm a drummer that sits down the whole show
Much respect!
I read an article about Axle Rose being a good frontman and Mick Jagger was quoted as saying something to the effect of, “No matter how you think of yourself as a person or offstage, when you step on that stage you’ve got to think you’re a god.“
100% this. I used to do photo shoots with a model in Oregon who immediately went into "Movie star mode" when the camera came out. As a result, almost every single shot turned out amazing. This mentality totally can transfer to any sort of performance!
Yup, on stage you should be "The best frontman/vocalist/performer" ever, but then know off stage you can always learn and improve.
I recently went to a local rock event and I felt underwhelmed a bit. The music was great, but nobody except the singers would move around and had no stage presence (on one show, both guitarists just stared at their fretboards), so I think a video on stage presence for everybody is necessary too
Shoe gazing is the worst! ;)
@@kimo63kimo1 unless youre playing shoegaze, then it's required
@@justsomedude5727 Ha! I practice before a big mirror but I try to just look at my eyes.
My band mates never understood why I recorded every rehearsal on audio or video, I want to see where I can improve and how we look. Humans are visual animals.
@@kimo63kimo1 unless you play Shoegaze 😉
A few years back a former friend of mine opened up for van Halen on the canadian leg of the tour. He told me that, he saw Eddie stand in front of a mirror before the show and practice rock poses. If Ed can do it at his level why not you… just a side note he also git to play Eddies guitar rig during soundcheck. He said Eddies tech was a great guy.
Love it
Queen, 1985 Live Aid. Freddy Mercury put on a 20 minute master class in what it means to be a Rock and Roll frontman. He was literally playing the audience like a musical instrument. And to top it off, they completed their alloted 20 minute set in 20 minutes, 12 seconds.
That was a legendary performance
There's a video of Queen during band practice. Freddie's performance waa as if he were on a big stage in front of 100k people!
@@MrClassicmetal Yeah, they would actually rehearse with their whole lightshow. I wonder how many other bands did that.
Got another one for ya, don't let your ego speak for the band.
There was a local band where I live that immediately got on everyone's bad side as soon as the lead singer bitched about how their first show they were performing wasn't a headlining act. This was for a popular local metal festival, so it would have been an honor even to be considered for an opening spot. It pretty much blacklisted all the members of the band until they were able to show that they weren't the problematic ones by essentially jumping ship. Last I heard the band dissolved, the singer kept blacklisting himself from venues, and no one talks to him anymore.
Phil Anselmo and Sebastián Bach Syndrome
Our band got banned from a venue because we got moved up from our later time slot and our vocalist decided to air his displeasure on stage instead of actually talking it out with management like a professional. We're currently on undetermined hiatus, haha.
"Don't insult audience" - yes! And be careful what audience and how to treat them.
I once played in a 3/4-cover rock band. We played Judas Priest, AC/DC, some popcovers we made in this direction. In other words: biker party compatible music.
And so we played through all biker clubs in our area. And one good gig lead to another. And biker clubs are very correct and not stingy.
Once we played on one of the biggest party of the biggest biker club (not hells angel or banditos, a local but big club, that is still independed) in our area.
And we played as first or second band late afternoon. Of course most people are sitting and drinking beer than an do not make party as much.
But out singer want to animate them and said "what are you for lame fucking bikers?".
Guess what happend?
I heard this evening about 20 times or more from guests and the presi itself "cool music, but you singer sucks", "cool show, but kick this singer out, he's an ashole.
And we never played in this club or chapters again ... (band split anyway, but this was one coffin nail)
I've played lots of biker fests here in Europe and they were always cool but what your ex-singer did was borderline dangerous and stupid!
By the way you worded the statement the singer made to the bikers, I'm guessing your main language is Dutch.
That is a near suicidal thing to do though. Don't piss off your audience, especially don't piss off some bikers that'll likely be drunk later that same evening.
Good stuff Glenn, especially #10. Van Halen was playing to a crowd of 6 like it was a crowd of 6,000 at the Whiskey before they got signed. After that gig they got signed, in the audience was Gene Simmons of KISS who helped produce their first album.
Diamond Dave got drunk off his ass though on stage
if there is one thing i can add that kinda goes with the moving around. CARDIO CARDIO CARDIO it is essential for being able to move around and still sing or scream well. for years i was just sitting around practicing but i would never have the stamina to move around the stage and id be out of breath all the time, now after doing cardio since january there are miles of difference between my stamina before and now and it also help my actual singing too
now all i really gotta do is quit smoking.
I know that this is obvious advice, but just quit buying them.
Here me out: I used to be in the Navy, where the kitchen would serve cake for EVERY. FREAKING. MEAL. I don't even like cake all that much, but when you're stuck on a ship, you don't have a lot of variety. I didn't need the empty calories and I found that all I had to do was get through the chow line *without* putting cake on my tray. If I could resist the sweet tooth for 2 minutes, I wouldn't eat cake.
Cigarettes are hard to quit, but YOU are in charge of what goes in your shopping cart. Start by not keeping a pack in your car (driving), and don't take them in to work (so you have to go get them to smoke). Once you start tapering off, stop buying them. It's 2 minutes with the cashier, just don't ask for smokes. Pay at the pump when you get gas.
You can do it! Good luck!
Hey man, I feel you. 20 years of smoking but had to quit because it’s expensive in the U.K. I got a little discreet vape that doesn’t look like a steampunk laser or blow plumes of smoke out and it’s working and my voice lasts way longer now. I’d be shredded after 2 songs before and lost all but one octave on the cigs but it’s back now.
Trust me, it took over a month of having the vape before I went a day without a cigarette and I still had to have them around for the occasional one. Once you have one and it doesn’t hit the way it used to though, you’ll know you’re in a better place.
This is good advice for all of the band members. I play guitar in my current band, and our show schedule is increasing, and I've noticed I get out of breath faster than I used to, so now it's back to doing cardio again to get my stamina back up.
I do various stretches and jumping exercises before any upbeat performance (mostly karaoke lol). It definitely helps!
@@Lawrence330 thank you my friend, its sad to say that while i am still young i did start at an early age and as of right now in life it is hard but im down from one pack a day to maybe a pack a month and i can for sure tell a difference
"The bar supplied the sound guy."
And it's likely a bartender. I was at a friends show, talking to the "sound person" and she said "this is bullshit, I mix drinks, I don't know anything about this!" She slams the faders all the way up, twists random knobs and storms off to smoke a cigarette.
hilarious 🤣
That's when a bit of chat before the show is vital.
Sympathise with the crap the barstaff have to put up with.
If they don't mind someone else doing basic sound (and if they do, then be even nicer to them) it mean they can deal with the dickhead punters and not get pestered by the dickheads who don't do sound but seem to know exactly what's wrong with it.
As for random knobs etc. -- I get asked to adjust levels and eq by audience members while I'm running lights -- I'll click on a few things, move a fader or two and it does the trick every time.
I went to go see a friend's band at a bar. During one of the opening acts, one of the band members rushed over to us and said, "Guys, the sound in there is TERRIBLE!" Eyes turned to me... "Do you want me to mix your show?" "Would you please??" So I did. Afterward, the house sound guy asked me what the hell I did to make the mix sound good. I told him, and he listened!
@@soundman1402 In small venues we usually had our bassist do the mixing (he was a sound engineer). But I still remember one of our shows in which we had a sound guy supplied by the venue. And he was absolutely great, we had a wonderful sound on this evening and our bassist went over to talk to him and ask what he did. I really don't know why everyone shits on them, some sound guys are employed by the venues for the simple reason that they are good.
Yeesh, how many gigs over the years you find a guy standing there half dressed in his rec softball team uniform, he was late arriving, for sound check?
"Been doing this for 20 yrs.."
Insists you use the encrusted sm58s the house has used for 18+ yrs because he knows how they sound and has the EQ 'dialed in'. (Plus he thinks he won't have to change any settings)
Uh huh, I'm not really looking to get herpes thx. F'n gross....No.
By the beginning of 2nd set, monitors are blaring thru FOH timid sound, everything WAY too loud for room and people.
Dude blames hot new modern mics (never did change the channel eq settings, the dust wasn't disturbed) along with that inverted barrel sound from the room mostly filled by stage monitor sound and low rumbly non descript FOH. And NOT thinking maybe not having an eq on the monitor system to catch bum frequencies, let alone never ringing out a room on an eq at some point to find out what the room doesn't like.😬
And that was only ONE of those guys we ran into cyclically.
Awesome stuff Glenn, f*cK you very much.🤟
Also, has no idea what a DI box is.
Club owner loved us, booked us 4+ times a year, dreaded every drive there. 😅
Adding one more: Study the greats. In a day and age where UA-cam exists there is no excuse for a lead singer not to pull up videos and see how the legends and soon-to-be legends work an audience. You don't have to clone anyone, but study how they do all the things Glen mentions. Take notes, do what works for you, and hit the skip button if you somehow land on Pearl Jam or Oasis. And don't if you come across the Rolling Stones. Jagger may be geriatric but he wrote the book on how to be a front man and still does it better than 90% of the people out there.
Amen........
Probably some good ideas that can be stolen from glam rock acts like KISS, Bowie, or Alice Cooper.
Also, if you land on some live Bruce Dickinson era Iron Maiden, be prepared to get your cardio workout before trying to put those notes into practise!
Sorry, but what’s wrong with Pearl Jam? I kinda thought they (used to) have a pretty good stage presence.
@@footos8511 Eddie Vedder was the antithesis of the high-energy front person of the 80s. So that set him apart and got him attention. The right thing at the right time. But to Glenn's point, if you are a young band playing a club do you want the center of attention to have all the movement of a potted plant? Especially when the next guy up is channeling his inner Randy Blythe?
The tracks in the screen behind is a visual example of how a compressor is really working like butter on Glenn’s screams lol. You go Glenn!
Not a front man, and I can't sing to save my life, but I do frequently present to large audiences (conferences, meetings, etc) and I can doubly recommend the practice in front of a mirror and recording yourself to get better at the gestures, facial motions, and overall emoting. Great advice Glenn
How many vocalists does it take to screw in a light bulb?
One. He holds it in place while the world spins.
*slow clap*
Made me lol
Want to know how to be a good frontman? Watch Freddie Mercury. Guy was the ultimate entertainer. When he came onstage he had thousands of people in the palm of his hand. And I'm not talking about prancing around in spandex. It doesn't matter what your genre is, you take the basics and adjust it to fit your image.
Naah when you've done bohemian rhapsody and stuff like that ten years before hitting Wembley it's obvious you can get ppl in your pocket rightfully so, as much charisma as Freddie did have, thing is, he earn the right to getaway with that, and it didnt happened overnight, being at the right moment can make history, put Freddie in another band and he wouldnt made it i bet. There s a difference. And certainly Queen wasnt freddies band.
@@nathaninostroza7655 the whole point is you have to start somewhere just like Freddie. He didn't just pop on stage fully formed. But like Glenn said, you have to move around, you have to interact with the audience. You won't have 100 thousand people singing back to you, but you have to have that level of confidence that some day you WILL be there. You've heard the phrase being "larger than life", that's how you have to carry yourself. I remember when Pantera was just getting rolling and they hired Phil Anselmo and they were playing shitty little clubs. But Phil, dude acted like he was 10 feet tall and bulletproof. And they got noticed because of that. No question the whole group was talented but it was Phil's presence that shot them up the charts.
@@rbilleaud at first you didnt sounded like that, but here you ve explained it better, and phil Anselmo is a better take on what you re trying to convey. The larger than life thing is clearly essential when it comes to this matter for sure.
Some buddies of mine who were in a band used to review their performances like "game tapes". It was hilarious! They had NO mercy on themselves whatsoever. "Oooh, look, I'm a rock star", "Let's not do THAT again!", "Nope, that didn't look as good as I thought. " 🤣
I was preparing for a gig and someone asked if I was the singer, and I said I was. They noticed I was lugging around guitar gear, and they were like "WAAAAOOOOWWW I NEVER saw a singer move real music gear before!"
I retorted: "It's my gear, as I also play guitar."
The psychology aspect of being a frontman is something I'd never considered. Currently just a solo guitar player writing songs in Reaper (which I did pay for), and dabble in some singing, but working on finding a group to play with and front for. I'll definitely be making note to study how people behave in groups, that seems like a powerful tool to have as a frontman
I know a guy who's played lead guitar for a long time. Not a front man but did say this about performing on stage, which made it "click" for me:
In his day job, he interacts with people one on one. He likes what he does, but said that interacting with one person at a time gets "boring", and that's why he plays on stage. "Interacting with hundreds of people at a time" keeps him going.
Before he said that, I'd never thought of playing live as a two-way experience (I know, stupid in retrospect). I'd only thought of it as one-way, like "look what I'm doing." But it's not like that. It's a relationship.
It's tricky. A lot of singers have huge egos because actually wanting to be a front man is a huge ego trip. People are always telling you how awesome you are, and when you're onstage, you have to act larger than life and command the crowd. The trick is being able to switch that off once you step off the stage. Some people are really good at it, but some people are not.
Having over fifty years of experience in music, I've grown to love these rants. I'm watching as I have my coffee at noon (I'm still a working musician). If you get through to one young (in some cases, not so young) singer, this will be worthwhile. Keep fighting the good fight Glen.
Ditto
That feel when you refresh YT page and you see Glenn's new video, yeah B).
I've never been more inspired in my life to dance on stage like an inflatable car dealership tube man. Thank you, Glenn.
I sing and play guitar on stage.
I always have issues with talking in between songs and connecting with crowd.
Once I prepared my in between song speeches and tried them on my band mates on rehearsal.
Obviously I felt terrible and stiff, but it prepared me for shit that people do and say when You are on stage.
And guess what.
Next gig I was so relaxed and cool in between songs, that not only it helps my performance, but I go with the flow with people and came with not prepared parts like a boss.
After the show more people came by to high five or to take a picture than ever before.
Just try to keep it loose like you are with friends and don't be dead serious about it! ;)
@@kimo63kimo1 yeah dude.
Its always better when people are laughing and smiling.
There’s a chance that people would laugh on Your not funny joke, than admire Your 16 min balls to the wall guitar solo.
It’s because they came to have fun.
@@tomaszmikinka8681 That's the whole point! That's why we do what we do, it's a part of us and that's what we share! ;)
My choir director emphasized planning what you will say, even made us write it down and show her. It was a good lesson. That same director asked me if Symphony X was satanic though.
@@Spensa10 I don't think Ole' Lou has time for Symphony X, too busy trying to get Ted Nugent! HA! ;)
When it comes to audience reaction, give it your all no matter what. Henry Rollins told the story of how he was playing a show with Black Flag with like 3 people who didn’t care and said into the mic “here’s another song if you give a…” before being knocked to the ground by bass player Chuck Dukowski who said to him “you never give any less then your best with this band”.
I sure wouldn't want to see my first shows as a frontman back in the day. Yikes. Eventually I learned how to work the crowd, move around etc. But then all of a sudden we had some shows on really big stages instead of smaller venues and that was a total mindfuck. So one time I did too much on stage and the other too little.
To be fair: the same goes for playing guitar on stage. I used to be too focused on playing perfectly. Result? I didn't move an inch. Now I just go with it and move like I feel. Do I play some more minor mistakes on stage? Sure. Do people hear them? No. Do they remember an energetic show? Fuck yeah.
Great video once again, Glenn! Keep up the good work and never stop screaming passionately.
*IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE A FUCKING
ROCK STAR GO BE ONE. PEOPLE DON'T
WANT TO SEE THE GUY NEXT DOOR ON
STAGE: THEY WANT TO SEE A BEING
FROM ANOTHER PLANET. YOU WANT
TO SEE SOMEBODY YOU'D NEVER
MEET IN ORDINARY LIFE.
- Lemmy Kilmister
Yea I’m pretty sure he yelled it.
Lemmy taking us to school once again. And rightfully so.
@@nathaninostroza7655 it is the way
@@PooNinja and no other, period!
As a frontman in a rock cover bar band, i see myself as one of four instruments. I am not the most important person on stage, but i am the voice and it is my job to read the crowd, interact with them, and be fun. Its a fine balance between being confident and "extra" while not being too self indulgent. Alot of this is because i joined this band, they brought me in, so I never forget that it's a privelege for me to hold that mic (not cupping it lol). I do lean on my mic/mic stand alot though. I think it is most important to visibly enjoy performing, the crowd picks right up on that and lets them know its ok to cut loose and have fun too. If were not having fun onstage, aint nobody having fun on the floor
Exactly !!!!!!
13:08 Twisted Sister handled not getting good audience reactions well in their early days. Dee would say something to the effect of “if we’re not you’re thing, that’s fine, all we ask is you sing along on this ONE section” then the whole place would sing with him.
Congratulations :)
Dee and Twisted Sister grew up not to far from where I did and played a lot of local clubs on Long Island in NY for a long while. They paid their dues before they made it and they’re really cool guys. I knew them and the guys from Zebra before they recorded their first album.
Saw a video recently of Matt from Trivium even rehearsing what he was going to say as he introduced a song. Plan it out so that it flows well. Adds confidence to what you’re doing because you’ve already done it.
Matt was live on Twitch a lot over the big "C" pause, keeping his chops up on guitar, honing his audience interactions, keeping his voice in shape and training his body to stand up for hours in order to perform. He told stories, kept on chatting as he switched instruments, showed things off etc - all incredibly useful for a return to festivals and stages.
I'm not a soundman, (my brother is.) and I'm barely a musician (although I have taught myself Blues Theory as a way to understand guitar better in the last couple of years.) I used to be a wanna be rockstar but now at 60 I just like telling people to get off of my lawn.
All that said, you are entertaining and informative, and I refer my musician and sound-hippy friends to your videos all the time!
Keep up the magnificent work!
If i turn 60 although i'm a fulltime musician and i'm 30, i wanna yell at ppl to get the fuck off my lawn too. Thanks for sharing the right values in life Frank.
I want to talk about the first thing on the list.
As a frontman who hasn’t been able to play a show in 3 years (drummers in Nashville only want to play deathcore or 70s covers not punk rock, which is what I play) I feel it is extremely important for everyone who can move around to do so!
I am lead singer and the only guitar player. And I only stop moving when I’m stuck in front of the microphone.
I’m always jumping and talking to the crowd. Trying my best to be entertaining.
But damn is it tough to be the only person moving on stage in front of robots!
Even if your bass player is mouthing words and looking like he is enjoying himself goes a looooonnnnnngggg way!
Great advice Glenn!
More power to us! ;)
I agree with everything in this video 100%. I will add that the frontman should never turn his back to the audience and sing while only looking at the drummer. That happened to me during a show I played with a tribute band as their drummer during "Master of Puppets" and the video my buddy took looked ridiculous! Also, the frontman should move to the side of the stage during a guitar solo or any other soloed instrument. It's awkward and distracting if the frontman stands there during a moment he is not the central foucs of the music.
Nothing worse than a singer that does'nt know what to do!
Im lead singer in a rock cover/bar band, we play and practice in small spaces where I'm basically blocking the drummer. When my band goes into a long instrumental I'll step aside and use it as a moment to give the band some shine while i just get out of the way. I have found people love when they can actually see the drummer going off!
Like Maynard from Tool?
I know it has been a while, but here is a question for you….
How do you deal with small crowds and empty rooms ?? How do you judge how much “energy” you throw at them ??
It’s a weird one, but how do you come across as authentic rather than try hard
One thing I see musicians doing that looks amateurish- they get the wireless mic/guitar system and get so carried away showing it off that they leave the stage. They think it looks like better audience interaction but it really tells me “they’re off the stage and they should stay there.” Saw a guitarist one time showing off that he could go all over the club wirelessly. He decided to jump up on the bar while he was playing and walked right into a ceiling fan.
OMFG yes on help carry! In all my bands, it was a rule that EVERYONE offloads the drum kit and PA first. Everyone. After that, you go back to the truck to get your own kit, and everyone helps each other because you can seriously injure yourself trying to carry a full amp stack on your own. If you only sing, you aren't done until everyone else is done. Period.
I remember when my singer wouldn't help me move "OUR" gear because I was "late". I wasn't late, we were headlining and didn't have to be on stage for another hour. I had just worked ALL day and had to haul most of "OUR" equipment to the show because our band was using my amp, my guitar and I played MY drums (I was the drummer). He said, "you're late" I said "okay, I just got off work and most of our gear is in my car. I'll just go home then". That's how you get the singer to help move your drums. Don't fuck with me. We're playing a shithole bar, I've had a LONG day, and I've got no fucks left to give.
Couldnt have got it more right with Steel Panther being the masters, I saw them a couple weeks ago and the crowd interaction was incredible, I had so much fun being a part of the audience
Glenn, if you really want to see the greatest frontmen….and women….in the world, look no further than Cuban salsa music. From the old school to more modern bands, these people sing their hearts out, they generate hype, and they NEVER stop moving. Even the backup singers never stop moving. Check out singers like Tirso Duarte. Mandy Quintero. Mayito Rivera. Celia Cruz. Pedrito Calvo. Vanessa Formell. Yasser Ramos. There are countless examples. It’s not metal, but metal singers sure could learn from them. Even as they age, they still move just like when they were younger.
This was probably the funniest video I’ve seen on this channel.
These people came out to hear you doing what you love!! That is a tremendous gift and opportunity to shine. Be appreciative of those people supporting your dream!! Remind them they’re beautiful, incredible human beings and that you’re there to put a cramp in their necks and make their ears ring for two days! Lol. You know the glory that comes with Metal music!!
Bring it straight from the heart!! Not to sound cliché!! Put every ounce of your life force into it ! The crowd will know if you’re holding back!!
i'm a vocalist/frontman/keyboard player in a 80's cover band .... so i'm the total opposite of metal, but I still watch your videos because there is always something to learn from "almost" every genre and pro musican/advice giver/engineer... blah blah blah. Awesome video and great advice that can be applied to every performer and front man no matter what style of music you're playing.... and agreed, Steel Panther are fricken awesome (and that coming from a 80's Europop/dance music guy!)
This was packed full of good info, Glenn. An a good bit of legitimate laughs.
Good shit, keep it coming man. 👌🤘
As a frontman I am proud to announce I already did all of this stuff. Yes I even carry my weight with the packing and unpacking of gear (mainly because I own most of the gear and don’t trust the other boneheads enough to touch my shit). Glenn please pat me on the back!
I do too man, and I'm 6'4 270lbs size 16EEE feet, so I am more than capable of loading in and out . Tip, get a high velocity fan for the front of stage. Keeps you cool and with long hair or loose clothes gives the illusion of more movement and imagery. Got the Idea from Jeff Walker of Carcass
@@KyOte13 I did it too and don't do that, then again I was a guitarist and bassist before a frontman so I know the struggle.
My band, Suturist played our first show ever on Saturday (5 days ago) and I’m the Vocalist. I can confidently say I did everything on this list except “Learn From Past Performances” since it was our first show. 😅
Local Metal show and we got over 240 people in the door, I had the time of my life. We had someone record the entire set and I’m watching it like game footage, which is why I can confidently say I (and my band as a whole) did all of these things.
That being said, there is ALWAYS room for improvement. The A/C was out that night and it KILLED my stamina. Was a very humbling experience struggling through the set sweating my ass off but still sounding halfway decent on the receiving end. I can’t wait to do more shows so I can continue refining and building on the steps you laid out in this video!
Great advice! As always.
Dude Lewitt released a microphone with a mic cupping prevention feature. You're changing the world, one dummy at a time.
There is a rock band here in central Texas called American Merit I have had the pleasure of sharing a bill with a couple of times now. The first time I was blown away, not just by the quality of the songs and playing, but the fact that it was like 38 minutes into the set before the music stopped. Each member got a pause to rest/tune/drink water etc but they employed lots of segues and even when there was a break between songs at least two members were keeping a groove going. I asked them about it and it was definitely rehearsed. They said they had had a band meeting and in it what to do to minimize dead time between songs had come up. It really made them one of the most professional sounding local acts I have ever seen. I think my band had just as good songs and playing, but the professionalism of the show they put on was just several steps above.
"corn hub" lol I'm dying Glen, no really laughing too hard, I'M DYING GLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEN
I borrowed that from an Oliver Tree / Little Big music video 😬
@@zizgorlin good move it’s hilarious
Best frontman I’ve ever seen live: Roger Daltrey! He has got it ALL
A friend of mine told me a story about going to a Who concert at an Air Force base. There was some kind of alert that called all personnel to stations, so the theatre was nearly empty. My friend said The Who came out and did an amazing show. That is consummate professionalism.
“I want to stop the song to take a short 20min to talk about an issue that’s close to my heart.”
That’s what a good front man does.
I saw Bono do it many times. 😂
11:42 Tell that to the Greta Van Fleet vocalist! I went to Firenze Rocks last Sunday to see Metallica, but I arrived earlier, and they were playing. I don't really know them but boy was the concert boring... the vocalist didn't really interact, he just stood there doing his thing and so did the rest of the band. On the other hand, Metallica has a *huge* stage presence. It might've seemed less boring as I actually know their songs, but they still have a lot more crowd interaction.
Freaking love this Chanel man, great video!
Do a "How to NOT COMPLETELY SUCK at being a Lead Guitarrist"
hmm... that might be a great idea!
Er... I'm guilty of leaving my amp on standby for the first song of the set.... Thank God there was two guitarists in the band.
I am in tune most of the time and don't keep switching up the volume on my amp after soundcheck in my defense!
Glenn screaming "Stop cupping the mic..." at .25 is probably the funniest thing I'll see all day and it's only 0750! Yes, I am easily pleased...I'm a bass player!
Neck hurts, tried to follow Glenn's orientation during the intro.
P.S.: Used to be a bassist.
Pretty sure we've all had to play bass at one point or another... can't everyone be a guitar player
@@sqlb3rn had to? bruh wdym
also playing bass is really fun
@@lucyfer_the_bat I have no idea what "bruh wdym" means, just type the fucking words.
@@sqlb3rn wdym you don't know what wdym means
@@lucyfer_the_bat no dude I'm not a walking fucking dictionary of internet slang
This is why I loved 80s glam rock. Most of the bands I saw live put on a great show!! They looked cool and they played to the crowd. It was awesome. And usually only cost 20 bucks.
If I want to be bored I'll go to a jazz show. - My sentiments exactly regarding jazz music. Incredibly musical and technically excellent, boring as watching paint dry to listen too. Also getting a singer to invest in a good mic or in-ear? Good luck with that. They're even bigger cheap skates then bass players.
Addendum: If you want to observe great front men or women, go to a gym and join a group fitness class. Those instructors sink or swim on their ability to get a room full of people to jump and move with enthusiasm.
Never thought about the gym thing. Great idea.
Which “jazz shows” are we talking about though? They have as many sub-genres as metal. Snarky Puppy does a pretty energetic set…
Jazz can seriously kick ass live. It does originate as dance music after all. Just avoid the fancy-pants crowd and orchestras and go see a quartet at a bar. The energy can be extreme.
As a singer that has played in front of no one and thousands, sang Gregorian chant in the dark (it was cool) and is just now getting into a new band at 60, this was a great preso. Some good reminders. And no, I was never the guy who just carried his microphone to a gig. Dad worked for a living and taught me right.
I remember, back in 2014 I was at a folk metal concert, and the opening act was dressed in all suits and ties. Looked quite interesting and created a dissonance between their looks and tone.
I have health issues and have to sit now, but I give it my all, so much so I've nearly fell out of my chair, or slid backwards, this was great and I no longer feel bad for having to sit down because this made me realize I still give it all I have, even when I can't breath.
"If I wanna be bored I'll go to a Jazz show." Glenn is officially based.
Thanks Glen, while I already do almost everything you said here I got some new things to work on 🤘
Before I watch the video - there is one thing that I wish wannabe rock stars would finally stop doing, because it makes an extremely bad impression and I've seen it more than enough times at local music festivals. Please, do not hit on girls in the audience while you're on stage. Do not make comments. Just... Don't. Please.
This is actually interesting advice.
Every band on earth needs to listen to Glens band advice videos. Nail on the head every single time.
#10 is like a check list of things you should do if you're fronting a punk band in the 70's- 80s.
As a frontman of, well, more bands than I'd like to admit... I've broken all of these... I didn't really figure it out until I started being a singer/songwriter and on a stage by myself... only then did I learn. Great video, love the content
I've got one:
Do not "read the room!"
YES, you should actually read the room, but you're only doing that to inform and supplement what you're REALLY doing: LEADING the room.
You are not there to be a follower. Being onstage is a LEADERSHIP position. You are there to create an experience, not wait around for others to tell you what that experience should be. If your primary goal is "read the room," you're already doing it wrong. Take control and lead the room first, THEN read the room to do it better.
Billy and Dusty used those super cool synchronized steps once in a while.
While I strongly doubt some people's ability to read I highly recommend Atom Habits by James Clear and Be Exceptional by Joe Navarro. Both these books contain actual usable tools that you can apply to anything including your show, practice regime and more.
First book is basically a collection of all we know about the science of human habits, if you want to improve your practice, speed up getting on and off stage, get off your drug addiction etc you will find a lot of useful advice here.
The second book is by a former FBI interrogator and one of the best experts in human behavior and body language. His book has many tools you can use on and off stage to achieve your goals. This book will help you better read a room which is one of the most important skills as a frontman.
Being friendly and helping out with the other band members setups will make people want to continue working with you. The music business is so much more than what goes on when you’re on stage. As a singer, always help out with the other crew members tasks if you can and you will be much more respected than if you were to just stand there and smoke.
One thing I love about this guy's videos is that the sound IS ALWAYS NORMALIZED!! Even when he shouts, my neighbors don't have to "enjoy" his rants. Why can't other content producers do this simple thing???
EXACTLY!!!
I think of warming up the vocal chords in the same vein as tuning an instrument.
It doesn't take a lot of effort, but gets the throat and mind ready for the neck gymnastics the organ's gonna be subjected to.
We wouldn't expect the musicians to play without making sure they're in tune, have stretched-in strings etc, so why should vocalists think they can just rock up to a mic and sing perfectly in tune?
This is a great video/topic, and you're an invaluable benefit to our greater community for selflessly giving us dumbasses a needed knuckle to the proverbial jaw.
David Lee Roth! he did it all. Van Halen is a band with so many great do's and don'ts.
I knew a lot of these but the last point on get an Audible sub and book up in charisma and crowd psych is gold. Great points, I am not even metal but I watch you a lot.
yes, this editor knows what he's doing.
or maybe its the script writer. this video is gonna be a classic.
🤘🏻 thanks! This was a lot of fun to edit. Glenn usually gives me the dry demos and informational stuff 😅
"Help carry the equipment" - That's such important advice for the burgeoning rock frontman. I can see why you thought it merited the second spot on your list.
"Don't insult the Audience", is spot on advice.
Heh... I saw Nitzer Ebb open up for Depeche Mode back in like 1991 or something. I remember Nitzer Ebb was pretty freaking dull on stage. It seems the took their club show and did exactly that in a huge arena and people didn't get it. And at one point the singer says in a gothy stoic kinda voice, 'nobody is dancing... why?' So, right there, he's asking why the audience sucks, or whatever. A bunch of people shouted back to the stage, 'because you suck!'
Don't ask questions when you don't want to hear the answer, especially at large crowds.
Also working on those stage speeches would be nice. I love those "All right, how is it going so far? Ahm... Are you with us? Ahm... All right... Ahm..."
Great editing on this one.
My high school garage band back in the day, Broken Coccyx, had 3 singers, first guy Tim spoke or rapped his lines, couldn't sing worth a crap, looked like a 15 year old Opie from The Andy Griffith Show, but he was our buddy so he got a shot. Singer 2 Phil sang with his eyes closed, just standing there, but sounded pretty good, Tom Arayaish. Our 3rd guy Wayne sounded Brian Johnsony, he jumped around, did action poses, made stupid faces, air guitared etc. He was inspired by David Lee Roth and Eddie Murphy's stand-up. Don't know what ever happened to him after high school. Everyone liked Wayne.
David Coverdale "don't turn your back on the audience". So true. The audience is there to see you and usually the frontman only (Angus excepted). The frontman is the one communicating most clearly. You are the focus of their attention. But as soon as you turn your back you take that focus away and the audience is left scrabbling to find a new one. It's why Coverdale will sidle up to the guitarist during a solo to 'give' the focus to the player. The only time you should turn your back to the audience is when you specifically don't want them to look at you - during another player's solo spot for example, or god forbid, a drum solo.
Japanese rock and metal bands really go that extra mile, when it comes to stage presentation and theatrics..🤘
GLEN!!! I played a show once and it was everyone's first time playing except me and my singer was bombing hard. He also kept apologizing in and after songs for messing up. I told him after that he shouldn't have done that because no one would have noticed or gave a fuck. Everyone else did good and we actually got some compliments.
Scott Weiland was a great performer live. So much energy and charisma.
Putting on a show was always a priority in the 70s, 80's, early 90's.
Intro music, nobody sees the band for 10-30 min before showtime, segues, light and sound cues, breakdowns, a bit of choreography- even if simply "groove in place".
But you still cannot suck musically.
We sometimes managed to not horribly suck and put on an actual show...sometimes.
Look at the late Lux Interior frontman of the Cramps. That guy could entertain. He would often put the mike in his mouth.
Glenn said "You're just playing with yourself"... Lol
This whole thing KICKED ASS!!!!!!!😁👍🏻ROCK ON!!!!!!!🤘🏻🤙🏻✌🏻
Thanks for the advice! This will help me for my first gig.
My bands have turned around so many shit shows by simply saying to each other "let's fuck them up. Crank it to eleven and and make them dance". And it works.
Bruce Dickinson from Iron Maiden is the best example of a front man who is always moving while singing and sounds awesome and knows how to get the crowd going even as a older man his endurance is off the charts and constantly kicks ass every thing he brings to the table makes him the best Up The Irons 🤘
He's like a gold standard for frontmen.
Another guy who's a great frontman is Joey Tempest.
why was this the most i've laughed at all ur videos
I remember watching an interview with Bruce Dickinson and he said he took his cues from old Vaudeville performers, how they made grand gestures on stage. He also said that he wants the kid stuck all the way in the back of the stadium/arena to be able to see him, so he tries to make himself as big as possible on stage. One singer taking that cue is Brent Smith from Shinedown, he stands on a block and projects himself physically and vocally in any venue.
And once again ,another fun and enlightening video. Loved it!
Still here for the outtakes 😄
Mindblowing concept that only one or two bands I've been in could understand: Practice the show. Not just the songs, the entire show. We aren't naturally talented entertainers, but let's just make it look like we are. Put cues and direction on the setlist, like after the second song, singer does some banter while guitarist changes instruments, after 4th song drummer needs to change something, so we do a little back and forth silly stuff. Just make sure that there's never a point when nobodoy knows what to do.
Although not particularly a fan of the band, I ended up at a Jackyl show back in the day and I think that's the most entertained I've ever been.
I’m a guitarist and got turned into a frontman by necessity. Thank you for this video! I love you telling me to get my shit together!
Apparently I need to start adjusting my hi hat a lot more! Thanks Glen!
Great tips, even for seasoned stage vets who may forget some of these from time to time (yeah, I’m admittedly looking in the mirror as I say that! Lol)…I was a drummer for years, and when I switched to being a frontman back in 2004 or so I just never saw the merit of not helping not only my band but other bands on the lineup help drag gear in and setup. Everyone always seemed so shocked and I didn’t get why til we did some shows with the “wannabe rockstar singers” you spoke of. That said, I just kinda like being involved in the whole process anyway (I play many instruments, love live sound and setup, recording, management, etc)…not a control freak, I just have an interest in the process from all angles. Also, I couldn’t resist…I took heed of what you said and listened to the cupping part at .25 percent speed. Fuckin Hilarious!! Thanks and fuck you Glen!!