Eleven Elements of Live Performance
by Kevin Herchen
www.kevinherchen.com

Definition
A live performance is anything where people are listening to an artist perform, paid or unpaid.  Whether it is a house party, a campfire, or a bar, if there are patrons listening - it's a live performance.

Promotion
I promote my shows as much as I possibly can.  I begin by sending text messages to all of my friends because it’s a sure way to reach them quickly.  Then, I send an email to my mailing list, thanking those who came to recent shows and inviting everyone to upcoming shows.  Once I joined MySpace, I started sending bulletins to all of my "friends" on there and inviting them to visit my MySpace site and my official site, www.kevinherchen.com, for the calendar of shows.

Preparations
I prepare by practicing a little, stretching the fingers on the fret board and singing some of the more arduous melodies - like an athlete would stretch his legs before a competition.  I don't do too much, but just enough to get in the right frame of mind to play and feel prepared for the performance.

Setlist
My setlist does vary from show to show.  I try not to play the same show twice, especially at the same venue.  It keeps me interested and it keeps my audience interested.  I keep track of what songs I've played from week to week and in what order, so that I may vary it the next time I play.  Setlists are also unique to the venue.  If there is a venue that is designed for live music performances, I will normally play more originals, but if it is a bar where people haven't come to expect a live performer, I will play more cover songs - so as to mimic the jukebox that they would normally use as their source of entertainment.  I try to mix the setlist to jump from cover to original and cover to original, that way if the audience begins to stray I can bring them back in with a cover song that they recognize and the moment when they identify the song is a satisfying one.

Connect
I don't speak much at shows, but I try to get the audience as involved as they are willing to be and each night is a different experience and interaction.  I introduce myself and thank them for coming or thank them for applauding.  I tell them that I am there to play covers and originals and usually at that time someone will ask if I take requests and I will tell them “yes, I do”.  If I don't know the particular song that they want to hear, 9 times out of 10 I know another song by the same artist and everyone is happy with that.

Energy
The crowd and my music keep me energized during the show.  I am intrinsically motivated to play music, but it is always more exciting when people are enjoying the music I am playing and are physically showing it.  If there are people smiling, tapping their feet, or singing along, I know I'm doing my job well and that keeps me going. It's exciting when the audience is wrapped up in conversation but for that brief moment they mouth a lyric from the song I'm playing or give me a nod of recognition.  It's funny how it may seem like I'm a bystander playing in the background but when I look around I see physical signs that people are listening and enjoying the music.

Nerves
I usually don't get nervous much anymore and I think it's mainly because I played every week at open mic Tuesdays at the Century Lounge in Providence, RI - where it was a live performance, but most nights I'd be singing to only the sound tech and the bartender.  Even though the crowd was small, almost non-existent, I became comfortable with the whole experience and built confidence in myself.   If I do get nervous, it's usually the first time I play a new venue and it usually doesn't last very long.  Most of the time the nervousness comes from anxiety because I'm excited to be playing somewhere new and I want to actually take the stage and perform.  The nerves settle once I actually begin doing what I love - playing the music.

Pet Peeves
Pet peeves are obvious ones such as, people attempting to sing with me in the microphone, people not  giving me space, or realizing that I'm not just there for them, but that I'm putting on a show for the venue.  Most of the time, I can deal with all circumstances and have come to expect certain scenarios that arise because of the nature of venues.

Goals
Get better every single time - sound better, put on a better show, engage better, just be better every show.

Experience
The best concert I ever attended was in 2001 at Lupo's in Providence, RI.  I won tickets from 107.3 WAAF to see 3 Doors Down, but what I didn't know was that an unknown band named Nickelback was opening for them that night.  My friend, Chris, and I arrived early and hung around waiting to see 3 Doors Down and hear their one hit song at the time, "Kryptonite."  Well, while waiting to see 3 Doors Down, we were blown away by Nickelback and forgot that we were there supporting another band.  The energy of this band was unmatched and I couldn't believe how good every song was.  It was the first and last time that I ever bought a CD of a band at a show.  I had to buy what I had just heard.  I had to listen to it on the way home from the club.  I knew then that they would be a huge success and I am so glad I was able to see them at a local venue at that time.

Suggestions
I'll give the advice that Lionel Richie gave me when I met him while working at the Warwick Musical Theater in Warwick, RI:  "Never give up, just keep sending your tapes to anyone who will listen, don't stop."