Stage banter is normally meant to be funny and loosen up an audience, and some bands have the formula nailed. Said formula might simply entail saying whatever they think and it comes off as supremely funny/intelligent/endearing, but some of us who need to sit in the dark at home for days on end just to think of ways to introduce songs may need a bit more prep, if only in the sense that they’re prepared to be open and funny and relaxed. Some of my most memorable moments from shows and concerts over the years occurred in between songs when musicians chirped back and forth between themselves and members of the audience, and while I’d imagine a lot of people enjoy a good beaking, this is a slippery slope that can get you in trouble. While the most important rule is to be yourself and act natural, there are a few guidelines I believe are important to delivering your intended message to an audience. Here are 3 tips for successful stage banter.

Photo by Flickr User dirkjanranzijn.

Be Yourself

Speaking of successful stage banter, do we really feel like acting out a sonnet in between songs is going to endear us to an audience? I’m a giant fan of The Tragically Hip, Gord Downie in particular, but if I’m on stage frollicking around and talking about this killer whale that I know then chances are the 14 people that came to watch the show at STARS (i.e. oldschool pub on Whyte Ave) aren’t leaving with any new-found respect for me or Free-Willy (haha! Get it?). Allow your banter to come naturally, maybe think of a story or two you might want to convey that actually pertain to your life and thus your music. Going off on a giant political tangent or bemusing the folly of the local sports franchise is just annoying.

Keep It Short

Remember why your audience is in attendance, so keep the Kelly Clarkson covers coming focus on the music that you and your band have worked so hard at and the crowd will inevitably care more about what you have to say in between songs. Prepare for the event that someone breaks a string or something is outta wack; make sure you have extra guitars so people don’t get bored. These switches usually take time anyway, and it will give you a great chance to tell that hilarious story about the milkman and that dog wearing a sweater that you TOTALLY JUST MADE UP ON THE SPOT.

Self-Deprecating Humour Gets Old Real Fast

A couple digs here or there at yourself or someone else in the band can be funny if they’re light and used in good taste, but people usually just get uncomfortable when they’re not sure whether or not a joke was intended. “Should I laugh? Applaud? Fall to the floor in an awkward joke-induced epileptic fit?” That last sentence is exactly what I’m talking about (YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO LAUGH). So unless you’re prepared to tell an audience precisely when to laugh, which is a pretty cheap method for getting a few chuckles, ease up on the blatant insults toward eachother/grandparents (again, insert laugh here. WHAT HAVE I BECOME?). Constantly telling your audience that the new girl in your band has AIDS might be stepping over a line in some establishments, so be respectful. And by stepping over the line, I mean HILARIOUS. *ESTABLISHING ANTI-AIDS JOKES RULES+PROCLAIMING THAT AIDS JOKES ARE HILARIOUS=OPPOSITE OF ARTICLE CREDIBILITY.*

The introductory paragraph of this article is inherently flawed; what constitutes successful stage banter? Success is obviously defined in countless ways, so how do we clarify whether or not our stage banter was successful? In my opinion, successful stage banter means that you’ve tied together your songs quickly and efficiently with a couple jokes, your audience appreciated what you had to say, and they were more endeared toward your music, which is the whole point. If they leave with a smile, you’ve been successful. However you reach that milestone is up to you.