Get Your Ass Off the Stage!!!

Nothing slows down the momentum of a show more than technical difficulties. A close second is a slow-moving band.

When you’re getting on or off stage, you need to be fast. If you take too long between bands, the audience will get bored, tired, anxious, and possibly gone. You wouldn’t want them to leave before you started, so show some respect to the band playing after you and move fast.

One of my favorite bands in the world, whom I sha’n't be naming here, is very guilty of doing this. Their music is absolutely amazing, but they move like molasses. The drummer takes the cymbals off the stands on stage. ON STAGE!!

Do you know how much quicker the change-over would be if he’d pull all his stuff off stage and then removed his cymbals? We’re talking at least five minutes here. Five minutes may not sound like much, but it could be the difference between the audience hopping to a different bar to get their next drink, or sticking around for the rest of the night.

By the time the band before you is playing their last song, the guitars should be unpacked and on their stands, the amps on top of the cabs, and the drums completely set up, with cymbals on the stand. All you should have to do is get everything in the right spot and plug in. This also gives you a little extra time for a nice sound check, which never hurts.

When you’re all done, wrap up all your chords and cables and pull everything off-stage and out of the way of the next band.

“But what about the guy who comes running up to the stage and wants to talk your ear off while you’re trying to get off the stage?” Just explain politely that you will talk to him in five minutes when your shit is off stage. Believe me, he’ll understand. You’re not blowing him off, you’re just showing respect to the next band and the rest of the audience.

A good momentum is key to a great show, and a happy audience.

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