performer’s edge wiTH Tom JAckSon Before you can exceed an audience’s expectations, you need to know exactly what they do expect. You might be surprised to hear what it is… Almost everyone involved (musicians and audience alike) thinks the reason people go to a concert is to hear music. So of course the usual goal for musicians and singers is to play and sing the songs perfectly. That’s like saying a movie audience goes to a movie to see great technical skills. Movie-goers don’t go to look at lighting, camera angles, blocking, or the actors’ movements, timing or delivery. They go to get pulled into the story—to experience “moments” in the film! In a concert, technical perfection is not the goal; the goal is communication. Now I’m not saying, “don’t play well.” You should nail the vocals, find great tones, play tight. But the average person in the audience doesn’t know if you’re playing a mixolydian scale, if the drummer is doing a triple stroke roll, or if the singer is hitting a high C or drinking it! Here are the real reasons an audience goes to an event: 1) To be captured and engaged. If they’re looking down at their watches and thinking the show is too long, they won’t be captured and engaged. They want to be present in the moment. They don’t want to be thinking about something else—school or work the next day, the kids at home, where they’re going after the concert—you want them completely with you all the way. 2) To experience moments. Your audience wants to be touched in some way. They want to be a participant. They don’t want to just listen to music and hear words. They want to laugh, cry and have fun. They want to learn, fellowship, hear great songs and great music (two different things, I might add). People come to experience the show. 3) To be changed or transformed. People want something to happen during the concert to move them, help them grow, make them think… they want to be changed. Is that happening at your shows? The artists I work with who really want to develop their show, run everything through this grid. They understand that if they ask themselves, “Are we capturing and engaging the audience, are we creating moments, are we changing them?”—that’s what will help them exceed their audience’s expectations. And isn’t that what we should be doing? Tom Jackson, #1 Live Music Producer in the industry, helps artists develop their show into “unique memorable moments!” A Live Music Producer does onstage with the live show, what a record producer does in the studio. Tom’s Live Music Methods make your live show engaging, exceeding audience’s expectations and creating fans for life. Many successful artists have learned from Tom: Taylor Swift, Jars of Clay, Jordin Sparks, Casting Crowns, Francesca Battistelli, Gloriana, and other acts you admire! For more info, go to www.onstagesuccess.com. 3 reasons Your auDience Goes to Your show m u s ic ia n s c o r n er http://www.todayschristianmusic.com/features/story-behind-the-song-music-for-the-radio/ story behind the song What artist doesn’t want to be on the radio? Of course calling your album Music for the Radio may come off a bit presumptuous… but that’s only if you don’t know the story behind it. Dave and Jess Ray, a couple who leads worship at Tallowood Baptist Church in Houston, Texas, did in fact create their latest album just for the radio…but a different kind. 100% of the proceeds from their album go towards purchasing radios to give to communities and villages in Sudan. On the radios, people will hear the Gospel, health news, community development information and be one step closer to improving their well-being. But enough from me. Let Dave and Jess tell you more. Dave anD Jess raY’s “muSic for THe rAdio” Album: music for the radio check out DaveanDJessraY.com For more inFormation. 52 CCM