Starter Discussion Points... 

• Discuss with a partner a memorable gig experience. What contributed to making it successful and enjoyable? 

How many factors do you think were brought together both on stage and behind the scenes to make it happen?

Contrast a smaller show, with a larger one. What are the differences that make each memorable?

How much did e.g. advertising/promotion, the venue, the sound quality, the setlist, audience interaction, staging/ lighting, influence the success of the gig?

WHAT MAKES A GREAT LIVE MUSIC EVENT?

Writing structure.

Preparing for a Show.

·    Choosing the right songs and creating an interesting setlist.

·      Rehearsing for a show – how can you rehearse effectively? – Discuss your experiences in your bands.

·    Choosing the right venue (type and location - what should you look for in a venue, compare different local venues (big and small, rock and pop etc))?

·    Is having good quality gear important? (Instruments, mics, amps, keyboards etc. And setting it up for gigging).

·    Marketing the show (posters, social media, word of mouth – you could compare different approaches and mediums used).  

The Show

·    Importance of the Sound system (PA) and the sound engineer. (Subs and Tops. Crossovers? Digital mixing desks, FX, which can remember settings compared with older manual desks).

·  The importance of on-stage monitoring (compare stage monitors with in-ear monitors).

·      Lighting and staging of the event (What's DMX? How can you control lights on stage), find and discuss examples and consider the importance of staging an event?

·      The importance of sound checking (What’s line-checking? How do you set levels)?

·      Communication with the Audience (compare lots of examples of bands on YouTube interacting with and engaging the audience - how do they do it)?

·      Communication between the band members (again compare lots of examples on YouTube).

·      Musicality.

·      Adapting the setlist for the audience and the importance of segues.

·      What does the audience really remember from a show so you can focus on making these moments amazing?

After the Show

·      Merchandise sales – why is this important, particularly in the early days?

·      Meeting the fans and networking - is this important - why?  

·      How to determine if it was a successful event?

o   Artistic success – perhaps you didn’t make loads of money, but the show demonstrated fantastic musicianship and creativity.

o   Financial success – how would you assess if it was a financial success?

Writing Style

·      What are your key points?

·      Research your point, identifying reliable sources of information and add a ‘quote’ that backs up your point then add the URL link and the date.

·      Add an example such as a YouTube video and discuss your example – what does it demonstrate and what have you learnt from it.

·      Compare your example or quote to a different one and discuss the key differences and similarities – why are they different / similar.

·      Discuss the effect of things. Such as how things have changed over time and why.

Bibliography

• Reference all your research sources - find a range of sources. Include relevant first hand quotes from performing artists

• Add your research source links to a Bibliography at the end of your article