How to get people to listen when performing?

"It's time! You're next!"

"Just a quick soundcheck and go for it!"

Have you ever been in this situation before? You're about to perform your best songs, but somehow your surely magnetic personality hasn't captured everyone's attention yet.

People are talking to each other, some ordering the next round, some considering whether to see one more act.

You want to grab their attention, but you're not sure how. Saying something feels awkward, you haven't prepared a joke like you saw a stand-up comedian do the other night, and what if you start playing and it just sounds... okay?

I've been in this situation many, many times, and the truth is there's no one guaranteed piece of advice that works in every situation.

There are different types of gigs, from playing in the background while people are having dinner all the way to a concert in a dedicated venue where everyone came specifically to listen. A different strategy makes sense when busking on the street than the one that works best at an open mic night.

That said, I find there are two principles worth keeping in mind. They balance each other in a way that can be powerful.

Read the room. This is where empathy comes into play. Imagine you're the listener. Do they know who you are? What are their expectations? How can you serve them best as an artist and entertainer?

Confidence. If you think too much about everyone else, it can tip over into people-pleasing, and that's where you come across as needy and scared of negative feedback. Slow down and notice how you feel, and acknowledge it. After tuning your guitar "tune up" the most important instrument: yourself.

Balancing these two elements is the key to finding the right flow between performer and audience.

In more practical terms, I find there are three main approaches:

1. Introduction - Some kind of way of announcing that something is about to happen. This is ideal, especially if there's a dedicated moderator whose job is to get people to pay attention to you. Your job then is just to unapologetically do your thing, no second-guessing. You can say a few words yourself if you like talking, but make sure it's relevant to the audience. A lot of people start putting themselves down before they even begin, because it feels safe to lower expectations, and they almost apologise for their music. Once you're on the stage, it's too late for that, so own it.

2. Something shocking - It can be anything: starting with the loudest song, a weird costume, saying something controversial, or singing a cappella when everyone expects to hear your guitar. You can get creative here, but it should be something that comes naturally to your personality and fits your music and overall vibe.

3. Let the music do the talking - Some performers, myself included, don't like doing comedy or speaking too much, so they just start playing. I find that when you turn inwards and really focus on the playing rather than overthinking the "performing" itself, people tend to gravitate to it. The key is to zone in and focus on enjoying the music, turning the stage into your practice room can be very powerful.

Bonus tip: Sometimes starting with something unprepared can be a cool tactic, like a short improvisation, if you trust yourself to do it. It's a good opportunity to get in touch with where you're at that night, and it takes the pressure of doing something "correctly" away.

Keep it funky!