For most musical artists, the chief source of income is actually the live performance as opposed to their recorded music. Albums and singles do bring in revenue, but with so many groups and individuals taking their piece of the pie, there is very little left for the artists creating the music.

So what makes one live performance stand out among the rest?

Having personally been to hundreds of live concerts, there are many memorable moments, but each of my favorite concert experiences have been great for completely different reasons. To best explain what I feel makes a concert worth attending, I have broken a show down into six distinct categories with their percentage of influence on the show’s greatness as a whole.





The Band or Artist (40%)

Obviously the band or artist has the most to contribute to a show’s success. This category can also be broken down into sub-categories as follows:

The Performance (20%) – There is a distinct difference between playing your songs well and giving them everything you’ve got. Most bands and artists can play their music well, but the few that put their heart and soul into every performance are the ones you will remember forever.

Crowd Interaction (10%) – Anyone who has seen the likes of Coldplay, Billy Joel, or Elvis Costello in concert knows what crowd interaction can do to your level of enjoyment. When a musical artist acknowledges the crowd and encourages participation, the crowd will almost always respond positively.

How Big a Fan Are You? (10%) – If you go to a concert unfamiliar with the music, there’s an excellent chance you’ll still enjoy yourself if everything else falls in place. However, the anticipation that builds before the start of a show and the thrill of recognition when your favorite songs are played live add a great deal to the overall experience.





The Sound (20%)

Have you ever been to a show where certain instruments are completely lost in the mix? If so, you probably remember how much that affected your overall enjoyment of the concert. You might see an artist singing or witness them playing their instrument, but the balance is so poor that they could be doing nothing and your ears wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. Maybe the bass is way too loud or the microphones are causing feedback. Whatever the issue may be, bad sound has the power to completely ruin an otherwise great performance. On the other hand, if the people controlling the faders and knobs behind the scenes are good at their job, the result can be nearly as crystal clear as a studio recording. The artists who spend the most time making sure their live mixes are perfect are the ones you will want to come back and see again.





The Crowd (15%)

Yes, you too have the power to make a concert special. Earlier this year, I saw Fleet Foxes perform at Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN. While the performance was unbelievably special, the crowd was extraordinary. There was a hushed silence as the band played their songs; the fans hanging on every word. Then, as each selection came to a close, the air ignited with thunderous applause. You could tell that neither the fans, nor the band wanted the show to end. The crowd gave each member of the band the drive to put on the best show they ever had together and with a less enthusiastic crowd, the night would have been completely different.





The Lights (10%)

If lights didn’t have the power to entertain by themselves, fireworks and laser light shows wouldn’t exist. Big arena shows utilize lights to keep every member of the audience from the front to the very back engaged and there are definitely some acts that utilize them better than others. On the other hand, even small coffee house shows can benefit from a bit of light variation once in a while. The lights certainly don’t hold all the cards, but they can be a treat for the eyes regardless of what the ears are hearing.





The Venue (10%)

There’s a huge difference between seeing your favorite band as part of an outdoor festival and seeing them in a local music venue. The venue not only dictates how many people can see the show, but it can also play a role in the sound and your proximity to the stage. Large and small venues both have potential to produce once in a lifetime concert experiences, but having been to many, it’s clear some venues are more ideal settings for music than others. Ask anyone who has been to a concert at Red Rocks or The Gorge and they’ll tell you why.





The Stage (5%)

Ok, the stage may not seem like it could add anything to a show, but if you’ve seen a show where it has, you might even be arguing for more than 5%. Look up videos for the most recent Muse tour, for instance. It included three giant pillars with the ability to both raise and lower each band member multiple stories into the air. On a smaller, but equally impressive level, The White Stripes used to make sure that absolutely everything on stage was either red or white. The stage’s importance can be anything from huge ramps to artistic backdrops, but when a band takes the time to make the sight of their stage impressive by itself, you know you’re in for some entertainment.





Musicians, if you’re looking to impress your fans at your next concert, follow these guidelines and I promise it will be a memorable night. Forget about just one of these aspects, however, and your performance may fall into the sea of mediocrity that leads to the inevitable demise of countless acts.