How to Frontman: What makes for a great Bandleader?
Leading a band is actually quite a tricky thing. You need to sound great, sure. You should be able to sing well, and you should be able to play well. But there are actually a great deal more responsibilities associated with leading a band at a wedding or a corporate event. Here’s some lessons I’ve learnt from a decade of gigs:
Know how to communicate effectively with your musicians. I've seen plenty of singers who don't play an instrument struggle to communicate what they need from their band. This can have disastrous results at an event. If you are booking a singer who doesn't play an instrument, make sure that they are experienced at working with other musicians. You'd be surprised how many people just get a call up because they can hold a tune.
Know how to communicate effectively with your client. When it comes to covers gigs, your client’s preference is your number one responsibility. After all, they’re the one paying the invoice! To be a great bandleader - you need to to be able to communicate in a winsome way - with respect and clarity.
Know how to communicate effectively with a crowd. Dealing with people on a dance floor is a dynamic on every gig I play. Can you field requests from the drunken uncle.. or ignore the requests in a way that doesn’t make him angry?
Pick the right songs. This one is simple. It’s your job to pick the right music for the event.
Know the role that each instrument plays in the song, and pick up the slack when those instruments are missing. I play guitar and sing.. sometimes electric, and sometimes acoustic. A lot of my band work has been as a 3 piece - drums, bass, and me on electric guitar and vocals. So many songs use synth and keys for key parts, and if you don’t have those instruments in your band - YOU need to cover them on your instrument.