​Preparing for a show: What a successful dress rehearsal looks like

We’re here! It’s the week of Littleton School of Music’s top hits of the 80’s tribute show. All of our groups are excited and ready to take the stage at The Toad Tavern this Saturday. That being said, we like to call this week dress rehearsal. Now, that might make more sense if you’re in a play or music class at school, but what does that mean for musicians and bands in our Rock Band Program?
 
Dress rehearsals for performers of any kind are key to a successful performance. Musicians included. This is just a run through of how you want your performance to be. And the more attention to detail, the better! So let’s get into some things that help you have a successful dress rehearsal, and even better performance!
 
Map out what you want to say
Now, you don’t need a word for word script. But in between songs are you going to talk to the audience? Maybe introduce band members, or a new song? It’s important to map out your talking points. You should know what songs you want to talk between, and loosely what you want to say. You don’t need a script but have a game plan. Most importantly say it during dress rehearsal!
 
Timing your set
Yeah it’s cool that you know these songs. But do you know how long it takes to play all of them? Venues allow performers to perform within a time limit. Sometimes that’s 25 minutes, sometimes it’s one hour! What’s important is you know how long you’re on stage and if your set is too long. We know you’re saving your best song for last. If you don’t time yourself, you might find that you ran out of time and don’t have enough time to share that cool song.
 
It’s not just practice, it’s a performance
If people wanted to listen to music, they can listen at home. But when you perform they want a show! Stage presence can really bring your music to life. So don’t be shy at dress rehearsal! Give it 100% because that’s how you want to perform!
 
One more note about performing. I practice in pajamas. True story. I’ll get up in the morning, and just grab my guitar. It’s a great way to start the day! But when I’m on stage, performing, I do not play guitar in my pajamas! Plan what you and your band are going to wear to the show to make an even bigger impact with your performance.
 
You’re music is solid. Be confident in your musical abilities. That’s the number one part of any show. All the stuff above is second to your music. But you sound amazing! So practice your music, but also practice what it’s like to be on stage so you can make the most of your performance.
 
We’ll see you at the show!

Do you want to be a part of our Rock Band Classes? Do you want to start with Private Music Lessons and work your way up? Whatever type of lessons you want from Guitar Lessons to Piano Lessons to Singing Lessons, we've got you covered. At Littleton School of Music we love getting your call or you can simply REQUEST INFO and send us your thoughts. We look forward to meeting you soon!