We live for the live moments…musically.
I don’t know what it is sometimes, but there is any energy to live performances that can be intense emotional stimulation. I’m not suggesting that this should be an article on music psychology, but just some observations.
There are a few energetic moments in every musical performance that I do that show me that my songs and presentation are on the right track. Entertaining an audience is super fun, but there is something so fulfilling about being on stage getting an energetic rush of musical success that helps the whole performance feel more genuine. Sometimes it’s a lyric, a really great tone on a note, or an arrangement decision that works seamlessly. That rush gives me the creative confidence I’m looking for in a performance.
The idea of creating moments is really important to me, because I know how I think. As a person, I like to gravitate to the intentional subtle gestures, the inside jokes, the witty banter, the genius content connection. Performances feel the same way. A 1-4-5-6 song doesn’t change the way I look at music, but a decision to make a strong melodic statement in a key moment in a predictable chord structure right in front of me does.
Live music lets an artist highlight the key influences of their humanity for their audience. Whether they perform original or cover music, they can’t escape showing what their music really does to them. Even in a 2 hour performance, they may give off something so subtle just once, and it lets the audience know that they were driven by that musical moment. We need that sincerity in our lives, as we all know how hard that can be to find in our daily lives.
Be energized by your live musical moments, whether you’re the one performing them or not.