Every famous band has some sort of gimmick that helped them propel themselves to stardom. The Beatles had the whole mop-top thing, the Who had a rock and roll image, and David Bowie–well, David Bowie’s gimmick changed pretty often. Gimmicks are part of the theater of bands, and a good gimmick can make or break a band’s buzz. Here’s a guide to finding and developing your own band’s gimmick to increase your buzz, leading to more record sales and better shows.`
1. How Are You Different? Ask yourself this very simple question; how would someone describe you after seeing your band play a set? “A good rock band” doesn’t cut it. “Awesome space rock with a banjo,” is better. Awesome space rock with a banjo and the band went nuts during every song” is better still, because the weird, unique aspect gets people to pay attention and come to your next show. Figure out how your band differs from every other band playing the venues that you play, and be prepared to exploit that difference.
2. Weird Stuff – If you can’t think of anything big right-off, consider using a weird, notable gimmick for your band’s shows. Maybe your lead singer wears makeup, or a hat, or a robe, something that draws the attention of a crowd. You might argue that they’re paying attention for the wrong reasons, but rest assured that there isn’t such a thing as a wrong reason–if your band is getting the attention of a crowd, you’re doing something right.
3. Don’t Break Character. There’s a big element of theater in playing live music, so once you get into a character and find your gimmick, don’t fall out of character. It will do you no good to dress like astronauts if you mumble and look at the floor the whole time–alternately, if you’re playing emo music, it’ll do you no good to constantly display rock star bravado. Make your mood match your music, and keep the strength of your gimmick going for your whole show.
4. Be Confident – When you’re playing music, always act confident, even if you don’t feel it. This takes time to get used to, but it’s imperative if you want to make a living playing music. Your gimmick should help your confidence–if you feel stupid, pick a new gimmick, or re-examine what’s different about your personality, stage presence, and image, and emphasize something else. All bands have a gimmick. The important thing is to be confident and constant when you’re using your band’s own gimmick.
Do you have any other tips for developing a band’s gimmick? Post in our comments section below.
