The band's music (songs) aside, do you have any tricks or trusted formulas to get the full attention of the audience throughout a concert/gig?

How about clothes, different instruments, or things you do on stage, etc, anything really?

Maybe there are things you have found to be disastrous when done or performed on stage?

Are there any things you hate to see the band do on stage when you're watching a gig?

My first suggestion is never to give your bandmates a surprised look or a look full of hatered when they have made a mistake or screwd sth up in a song, say a wrong chord. I guess you just have to smile along cause the audience will definitely notice what's happened. When I was watching a video of a concert of an unknown band and saw the surprised faces once the bass player made a mistake, I felt it should never have happened.

BTW - very cool video by Travis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0v5TMgimk6U&NR=1

MOODY LIGHT!

and right on the spot....

Its all down 2 the Frontman...........

normally (but not allways) the singer in a group
hes the guy that engages the music with the audience.....has a conversation with them
the audience will allways engage first with with him/her
His/her success is down to the band being organised ( thru rehearsal ) to play behind him/her
So that the 'set' appears smooth and natural

FRONTMAN IS THE KEY

Fish

Don't  try to hard!! I see this with a lot of beginning bands.  also  Practice your show some what,  build the song list, then build your sets, then practice the sets in order (everything is always subject to change though), this helps you be mentally prepared for what is coming up next concerning the show (guitar/keyboard/effects settings , changes  or whatever). 

Know your music, practice , practice , practice. When you know your music you can relax on stage and just let it flow, you don't have to worry so much about mistakes (you'll make them anyways).

Focus everything to the audience but keep all the bad stuff hidden, don't draw attention to mistakes or  feedback problems, guitar cable problems, drummers on fire, whatever, keep up the front (there is nothing wrong and everything is working perfectly)  high school plays , plus a college ensemble that had music and dancing (required course) the class instructors  taught me the importance of that,... plus watching pro  bands  ...........show the audience only what you what them to see.

edit: Part 2 : What Bothers Me:

P.S The video is probably very close to the truth for lots of bands. 

I could go on and on here but here are the top few. 

1,  band mates talking on stage to each other for 5 minutes between every song. (work up a set list)
2  not knowing your music... sloppy performance , bad timing, getting lost during the turn arounds ect.
3. not looking like you enjoy what your doing.  if you look or act bored, or aren't happy about what your doing 
    the audience will pick up on it., also if your to scared or nervous (you can turn the nerves into a plus ).
4  Lots of times this is not the bands fault, but... terrible front of house mix.   if the soundman sucks the band could be great , but if the F.O.H mix sucks, ...... then to the audience's ears the band sucks (first hand knowledge of this one several times).

anyway  just a few of my ideas.

P.S the video is very close to the truth for lots of bands.

The band I started is playing a band battle next week in the capital of Poland (Warszawa - Warsaw) and I happened to find what all band are going to be jugded upon. This may help to see whatyou should pay attention to when deciding if your band is ready to go out on stage and play. Each section the jury will award poitns for has been subcategorized as follows:

1. Band's sound: max 25 points

- band coordination
- good selectivity (guess it's about whether you can hear each instrument or not when the whole band's playing)
- attuning of musical instruments / also harmonies used /
- rhythmics
- vocal abilities/performance

2. Musical composition: max 10 points

- originality
- idea / creativeness

3. Lyrics: max 10 points

- clarity / understandability
- content / topic

4. Performance: max 30 points

- song arrangement
- skills and technique
- dynamics
- articulation
- interpretation of the lyrics

5. General impression: max 25 points:

- on-stage culture (being cultured while on stage??)
- way of getting your message across
- contact with audience
- being relaxed on stage

Would you add anything to that?
I hope we have all of that parfectly worked out.

Little Things

ENJOY and look like ur all enjoying it onstage!!!!

u and the band allready sound great so..................the only person left 2 f**k it up is the guy running the sound desk!!!

USE THE SOUNDCHECK WISELY and take your time ........... bully for it if u have to in a battle!!
GET IN AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE.............Time is normally a premium!! Get your manager to sort that out........
or get minimum time agreed

some points the judges are looking for

- good selectivity (guess it's about whether you can hear each instrument or not when the whole band's playing)
- clarity / understandability
- dynamics

all helped at the desk!!!

PLUS BE IN TUNE!!!!!! ( TAKE TIME ON THIS)

AND DO NOT WEAR BLACK AS THAT WILL PROBABLY MAKE U DISSAPEAR AGAINST STAGE BACKGROUND  (black seems to be a favourite colour for backgrounds at gigs???)

have a listener near or at the desk at the soundcheck if u cant get out to hear the mix he/she has to tell the desk if sounds missing  or crap.........so needs to be very assertive!!!!

BEST OF BRITISH..............

Is there a website for the competition????

Im Excited ...........let me know how u got on??

FISH