A live concert can be exciting and memorable for both the performers and the audience. Many musicians describe an adrenaline rush from performing in front of a live audience. The energy of the spectators feeds them emotionally and creatively.
To make the concert experience better for your audience as well as yourself, you should invest in some essential equipment. Your audience probably won’t enjoy the concert unless they can see you as well as hear you, so sound and lighting equipment are among the essentials.
Amplification
Even in a relatively small venue, it can be difficult for audience members to hear you, especially if you are outside or the venue is something like a coffee house where commerce is still going on. You’re probably already aware of the need for microphones, not only for the vocalists in your band but for instruments such as drums as well.
Wireless mics offer a lot of advantages over the traditional version, but they are more expensive. If you cannot afford wireless mics, you may also have to invest in mic stands that free up your hands so that you can play an instrument. Vocalists who do not play instruments may not require mic stands but may appreciate the relief they provide, especially during a long set.
Electric guitar amps for gigs are essential as well. Unlike an acoustic guitar, an electric guitar needs external amplification. So that all the members of your band can hear one another, it is also important to have monitors set up to convey the sound back to people onstage.
Lighting
Live concerts are increasingly audio-visual experiences. There are many ways that lighting can be used to enhance music performance. At the very least, the audience should be able to see you, and you should be able to see what you are doing on stage. For this, you typically need spotlights.
At baseline, spotlights are usually white, but you can add gels to change this as desired. A gel is a special sort of colored film that goes in front of a stage light. However, if you want the colors to change during the show, you need color and wash lights, a different type of equipment. Stage lighting needs to be mounted somewhere, and stands and trusses allow you to arrange the positioning according to your needs.
While it may seem so basic as to be obvious, you will also need cables to supply your sound equipment and lights with the power they need to operate.
