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In an earlier post, I described my experience watching the new David Bowie documentary Moonage Daydream and how it had affected the way that I viewed myself, my music and the creative process in general.

As a songwriter/musician who is about to step back into the world of live performance, the opportunity to see this film could not have come at a better time for me.

This is because seeing the film had firmly reinforced some of my tightly held views on live performance, the music played at a live performance and the relationship between the performer and the audience.

This can all be encapsulated into one phrase… 

Don’t just be an entertainer, be a “creator of experiences” for your audience.

So, what does that mean to me? Well, first of all let’s look at what I think a live performance is (or should be in a perfect world).

A live performance should be a seamless and meaningful conversation between the performer and the audience. 

It should go a bit like this…

The performer is on stage to deliver a message to an audience who is there to receive it. The audience upon receiving the message then acknowledges the performer indicating that the conversation is now complete with the end result being both parties (ideally) enriched in some way by it.

At the end of the day, it really doesn’t matter whether you perform your own songs, other people’s songs or a mixture of both, just don’t seek to merely entertain your audience, become a “creator of experiences” for them. 

Don’t get me wrong though, I personally know of some very talented cover musicians who are wonderful entertainers and do an amazing job of showing people a good time through their live performances

However, this “entertainer” label has never sat very comfortably with me. You see, I don’t want to be just an entertainer. I want to be one of those performers that creates an experience for their audience.

I want the audience to come away from one of my gigs being able to look at the world that they’ve “escaped” from for that moment in time, in a much different way.

As a performer, I reckon you create these experiences if you utilise the following in your live performances…

  • Musicianship – You’ve got to have the musical skills to do it.
  • Vulnerability – You’ve got to fully put yourself out on a limb while doing it
  • Desire – You’ve got to really want to do it
  • Enjoyment – You’ve got to find your happy place doing it
  • Mindfulness – You’ve got to be fully aware of what you’re doing
  • Professionalism – You’ve got to know what you’re doing as you’re doing it
  • Humility – You’ve got to be humble as you’re doing it

Yes, I know it all sounds a bit lofty and maybe even arrogant of me, but this time around I would much rather set my own live performance bar as high as I can rather than just show up, go through the motions, take the money and go home again.

Of course this is irrespective of whether I am playing covers, originals or a mixture of both in my repertoire.

As Norman Vincent Peale once said… “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars” and that is what I intend to do. 

Watch this space and you’ll find out more of my upcoming gigs very soon and finally, do yourself a favour and catch Moonage Daydream before its season runs out.

Peace,

Corey 🙂

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Last Friday night (September 23rd, 2022) I went with my mate Steve to see the new David Bowie documentary Moonage Daydream and it totally BLEW MY MIND! I didn’t know much about the film but I knew that I had to see it. 

Actually, let me rephrase that last sentence… 

I didn’t know much about the film but I knew that I had to experience it. And what an experience it was.

What I had experienced was a 134 minute aural and visual masterpiece with not one second wasted on fluff, padding or irrelevant content. Everything had its place and every place had its thing.

What did take me by surprise was how the film made me feel afterwards about David Bowie and his music as well as how it might relate to me and my music. 

Now, I am in no way directly comparing myself to Bowie as a person and as a creative genius (although he is a Capricorn whose birthday is a day after mine) but not many films inspire me to ask myself questions about me as a person, my music, my creative process/output and what I’m doing about it right now.

Off the top of my head, what I initially took away from this experience was…

  • A much deeper appreciation of Bowie and his creative output
  • A greater need to examine my own life and creativity on a deeper level
  • A realisation that I just want to do my stuff
  • A realisation that I don’t “do” other peoples stuff very well and that’s not a bad thing
  • Creation is much better than imitation
  • Giving the audience what they want is not the best thing to do as an artist

Over the days, weeks and months that follow, I’m sure that more realisations and moments of clarity will appear to me and I’ll make sure that I document them here but for now, I have a lot of stuff to unpack.

My mate Steve had seen Moonage Daydream three times before going to see it with me and he indicated to me beforehand that for me to get the most out of the film, I would need to see it multiple times as well. 

I don’t normally feel inspired to see a movie more than once but with Moonage Daydream, I would gladly make an exception.

The film is a montage, anthology, historical document and a multidimensional homage to the beauty and wonder of the creative mind all rolled into one movie experience.

Moonage Daydream is something that all musicians need to go and experience at least once. Whether you’re a David Bowie fan or not.

I am glad I had my opportunity to see it and I’m a better person, musician and creative individual for doing so.

Peace,

Corey 🙂