Coaches Corner
Was Your First Time Good For You? Emceeing …
It’s always fun to emcee at a live concert. However, that first time walking out on stage to bring on an act can feel like a baby being thrown into a swimming pool to learn survival skills. It can be nerve-racking. According to many air talents I talked to, instructions can be as broad as “ad-lib and get the audience hyped.”
Not My First…But Most Memorable…
There is one emcee job I’ll never forget. It was at the Holiday Star (demolished in 2018) in Merryville, IN, just outside of Chicago. I was working at a Country station WUSN (US99) in Chicago and had emceed a lot of shows at the resort’s theater. I don’t remember the name of the act, but I do remember what happened.
It Was My Home Away From Home…
I knew the stagehands at the theater and whenever I was scheduled to emcee, I would go to the venue early for a free meal and joke around with them. Only this night they had fun with me. The booth announcer signaled to head on stage and greet the audience. The venue seated about 2,500 people and it was packed.
Something’s Up…
Normally concert crowds would clap loudly when I’d go on mic and say US99, but not that night. I said my name, welcomed the audience, made a couple of stage announcements, and mentioned our latest on-air contest. I was trying to get the crowd to make some noise when I asked, “What’s your favorite radio station?” I heard crickets—nothing. I was trying to see past the bright lights to figure out what was going on. Meanwhile, out of the corner of my eye, I could see stagehands and the booth announcer laughing.
They Didn’t Tell Me…
I was only on stage for a couple of minutes, but it seemed like an eternity. The lack of response had me stumbling over the introduction of the act, but the audience did cheer as the curtain lifted revealing the featured artist. Meanwhile, I came off stage with a serious case of flop-sweat and the backstage crew was laughing loudly. They finally told me the deal. Most of the audience had come in on buses from outside the Chicago area and had never heard of me or US99.
If It’s Your First Time…
Your job is to get the audience applauding and introduce the act to kick off their performance. The most important things to remember are smile, don’t shout into the mic, tell the audience what station you’re from, say your name, read the stage announcements, get the crowd clapping loudly, say the name of the music/record company that the act is signed to, and above all, pronounce the performer’s name correctly. Instead of relying on your memory, write their name out phonetically to get it right.
Just So You Know…
Many established performers have their own personal emcees or have someone on their crew to do the job. Too many local emcees are unpredictable with introductions. Besides that, having the same person emcee every show ensures the performer will know exactly when it’s time to come out on stage. It’s like the baseball pitcher who always wants the same catcher every time he starts a game. There is a level of comfort.
Hopefully This helps…
If your Program Director wants you to bring an act on stage, don’t be afraid to ask what you’re supposed to say. A couple of other tips; ask a stagehand which mic to use before going on stage, don’t squint from the bright stage lights, find one person to look at in the crowd to direct what you’re going to say, and pay attention to how others handle their emcee duties. No worries, emceeing gets easier with more experience.
And if you need some friendly advice, drop me an email; samweaver@samweavermedia.com or text me, (972) 672-4812.