The Power of Performance

Authors Note: This is my first music article. I don’t expect to write many, but I thought I’d give one a whirl. Despite not writing about it, I’m a big music fan and have quite a large taste of music. 

Coming from an acting background, I’m always fascinated by performance. One type of performance that has always taken my interest is the performance element in music. Sure, I like listening to music, but bands that add a theatrical element to their show really intrigue me. 

Music itself is performative. However, what I’m looking at is bands that put on a theatrical show for the audience and how it affects the viewers’ experience. Acts have always played up to the audience. Right back to the days of Elvis and Johnny Cash wearing costumes for their audience. However, during the course of time. Some acts have done this more than others. 

Glam rock is a great example of theatricality. Bands would dress up as bold and as feminine as possible. Not only, would the audience be there for the music, but also entertainment. Bands like, Motley Crue, Twisted Sister and Aerosmith would be known for putting on a show to the audience with their theatrics on stage, thus making the experience bigger and better for any of the fans watching. 

Some performers want to entertain the audience; however, some performers want to shock them with their theatrics on stage. From Alice Cooper, to Marilyn Manson, to Rob Zombie to even Lady Gaga, there are certain artists who really want to shock the audience willing to watch them. 

Sure these performances are still entertaining, but they offer the kind of entertaining that a horror movie does. You watch them to be shocked. Each of these acts adopts a different style of performance. Whether its Alice Coopers Shock Opera to Rob Zombie’s Industrial Horror Movie, each artist wants to shock its audience. 

With beheadings, blood, violence and zombies, they want the audience to be shocked anyway they can.

However, with every entertaining shock the audience is made to think. Every performance in every aspect requires the audience to ask themselves a question.  Theatrics in music is no different. The showman’s of the 1960s wanted to push the restricting boundaries of society. The Glam rockers of the 80s were question the gender roles society has dictated to them with the way they dressed and act. Even the shock rock acts have a message. 

Marilyn Manson has spent his whole career making political statements with his performances. Whether it’s a message against society or religion there is always a message there. Furthermore, Is it a coincidence that Lady Gaga sings about being ‘born this way’ while wearing fake horns implemented into her skull? I think not. See, even pop music has a message (well some of it).

Music is an expression and the theatrical element of the performance only adds to the artists’ expression. That being said, music is also entertainment and an artists performance definitely adds to the enjoyment of his/her act. If you are interested in performance in anyway, I implore you to see acts like Alice Cooper, Marilyn Manson or Rob Zombie, even if you don’t necessarily enjoy their music, the performance is worth it.

Hope you enjoyed the article. 

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Until next time, enjoy music

Daniel Morris