Stage manager Nate Renaud supervises a changeover at The Den.

There’s nothing like stage etiquette to leave a lasting impression, and whether you’re the band that’s awesome to work with, or the band that gets bumped to the bottom of the “band’s to play shows with list,” is entirely up to you.

The unwritten rules, so to speak, of the relationship between bands is one of the most important aspects of live performance, regardless of the level you’re at.

“You want to make a statement and kick some ass, but there’s some politeness there. There’s some respect that you should have for the bands that play after you,” says Unearth guitarist Buz McGrath, a featured artist in this month’s BACKSTAGE PASS. “We always try to come off early if possible, rather than go late. You don’t want to overstep your bounds.”

Not playing beyond your set time is just one of the things bands can do to make shows less stressful and more of the fun-filled auditory attack they should be.

“Rock star syndrome: guys who think that they should get special treatment because they are in whatever band it is; but, when you’re a local scene band, we’re all in the same boat together. It doesn’t make much sense to ruin the night for everyone else. All of our heads have to fit into such small rooms that evening,” laughs Rob Hardcore, from Edmonton metal quintet Enduring The Fall.

“I think when Enduring The Fall first started, we did do some lallygagging getting on and off of the stage,” Hardcore admits. “But we learned quickly and changed that by realizing that even though you are getting on or off, it’s still part of the show, and the longer you take to do either of those things, the faster the people are going to get restless and bored.”

“As far as a smooth changeovers go, just have your shit together,” states McGrath, who’s clocked uncountable gear switches in his 11+ years touring with the Massachusetts hardcore band.

“We’ve come up with a routine of packing the gear, what goes where, that kind of thing, but when it comes to removing it from the stage, if there is another band coming on, you just hurry up and get it out of the way. You can always sort it out later,” says guitarist Mark Fiset of Calgary’s Wormbox.

“What can make things a little more difficult is when it’s your time to set up or tear down and band members disappear. Yes, I’ve been guilty of that as well, but the truth is that one less set of hands is still one less set of hands and it will slow things down,” he adds.

“Pay attention,” offers stage manager Nate Reno. “You can always listen to the stage manager for directions, because that’s what they’re there for.”

Reno has been an active stage manager in the Calgary area for a number of shows, from high-profile and intricately timed festivals like last summer’s Monsters of Rock, to the all-ages show Exit Strategy headlined at The Den last month, and insists that being prepared beforehand will also make everything run more smoothly for everyone involved, including the behind-the-scenes staff – and the guy responsible for whether or not you’re heard!

Guitarist Mark Fiset in action with Wormbox.

“Talk to the soundman prior to your set time to make sure that what the band needs is there,” recommends James Brachmann, owner of Calgary’s Brachmann Studios and a talented live sound expert. “How many mics do you need, how many instruments are in the band, what the drum kit is consists of, how many DI boxes are required.”

“Another thing that can be really helpful, if you’re not familiar with the venue, is to go and check it out before the night you play, if at all possible. This will give you an idea on things like where to load in, stage size, PA, and will make things a little easier for you the night of the show,” Fiset suggests.

And according to Brachmann, those manning the boards have no problem helping you out once you get there, so long as you trust that they know how to do their jobs.

“When lines are crossed is when people bring attitudes to the stage and start barking up a storm, thinking they know more than the guy running the sound, which happens about 98 per cent of the time,” he says, cringing a little. “Shitty attitudes make for shitty shows.”

“The best case would be to always have a stage manager that essentially dictates what happens for the night and keeps everyone on schedule. Last year, we headlined the Siksika Metalfest, and with the stage manager and crew assisting the bands where necessary, by the time 17 or 18 bands had played, the night was only off by 20 minutes,” Fiset recalls, noting that although the luxury of a stage manager isn’t always available, he’s played at shows where something as simple as a schedule taped up on the wall was enough to keep things organized.

But what happens when the audience interjects? How do you halt your post-performance visits without coming across as rude or indignant towards your fans?

“Obviously, when you’re headlining, it’s not really an issue to stop after your set and relax a bit to talk to people in the audience. If you’re in the situation that you know you need to get your gear out of the way so the next band can set up. It’s as simple as announcing that you’ll need a few minutes to tear down and that people can come over to your merch table after that part is done,” Fiset says.

"We tag everything with a Enduring The Fall green skull and cross bones," says Rob Hardcore from Enduring The Fall on how they keep track of their gear at gigs.

“I have found that if one of the guys on stage says that we’ll be at our merch table or that we’ll see you on the floor as soon as we have torn our gear down, people are receptive to that and realize that we need to get off without interruptions,” Hardcore confirms.

“It can also help with your merch sales,” Fiset chimes in.

At the end of the night, etiquette includes everything from showing up on time, to tearing down your gear and getting it off the stage after your set, respecting the crew, respecting the audience, respecting the other bands and, most importantly, respecting your future as a live band.

“I believe that when you’ve played more than five shows, you should know what your doing by then,” says Hardcore. “If you don’t by then, you’re going to have a hard time [securing gigs]. There is a business side to music, and you have to realize that before you can really get noticed.”

“To be honest, most bands we’ve worked with have been really good about

this stuff,” Fiset adds. “And let’s face it, things are never going to run perfectly, but most of the time it’s pretty damn good.