What are the key attributes that you look for in musicians and singers?
Well – the key IS the key, they need to be able to sing and play in key, and away we go.
Other attributes I look for are the vibe of an artist, what motivates the artist to want to be on stage: is it for money? Fame? Or because it’s in the soul to want to perform. Soulful performers always get my attention, there is a sense of realness that drives me and it will drive an audience.
All the musicians and artists are currently or have been involved in original projects and always bring a degree of originality to the table, which essentially is the creative signature of a CCE rock show.
And of course the other attribute we look for in a performer is personality and ethics, we very much have a family vibe which extends through from the administration staff through to the crew which makes for the well-oiled machine that you have or will come to know and love.
Is there a formula or secret that you have to generate that magic “energy and connection” the performers at CCE shows have on stage?
The answer here is very simple, there are no bells and whistles or smoke and mirrors. In fact, there IS no secret. What makes these shows work the way they do is the fact that we keep it real, we are well rehearsed but not over-rehearsed, the show is structured but not over-structured, it’s tight but loose, there’s always room for performers to stretch out when needed or when the spirit takes them. We like to create a mood in the room then take the listener on a journey, and quite often we don’t know exactly where we’re going but that’s the magic of live performance.
Live shows are here to stay, the digital revolution, albeit a great help to society, will never replace the magic of live entertainment.
Watch this space...
