I was at a fantastic AC/DC in concert at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh this summer.
There was a great lesson from the support act about speaking to a crowd.
Being a support act cannot be easy, for a number of reasons.
- Most of the crowd are there to see the main act
- Many haven’t even arrived when the support starts
- Others are distracted – heading to the bar or chatting to friends
The support act in this case was The Pretty Reckless, and I was impressed by the way the lead singer, Taylor Momsen, handled it.
She did two things that could be useful in many presentations.
Firstly, Taylor Momsen made a direct pitch to all of us in the audience.
“I am exactly the same as every single one of you here. I am a massive AC/DC fan. I think they are the greatest band in the world and has been an honour to tour with them.”
The result? A massive round of applause and loud cheers.
Secondly, she asked us to do something, gave us a reason, and sounded like she meant it.
“I want everyone in the stadium to put their hands in the air.”
A lot of people did.
“Tonight is the last night of the entire tour so I want every hand up.”
Pretty much everyone responded.
Of course, a rock concert is very different from a presentation.
But these two tips can be applied easily.
- Pitch direct
- And when you tell an audience you want them to do something, give them a reason to do it
Then, give it 100%.
Energy, connection, and intent – they work on any stage.
Whether you’re playing to thousands or presenting to ten, your delivery shapes the experience.
Remember to engage your audience – rock star style.
Engage them early, give them a reason to join in, and you’ll hit the right note every time.
For more simple and effective presentation tips – check out the following article in keeping with the rock theme about owning your audience…
