Water-based music events are nothing new, but they’re coming into fashion again. Floating stages provide versatile, visually stunning alternatives to traditional concerts in stadiums and gigs in bars, nightclubs and regular outdoor venues like restaurants and festivals.
What should you consider before you take your music on the water and create something special for your audience?
Which Artists Have Performed on Floating Stages?
While displaying musical talent from floating stages and boats is a unique experience, there have been notable occasions when recognized bands and artists have performed on the water. One of the earliest instances was in 1717, when a barge with 50 musicians performed George Frideric Handel’s “Water Music” on the River Thames for the composer, King George I, and several aristocrats listening from the monarch’s royal barge nearby.
Perhaps the most notorious floating concert was in 1977, when the Sex Pistols attempted to perform the rebellious “God Save the Queen” from a riverboat as a publicity stunt and political protest. London’s police quickly shut the performance down. Since then, U2, Coldplay, Kanye West, Justin Timberlake, SZA and Girls Aloud have all used floating stages to impress their fans.
Tips to Consider When Planning a Floating Concert
You might perform from a boat to an audience on the shore or use a floating stage to create an authentic, original outdoor experience for your fans. Consider the following tips to ensure a truly memorable floating concert:
1. Venue Requirements
If you’re taking on the concert planning yourself, look for venues that are accessible to your audience and scout around for potential lakeside properties that may already have floating platforms that could accommodate your plans.
Many lakes have established entertainment venues. Depending on your location, consider some of the top natural and artificial lakes in the U.S. that people flock to during the warmer months. Remember, people who are enjoying their days on the water are potential evening concert attendees.
For example, Lake Huron, bordering Michigan and Canada, is one of America’s Great Lakes and is popular among outdoor enthusiasts. Lake George in New York is one of the most beautiful lakes in the country and attracts tons of visitors every year.
2. Floating Stage Design, Assembly and Anchoring
Use experienced architects and engineers to build a safe stage for you, your band and your audience. Consider the size of your concert audience, accessibility and the water conditions at your venue. Assembling and anchoring your stage correctly is essential. Anchoring involves using weights, cables and mooring systems to ensure the stage remains secure for the duration of your concert.
3. Promoting Sustainability
Consider promoting eco-friendliness as another way of marketing your floating concert. Find a company that provides sustainable water stage construction, using recovered and recycled materials. If you’re looking for sponsors to help build the stage, point out the above factor and its impact on promoting local artists, strengthening community bonds and increasing venue revenue.
Environmentally aware floating stage designers and construction companies incorporate energy-efficient technologies into their work and also include responsible waste management practices. With your band and the floating stage venue promoting sustainability in your combined marketing for the concert, you’ll draw eco-friendly audience support.
4. Promote Your Music Positively
Over the past few years, there has been a resurgence in live music concert sales and attendance. This trend is encouraging for bands and artists planning live concerts, but it also increases competition for exposure. Hosting a floating concert is a unique, positive way to improve your exposure by encouraging fans to attend something beyond the ordinary.
Encourage attendance at your floating concert on social media and your website. By highlighting your floating stage and promoting the concert with great content, you’ll encourage people to chat about their plans to attend and boost attendance.
Wow Your Audience With a Floating Stage
Hosting a concert on the water can create a unique, engaging live concert experience. If you’re up for the challenge, use our tips to make it successful.
