The examples i'm thinking of when i say a band that has fun on stage:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmdu52nkSN0&feature=related - Iron Maiden playing football on stage during a power failure
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uAe2p5RnNo - Bruce Dickinson pie-facing Janick on his birthday
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYtVb48fvY0&feature=related - Venom playing live, nuff said

and as for serious/evil/artistic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2GJYjqzfZY&feature=related Immortal
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8A5hXxmkeZs Amon Amarth
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNGlrRrjlHw Judas Priest

as you can see the guys in the second category are very much about either having an exceedingly grim attitude and look, lots of pyrotechnics and gimmicks(never saw those guys dressed like Vikings coming) or having an elaborate stage show(Priest)

which do you prefer?

my answer mostly depends on the band(where would be Maiden without Bruce's constant running or Priest without their theatrics?), but generally i prefer a band that has fun on stage, it translates to the public except only when the band is very unpopular with the crowd, which is always a good thing.

I think a band must have fun on stage! Even the most 'evil' & 'statick' bands IMO must have at least one fun moment of some kind!

I prefre 70% serius and 30% fun bewcause I go there for music, wanna enjouy it and see it fun well if its for free why not but I pay for muisc so

I'm also for the fun part, if you see a band like Korpiklaani or Eluveitie live it's just great because they have so much fun on stage. Ofcourse that doesn't fit with every band an there are also good bands that try to look evil, but I guess they also have a lot of fun

I voted mix, mainly because of what's said on the first post. it depends a lot on the band. for example, i remember the Emir Kusturica & the No Smoking Orchestra, and it was pure fun on stage. vocalist danced with girls from the audience he called on stage, they performed tricks... amazing show. but then we have shows like Iron Maiden, Amon Amarth, and let's say most BM bands which have lost of arrangements, attitude, etc. i couldn't say which one i'd prefer, it depends on the type and style of the band

Recently i saw Kataklysm on tour and when they got on the stage man,i was so full of energy with their attitude.Especialy when singer talked with the audience between the songs.You could felt that it was a realy metal show,and that they were there for the metal and for fun not just for the money or something else.

I voted mixed because I expect different things from different bands.

If Gorgoroth were throwing pies on stage it just wouldn't be right.
But at the same time I couldn't imagine seeing a band like Maiden without having a good time.

Written by Got Mayhem? on 08.06.2009 at 02:28

If Gorgoroth were throwing pies on stage it just wouldn't be right.

that would be so fucking funny

Written by Valentin B on 08.06.2009 at 11:34

Written by Got Mayhem? on 08.06.2009 at 02:28

If Gorgoroth were throwing pies on stage it just wouldn't be right.

that would be so fucking funny

though they would be some fucked up pies

Written by tulkas on 08.06.2009 at 11:50

Written by Valentin B on 08.06.2009 at 11:34

Written by Got Mayhem? on 08.06.2009 at 02:28

If Gorgoroth were throwing pies on stage it just wouldn't be right.

that would be so fucking funny

though they would be some fucked up pies

yeah, with Christ's blood and Satan's semen or something like that

I think they should have fun....because if the band is not feeling comfortable on stage it takes quite a lot of emotion away from the music.....

If band is fun on stage, then even if you do not know their music, they can nevertheless pull you inside the merry mess they're creating....Doro created a wonderfully powerful atmosphere and left a strong impression although I had never listened to her, on the other hand Symphony X were less interesting although I knew their music from before...(the atmosphere got lot better when large rubber balls started bouncing to, from and on stage when they were singing "Eve Of Seduction"....

Therefore I think that fun is essential....

However, it depends on the music that is being played....if there's some power/heavy or other energetic stuff going on, then yes....but if the music is slower and more serious, then, for sure, some merry frolicking around the stage would seem out of place....Fields Of The Nephilim didn't express exact fun on stage, but their stage presence was appropriate for the music and they left a modest but very good impression....

Written by Ernis on 08.06.2009 at 13:41

I think they should have fun....because if the band is not feeling comfortable on stage it takes quite a lot of emotion away from the music.....

Thats a good point to make. If the band is so serious they aren't comfortable then I would vote 'Fun'. But if the band is serious while being completely comfortable then I think its just as fine as being a Fun band.

I go to concerts to have fun, that's the main goal, having a great time. Of course I want to listen to great music but that's the fun part. I expect bands to have at least a bit of that as well. We know it's just work for some bands, but they must enjoy when there's a big connection with the audience.

When the fans have fun and give that energy to the band, it's a perfect show I think.

I would prefer a mix of both attitudes like Iron Maiden act in a professional way when playing their music but at the same time they are fun when it's possible

Most of the time I wouldn't really care about on-stage presence, just as long as the songs sound great, but i would prefer a mix of both attitudes. Be serious about the way you perform the songs, but have fun and enjoy yourself in the process.

It depends on the band, really. Of course you won't expect some brutal death metal bands to be messing around too much, but some witty stage banter would be expected.
Seeing a band like Municpal Waste or DragonForce act all dramatic and "Evil" would be pretty fun to watch.

Fun is by far the best. Ultimately with Black Metal acts, the evil is fun for them or the performance is boring. When a band is having fun on stage it creates an energy that swells into the crowd. You can tell when a band is enjoying themselves up there, and it is contagious.

Music is serious art, but the main reason for doing anything in life is to have fun. Mixing the two is exactly how one should live life, and act on stage.

Hi.

Always the middle.

It really depends on which band I'm seeing! If I'm attending an Alestorm gig for example, sure if should be full of fun and humour, if the music is darker and more serious, I would prefer the serious attitude. So I voted for the mix one

Depends on the band. In terms of stage presence, one of the most contrasting bills I've ever seen was In Solitude opening for Down. The former were serious, mystical and profound. Their show had an energy to it that was unlike most bands and you could not help but think that their singer was in a trance throughout the show. Down, on the other hand, were just fun. Pot smoking/beer drinking music. Between these two bands, I'll take the former's approach as it left the biggest impression on me.

Mostly I'd prefer fun, but bands like Sunn O))) or Behemoth really must be sinister to work on stage. So it depends on a band.

By the way Amon Amarth seem to enjoy themselves a lot on stage... I don't think they're very evil.

I'd say a mix depending on the band and their music. When I saw Watain a few years back, it was all serious, but it was incredible. Really helped deliver the music. Where as if say, a band like Municipal Waste tried to be sinister and serious, I think they'd end up coming across more as just assholes. Really it's entirely dependent on the band.

Besides, it's hard to take a band seriously when they try to maintain that "sinister" attitude when their fat roadie is on stage trying to fix their technical difficulties.

I'm in for a mix - depending. For pretty much the same reasons Doc mentioned.

When I saw Truckfighters live they made the audience give them the finger and yell FUCK YOU! as loud as we could. Set the tone for quite a fun performance.