Photo by Mel Brosius
When you look back on memories of some of the best concerts you've seen, what stands out most to you? Is it the light show, or the sound of the room, or the theatrics of the band? There are several elements that go into the making of a great show, but vocalist, songwriter, and producer Sami Grisafe assures us that the most important ones are honesty and energy. Grisafe has been wowing audiences across the country with her remarkable live show, which earned her Best Rock Entertainer by the Chicago Music Awards in 2013. What makes her approach to playing live unique is her emphasis on connection and vulnerability. She's not worried about the glitter and gimmicks of theatrics; for her, those come after the connection is made with the audience. We had a chance to learn from Grisafe about how she's making such a big impact with her rock shows.
Your band is taking off right now, making a huge impression with your rocking shows. What was your first show like, and how much has your live performance evolved over the years?
My first show was pretty hilarious. I was given the gig after Lonnie Walker, the owner of the iconic Underground Wonder Bar in Chicago, heard me playing some of my songs on the stoop outside of her club. She gave me a 2.5-hour set every Sunday night. This was an amazing offer I wasn't going to pass up, so I said I absolutely could do it, even though I only had about one hour of material. It was just me and my ukulele and a lot of talking. A couple weeks later, a woman came up to me and identified me as the stand-up comedienne/singer-songwriter. That gives you an idea of my talking-to-playing ratio.
My show has definitely evolved from there. For instance, I no longer have the issue of limited material. Also, the show with my band is much more rock-centric. Everything is bigger, but it all comes from the same place: honesty and allegiance to the stories.
You were voted Best Rock Entertainer by the Chicago Music Awards in 2013. In your point of view, what's the most essential part of being a great entertainer?
For me, it's all about honesty and energy. It's my duty as a singer-songwriter, as an artist, to give 100 percent of me for the story's sake. If I'm not vulnerable with the audience, why should they be vulnerable with me? If the band and I don't bring energy to the performance, why should the audience be engaged?
Connection is the most powerful gift of music. Music has helped to end wars, brought unlikely coalitions together to drive change, and been a source of healing for thousands of years. I'd like to see music come back to that place. So in the words of Michael Jackson, "I'm starting with the (wo)man in the mirror."
[How to Command the Room's Attention at Your Next Gig]
Tell us about how you get your audience pumped up. If the crowd is feeling a little sluggish, do you have some tips for how to get them moving?
This is actually a lesson I learned from being a captain on a football team. In football, if my team was sluggish in a game, the only way to motivate them was to embody the characteristics I wanted them to take on. The same goes for a show. I cannot go onstage and yell at an audience or plead with them to have a good time. I need to connect with them and my band to find the appropriate vibe for that particular venue and combination of people. This is why live music is my favorite: when the audience changes, the show changes. This is also why I don't believe in sticking to a script for stage banter. It's fake and doesn't apply to everyone. So, I guess what I'm saying is be the audience you want to perform for.
You mentioned being a captain on a football team – you have an impressive backstory as a World MVP and US National Team athlete. What are some other lessons you learned from being an athlete that inspire and inform your musical performances?
There are so many lessons I've learned as a quarterback that serve my music. Leading by example is very important, especially in today's world of image and façade. Actions are so much louder than what we post on social media. I try to exemplify this in the music and our performances. I've also learned the importance of knowing when to lead and when to follow, giving my best effort regardless of the obstacles, and finally, that great success is only possible when everyone on the team (in the band) is committed to working toward a common goal.
When you're off tour and relaxing at home, how do you dream up your ideas for performing? What sparks your creativity to think of new ways to wow audiences?
I think of our shows more like a Lower East Side black box show and less of a huge Broadway spectacle. Our theatrics are not provided by a million-dollar light show, costumes, or impressive pyro. We create theatrics by connecting with the audience and interacting with each other onstage. I see a lot of improv and sketch when I'm not touring, and that definitely influences my ideas for our shows. Watching a group of people paint a picture and write a story on an empty stage is far more impressive to me than multi-million dollar production. I love theatrics rooted in connection.
However, I don't like to do anything unless it is in support of the song. I think in many cases, right now, entertainers are using theatricality in place of great songs or to distract from a sub-par performance. I call it the Glitter Method. In third grade when you didn't do the research for a project, you might put a bunch of glitter on a poster board to distract from the fact that you didn't do the work, which might earn you a passing grade. I don't want to give our audience a passing grade performance. I want to blow them away from the inside out. I believe this all starts with the song, then the delivery, and finally, only if it makes sense, some theatrics.
As an notable rock performer, what advice would you give to other independent musicians who are looking to make their live shows more memorable and energetic?
My advice is to deliver your music like you're sharing secrets with your best friend, because that is essentially what you're doing. Tell your stories, sing your songs like you're alone in your living room with the person you trust most in the world. The audience will be honored to hear such intimate information, and in turn they will give you their attention. Whether your show is memorable or not depends on the honesty of your stories, your attention to detail, and the way in which you deliver it. Be honest, be grateful, be emotionally fearless.
