I spent last weekend hanging out with the guys from Trooper, a legendary Canadian rock band. After watching two shows from backstage where I could see the crowd, it occurred to me that they have one of the best stage presences I’ve ever seen.

[ad#Google Adsense 300×250 in story]With rock anthems like “Raise a Little Hell,” Trooper had the crowd wrapped around their little finger from the time the very first chord blasted from the guitar. It really was something to witness.

Kicking off the show with crowd favorite “We’re Here for a Good Time, Not a Long Time,” the people started singing the first verse and didn’t stop until the concert ended almost 2 hours later. That is what you want to see at a concert.

At times throughout the show, lead singer Ra McGuire would stop singing altogether, letting the crowd sing with the band. And they loved it. The whole band would interact with the crowd, making the experience seem more personal for everyone.

New and old bands could learn a lot from Trooper on how to put on a successful concert.

Photo by: Kevin Cahoon