Anoushka Congdon: Live gigs - “Being at one with the music you play is essential”

ArtsTrain recently had the pleasure of chatting to bassist and drummer Anoushka Congdon. Anoushka joined ArtsTrain in 2019 as part of our London Jazz Festival Collective, performing on stage at the Southbank Centre. She then went on to become a core member of our Bexley Academy. Since leaving ArtsTrain, Anoushka has been performing live as a musician in the UK and internationally. We caught up with her to ask her about her experiences on stage.

AT: Hi Anoushka, can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Anoushka: Of course - I’m a bass player and drummer. My work as a live musician has given me the opportunity to play alongside some exciting artists across genres, playing shows around the UK and overseas!

AT: That’s brilliant. Can you tell us about how you’ve built up your confidence to play regular gigs, how long have you been playing? Do you ever get nervous?

Anoushka: My confidence on stage has grown with experience. The first time you step on stage it can be a bit daunting, but you learn to trust yourself and ease into the environment. I’ve been gigging regularly for three years now and although I definitely get some nervy moments before getting on stage, nothing can beat the joy of playing good music live!

AT: That’s definitely helpful to hear. Aside from that joy, do you have any other favourite aspects about playing live?

Anoushka: Having the opportunity to play with other musicians who inspire me, and just having a great time with them on stage. Good vibes on stage naturally translates to the crowd too and when that happens, it’s an unbeatable experience!

AT: Do you have any tips for crowd interaction?

Anoushka: A great way of establishing connection with the audience is body language. Simple things like facing the audience while playing, looking out into the audience and making eye-contact. However, being at one with the music you play is essential. If you feel deeply connected with the music, there’s a good chance the crowd will feel connected to you. 

AT: It can be hard knowing where to start with joining a band or playing solo. What are the best ways of meeting new bands / fellow performers?

Anoushka: Find as many opportunities as possible to showcase your talent. Whether it’s paid or not, every performance will allow you to reach out to new people, which may lead to valuable industry contacts, including bands and artists scouting for talent. 

AT: What's something that's helped you with promoting your work as an artist/band? 

Anoushka: Most artists use social media platforms to promote their music to the world. Having a reach online can really help an artist’s music gain momentum. However, as a musician who supports artists, I’ve found that most of my work usually comes through word-of-mouth, or by connecting with musicians and artists who have seen me perform. 

AT: When you're playing in a band, how do you work on a set list, weighing up new material and songs you're really comfortable with?

Anoushka: This depends on the purpose of the show. For instance, if an artist/ band is working towards a promotional tour, the likelihood is that they’ll want the majority of the set to be new material, perhaps alongside a few older releases with which the audience is already familiar. However, if the show is not dedicated to promoting new material, then the artist/ band have lots of freedom with the setlist and may choose to focus their set around their most popular/ favourite songs to play. 

AT: Can you tell us three of your favourite places you've performed in?

Anoushka: My top three are:

Eirias Stadium: Colwyn Bay, Wales. The audience was amazing! Even though it was pouring with rain when we started our set, the crowd stayed and danced along to every song. 

Arte TV Show: Paris, France. This was my first televised performance. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience, especially having our own hair and makeup people backstage! 

KOKO: London. The first gig I had with one of my favourite artists was here! It holds so many good memories of that gig, so it definitely has a special place in my heart.

Alongside gigging, Anoushka now works as an Assistant Music Leader on our Academy programme, guiding other young musicians to create and perform their own original music.

Catch Anoushka on tour with IYAMAH at Cross the Tracks Festival this month, and Reading Festival and Leeds Festival in August!