Perform the song in front of a mirror and look out for any weak points. Observe your gestures, your movement and your stance to find ways to improve your performance. Make a list, detailing what looked good and what did not. Don’t contrive your hand movements, but go on stage knowing that when you toss your tambourine in the air, it looks cool. It’s essential that if you incorporate any of these gestures into your performance, that you know exactly when to do so. Also, if you are playing with a band, inform the band of your plan.
There are people between whom you must have a subtle, secret language so that your performance will be without a hitch. Before the show, tell the sound engineer your signals. For example, if you want more drums in your monitor, you’ll tap your right shoulder. If necessary, make a list. This way, if you can’t hear yourself or your band, you can fix the issue without breaking from the performance. Similarly, arrange with your band a series of hand signals for various eventualities. For example, raise your right hand over your head to show the drummer you’re ready for her to count in. This way, she knows not to count in if you’re about to say something to the audience. But you don’t have to turn to her and say “Ready?” when you want to start, as this robs you of your mystique.
Eye contact is essential for “selling” a performance. This doesn’t mean gazing wistfully into the eyes of everyone in the front row, nor does it mean glaring at one person for ten seconds. You may only do it once or twice, but you must look into the crowd at key points during the song to engage with them. Typically, eye contact is best saved for the chorus.
Take time before the performance to tweak the sound levels on stage. No matter how good you are at singing or playing a guitar, if you can’t hear yourself, your performance will suffer. During sound check, give the engineer clear, actionable instructions. Don’t say, “My mix is bad.” Say, “Please boost the bass and snare as loud as they can go, and reduce the guitars to half of what they are currently.” It always pays to be very polite to the sound engineer. After all, he has the power to ruin the show if you offend him.