Review of events How to write a review of events Research the band A bit of knowledge about the band’s history and live reputation can fill out a review and give it context for readers.
Give the reader a sense place and mood Set the scene so that the reader can sense what it was like to be at the gig. What’s the venue like? Is there a big crowd? What’s the vibe? This is a good introduction for a review.
Take Notes It’ll make it easier to remember certain things that you’d like to include in your review later on.
Support bands Get down to the gig early and check out the support bands. Write a couple of sentences about how they played and how that prepared the crowd for the main act.
Set list Take notes or get a set list so that if you want to refer to particular songs in the set that were stand-outs you can! For example; The Band opened with ‘This Song’ from their most recent album Album Name.
Tone It’s also important to give the reader an idea of the way the set developed. What were the highs and lows? How did the band transitioned from fast, loud songs to quieter, more subdued songs? Or did they play at a similar level the whole time?
Bias Try to remain unbiased in your review if possible. It’s important not to let personal dislikes or previous bad experiences influence your review of a set or album.
Criticism It’s ok to criticise a performance or an album but try to avoid sounding nasty or making personal comments. Keep in mind that people express their deepest feelings through their music and are sensitive to how people receive it.
