The Three Types of Frontmen
By: Grace Babcock
On Sunday, May 8th, I partook in one of my favorite activities: attending a concert. I’ve written about how much I enjoy concerts, and this one was no exception.
I was unable to see Manchester Orchestra when they barreled into Baltimore last spring, so this year it was time for some retribution. Also, my best friend wanted to get me something nice for my college graduation and upcoming birthday (I’d say this concert was worth those two special occasions). In addition to Manchester Orchestra, two other Southern rock acts accompanied them on the stage: the up-and-coming, Atlanta-based O’Brother and a band I’ve written about on the site before, Kentucky foursome Cage The Elephant.
Initially I wanted to write this article about the differences between one’s expectations of a studio album and how the band measures up when seen live. However, as I watched the bands perform and sang along at the top of my lungs (while trying not to get trampled by giggling, drunken pre-teens) another thought popped into my head: Frontmen. Lead singers. What is it that these men or women bring to the table? How do they set their band apart from the myriads of others that crowd the field? All of a sudden I realized that this concert provided an excellent case study into what I consider the three types of frontmen (or women—in this particular article we’ll be focusing on three guys, since uh, that’s who was at the concert, obviously).
Type 1
The first type of frontman is one which I’d like to think O’Brother singer (Tanner Merritt) encapsulated pretty damn well: Mumbling, intense singing, almost indescipherable words—is this the same guy you heard on the album (or for some, their Myspace page a few days before the show)? I’d categorize the first type of lead singer as someone who has a lot of momentum in the studio but in concert is so overpowered by the music that he’s an afterthought. His vocals get lost in the mix as he and his band mates rock out. O’Brother certainly fits this type of music as they combine crashing drum beats with heavy bass and guitar. Add a pinch of feedback and they could be distantly related to Sonic Youth. It’s a shame then that their lead singer was unable to match the music with his stage presence. The band is still young, of course (they’ve been playing together for only a few years), so I’ll chalk it up to inexperience.
I’m sure we can all dig up the names of some leading men who may never move beyond their somewhat lackadaisical approach to being the one with all the attention up the stage (Stephen Malkmus of Pavement anyone?). However, don’t let this stop you from checking out O’Brother’s heady mix of guitar rock and earnest lyrics. Just maybe think twice before catching them on their current tour.
Type 2
I’ll be honest: This second type of frontman is my favorite. This is the lead singer who is running all over stage, singing his lungs out, interacting with the crowd and just having a damn good time. Luckily for me, Cage The Elephant’s Matt Schultz was just the type of frontman. Schultz and his band from Bowling Green, Kentucky are a recent find for me, and I’m glad I found them.
While I’ve written about them on the site before, I wasn’t sure if they would live up to my expectations (brash and intense southern rock). But oh boy did they ever; I’d argue that Cage the Elephant was the best of the three acts that night. Why? Because they looked like they were having the time of their lives up there on the stage and the audience loved them for it. Since they’ve been touring for the past few years, the band has become comfortable and confident on stage. Schultz’s erratic, spontaneous (he dove off the stage, grabbed people in the crowd, and at one point was standing on people’s hands while snarling at those in the balcony), sometimes memorizing stage performance reminded me of Iggy Pop and Guy Picciotto.
This type of frontman believes every word he’s saying and truly feels the music. Call it cheesy, but I think that in doing so, the band provides the best possible experience for their audience. Especially if, like Cage the Elephant, both your hits (like “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked”) and your newer songs (like “Shake Me Down”) are solidly and energetically performed, producing crowd-surfers of all varieties. See also: Superchunk.
Type 3
This third and last type of front man is one who commands the respect of his audience and captivates them with his prowess on stage. This frontman is Andy Hull of headlining act Manchester Orchestra. As their recently released album Simple Math suggests, Hull and his Atlanta-based bandmates have settled into a pattern of developing singles that represent their respective albums well, and transition seamlessly to the stage. While at this particular concert changes in pacing, and the time change of their recent single “April Fools,” were hard to listen to and voided of some of their studio power, Andy Hull provided the crowd with enough energy of two or three frontmen. While Matt Schultz pranced around the stage and screamed lyrics passionately, Andy Hull commanded just as much attention during songs such as “Sleeper 1972” with carefully whispered vocals.
This type of frontman leads his band through each song and is clearly the star attraction of their act. It is his show and he knows it. This of course does not imply that Hull is better than his friends who follow him through each song masterfully playing their respective instruments, it means instead that everyone brings their A-game, Hull just happens to have earned an A+.