First gig

T Man · #1 11-08-2006, 09:15 PM

So one of my many dreams finally came true this year. I was able to join a band. I've been playing bass for about four years and now, as a college sophomore, I finally get to play with other people (which is a great feeling).

Of course, the only reason I was able to do this was because the old bassist left to go to college in Louisiana (we're in Greenville, SC) and I was pretty much the only option for this band since we all go to the same college and there are only a handful of bassists here (most of whom are already in some type of band). The guys who were already members of the band wanted to just make things simple as well and have all of us on campus so practicing would be easier. Our guitarist is also new and he is very good (he's pretty sick actually; it's nuts).

I feel like they kind of took a gamble when they decided to take me on because I wasn't near as good at the end of freshman year as I am now. However, with a lot of encouragement from the drummer and singer, I progressed quite well over the summer.

Our first gig is Saturday at the Handlebar in Greenville, SC. We're opening for Need to Breathe, another band based out of South Carolina. We were promised at least 50 minutes and we have an eight song set:

41 - Dave Matthews
Purple Haze - Jimi Hendrix
Lie in Our Graves - Dave Matthews
Take Me Out - Franz Ferdinand
(Three originals of our own)
Voodoo Child - Jimi Hendrix

Our guitarist is awesome at soloing, so we figured that we could shorten or stretch out his solos in Purple Haze and Voodoo Child in order to fit into our ~50 minutes.

However, this is the first major gig I've been in, ever. This is our first show of the year and we're opening for another band in front of at least 600 people (including numerous friends). I played trumpet in high school and never really got that nervous, even when I played solos, but this seems like it is going to be a lot different (and I don't even have any solos). Does anyone have any advice about quelling my possible nervousness? I feel like there is a lot running on this performance for our band in terms of getting future shows, and I would like to play as best as possible.

The drummer told me that I should just have the mentality that I am there to have more fun than everyone else. I think he's definitely right on this point, but I just wanted to see if anyone else had some words of encouragement.

By the way, if you happen to read this and are in the Greenville area, I'd love for you to come out and see us (our band name is Sons of Crosby). Granted, our show is part of a frat party, but it is still open to the general public.

Thanks for reading,

Chris

Esquillama · #2 11-08-2006, 11:17 PM

I'm really happy for you. You're getting started on what will hopefully
be a long and rewarding journey. Just remember that this is only the
first step of that journey, and even though it seems like a major
thing for you now, in the future(maybe even the very near future)
you'll look back and say what fun it was and laugh about even
feeling nervous about it.

I'm not trying to downplay the event, not at all, I'm just saying that
in terms of your gigging career that this will become one of many
situations that you'll look back on and draw from as your experience
grows.

Your drummer has the right idea, just have a blast and play your
best. You're always your own worst critic, and the audience
probably won't even know if something is a little off. So play your
heart out and live to play another day!

Good luck! (and bring a back-up cable with you...just in case)

slowhand mike · #3 11-10-2006, 10:05 AM

we have our fisrt gig comming up in 2 weeks, well i say we, the other guys have played before together and i am filling the shoes of their previous bassist. yep i'm nervous, did play 2 gigs years ago (something like 15 years i think) and just starting back into it. and i wouldn't say i'm the most outgoing person around so getting up infront of 200 people scares the crap outta me. your drummers advice sounds similar to what our guitarist says, just enjoy it and if you do make a mistake don't stop, keep it going and chances are no one except you will notice.