My first gig ever in front of an audience

[Youngspanion]

On Friday night at around 11:00, I will be playing in my first ever performance at the Bitter End in Manhattan. We're playing blues and I expect the experience to last between 30 and 40 minutes. My wife will be there to take pics and I know that there will be a video guy there. This is a workshop made up of studio musicians that belong to a studio club. The club sets up the performance. I'm pretty excited about it. I'm sure I'll be pretty nervous too. Well. Wish me luck. Here I go!

[CrazyArcher]

Good luck to ye! Make it the cool way. I've had my 1st gig last Friday, so the memories are fresh . Gigging is not as scary as it sounds.

[buzzbass]

Break a leg.

That way you can at least sit down and still play the bass

[Blueszilla]

Wow, first gig is at the Bitter End? Way cool! Good luck, rip it up!

[Youngspanion]

Well, I did it!

I was great. I flub up some but not too too bad. One song, "Howlin' for my Darlin", I messed up the line all together but I recovered quickly. I did notice that I didn't have any confidence at all and that started to erode my ability to play. I was very timid at times and songs that I knew very well felt kinda, I don't know, kinda. Flat. I thought so anyway.

The audiance loved us. They respected us because it was anounced that we only met (the band) three weeks ago and had less than 6 hours of practice together. But afterwards I felt so good. I'm going to get into a band of some sort and start playing more. I love playing to an audience and I'm sure that with more confidence I'll have a better time.

[scottbass]

Congratulations on your first gig! The no-confidence thing is pretty common - all the great riffs you play in rehearsal seem to disappear from your mind when you hit the stage. Like everything else, that too improves with experience.

Like 99% of the people in this forum, I play for one reason only - to perform. I don't play for me, I play for everyone else...my band mates, the audience, our producer, the cd-buying public. My enjoyment comes from giving them what they want (musically, that is).

Plus, playing gigs is the best way to earn money for MORE GEAR!!!

[Youngspanion]

That sound great. Now I too would like to make money doing this. I don't want to get bogged down in money but I'm sure that I can make even a few measly bucks doing something that is so damn cool. I love this and I wish I'd have done this instead of hard drugs as a young man. How much money can be made performing? Last night was done for free and I'm positive that I willl do it for free again but somewhere some how some money is out there to make.

[MAJOR METAL]

Congrats ! I bet you cant wait to get that G&L out their giging , dont worry April will be here before you know it.

[Youngspanion]

Absolutely Kev. Absolutely