First Gig This Friday!

Stay hydrated that day but pee before you go on. Don't eat within 2 hours of the gig but make sure you eat normally up until that point (helps with nerves.) Tune up, warm up with riffs/scales whatever, make sure your gear is plugged in, turned on and turned up and then enjoy it! You'll remember it forever!

Just have fun, and don't get drunk until after the show.

Have fun!
I was also kinda nervous before I went on stage the first time. But after you get in to the song, you forget all about it and you end up having great fun.

I have my first gig coming up, playing bass in the musical the Wiz. From tommorow to Friday, I am quite nervous but also excited

ACDC969 said:

I'm reposting this here cause I didnt get alot of posts in other section.

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Cross posting is frowned upon here.
I merged the threads and moved them to Bass humor and Gig stories.

Yango said:

Just have fun, and don't get drunk until after the show.

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I don't think the lad is quite of age to be drinking yet...but maybe some cough syrup eh?

Just have fun! Relax and things will fall into place. Good Luck!

Cheers,
Jim

Really pay attention to what you fingers are doing. Adrenaline causes a lot of people to play harder than they normally do, and the eventual result of this is that they tire out their hand. If you're playing with a pick then I suppose this doesn't apply as much.

Crazy Ivan said:

Really pay attention to what you fingers are doing. Adrenaline causes a lot of people to play harder than they normally do, and the eventual result of this is that they tire out their hand. If you're playing with a pick then I suppose this doesn't apply as much.

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On the contrary good sir. I found during a show of mine where the whole day wasn't going my way, causing this anxiety, i squeezed the heck out of my pick, rendering my thumb useless so I had to play the rest of the song with me FINGAHS!

Advice for new gigger(ok so my spellcheck says I wanted to type another word that starts with a "n" ***?): Stay calm (I still suck at doing this) the big thing is appear to be calm, and play the song in your room, jumping around and going crazy. It helped me when I was first starting out to be loose. Also I like to play *rockstar* so sue me.

A few suggestions:

Try not to stand right in front of your amp. Move out as far as you can as still fit within the band setup.

Look at the crowd once in awhile.

Depending on the size of the venue, make sure the drummer doesn't play too loudly. Get with the drummer and discuss. If they're are other bands playing, listen to them and figure out how to improve your sound based on what they do.

If you have someone that you trust, get them to discreetly help balance your bands sound, especially if there's no sound check. For the first song, everyone it the band should be watching this person for cues on whether to increase/decrease volume.

If you've done your best, don't worry about post-gig negative comments from the crowd.

Be sure that your guitar player has extra picks mounted on his guitar or mic. stand. Bring some extra cables and other stuff that might go out. Be sure and have clean hands when you start playing. Sometimes during load-in you'll get dirty. Dirt on your hands is bad for smooth playing.

Here are a few links that may be of interest to you:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=429034 If I only knew then...(covers all topics of being in a band)


Band Reheasal/Gigs
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3743 Protect your hearing! Wear ear plugs!
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=479102 Rehearsal tips
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=458468 Recording your rehearsals/practice/gigs
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=486490 Rehearsal efficiency
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=484615 How often to rehearse?
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=492051 To noodle or not to noodle?
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=497067 Being asked to turn down the volume
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=513657 Buying cables
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=507568 Buying Cables
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=500417 First gig
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=442203 First gig
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=237521 Moving equipment
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=483338 Moving equipment
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?p=6914637 Coiling cables
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=489244 Learning Live Sound mixing

Good luck.

No matter how well or poorly you do, someone will love it and some one may not.

My advice; Gigging can become addictive.

Best of Luck,
Wesley R.

Don't forget your bass face!

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Don't drink too much!
pretty much it I think

If you get scared just stare at the floor like i do

Nice! Congrats!

Now you're hooked!
That rush is better than any drug - keep that in mind!

Going to get my fix tonight and Saturday!

Make sure you remember that your feet are not nailed to the floor- move!

take a poop b4 u go on!!!

its one thing needing to pee but when u really gotta drop one!!!

i find when i need to pee it looks like im rocking out!