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Hitting the stage .....Any Last Words?
- Thread starter velascorp
- Start date
Cleansing breaths, calmly before and after a song.
Wash your hands with soap.
Unless you bought it, don't drink it.
...and Glory is forever.
You'll do fine.
Good luck!
Wash your hands with soap.
Unless you bought it, don't drink it.
...and Glory is forever.
You'll do fine.
Good luck!
EdwardofHuncote
I Still Dream of Jeannie
- Aug 21, 2013
- 6,654
- 2
- 16,425
- Disclosures
- I privately own and operate a local musical instument repair shop.
I could tell you where I was when the last time a stage made me nervous... Owensboro, Kentucky in October, 1994... biggest stage I'd ever been on at that time. I was tight all afternoon, and an absolute wreck during soundcheck. One of the other guys in the band, a good buddy who roomed with me a lot on the road, cracked a really bad joke on a live mic, and the whole soundcrew just lost it. Cured me. We went to the hotel lounge had a couple drinks, and tore that place down that night. We still joke about that show to this day.
Often the last thing I say as the drummer is counting in the first song is "Oh bugger, I forgot to switch my IEM pack on again" so I pop out the left bud and listen to the PA speaker until I get chance to switch it on.
Truly there's nothing on stage to be scared about! Make a flub? Who hasn't? Long as you have learned your chops, when you make a flub you can jump right back on it and no-one will know, probly not even the band. You are there to make them dance, not to play every note perfect. So learn your s*** best you can, then relax and enjoy the ride. Nothing else even comes close!!!!!
I check my gear once, my fly twice, and I say the prayer of Alan Shepard: "Dear Lord, please don't let me screw up."
(I know, there's a more earthy version. The tame version is fine for me.)
(I know, there's a more earthy version. The tame version is fine for me.)
The nervousness is half the fun. Try not to mistake excitement for anxiety. That’s your body’s way of saying “Something awesome is about happen!” Take the stage and leave it all out there before your done. Be yourself and wreck that s*#t!
And days before the gig run those parts that scare you again and again and again until it’s engrained. Being prepared kills anxiety every time.
And days before the gig run those parts that scare you again and again and again until it’s engrained. Being prepared kills anxiety every time.
Not really, even going back years, decades. The only time I feel anything close to stress is when I’m not adequately prepared. Otherwise, I get too focused on what I need to do to get nervous.
I've made enough mistakes playing bar and outdoor gigs that I typically don't worry anymore. Stuff happens.
About the only situation where I sweat a little is when I'm asked to play something out of my comfort zone... Like playing/singing solo at a wedding ceremony or a funeral. Admittedly... of the two... I'd rather play the funeral. Seems a bit weird, but I can put more heart into a funeral than a wedding.
About the only situation where I sweat a little is when I'm asked to play something out of my comfort zone... Like playing/singing solo at a wedding ceremony or a funeral. Admittedly... of the two... I'd rather play the funeral. Seems a bit weird, but I can put more heart into a funeral than a wedding.
This for me. I dont get nervous, I want to get there, get set up and then get going.
Being prepared, and then feeling that you are going to make other folks enjoy themselves (=you are worth while and deserve to be up there) gets me passed the brief adrenaline rush/nerves or whatever it is. And as soon as that kick drum hits I'm married to it, focus and groove override anything else. Then having fun with the guys and the crowd takes over. All is good because we are actually pretty good.
Two things do bug me, though; experienced musicians that I respect, and video cameras. I'm just always conscious that they are there. We had a guy shooting some videos for us a few gigs ago, it turned out that he's a moron and the drummer regretted hiring him, but that's another story. Either way that lens is hard to forget for some reason. I get over the musician thing when I see they are having fun.
Oh, I've done and continue to go to a lot of jam nights, especially when traveling; it's a good exercise for an introvert. Compared to getting up with three or four musicians you've never met in a place you've never been, playing stuff that may even be originals that you've never done before, and pulling it off most times, well, is a great feeling and makes gigging seem like a breeze!
Two things do bug me, though; experienced musicians that I respect, and video cameras. I'm just always conscious that they are there. We had a guy shooting some videos for us a few gigs ago, it turned out that he's a moron and the drummer regretted hiring him, but that's another story. Either way that lens is hard to forget for some reason. I get over the musician thing when I see they are having fun.
Oh, I've done and continue to go to a lot of jam nights, especially when traveling; it's a good exercise for an introvert. Compared to getting up with three or four musicians you've never met in a place you've never been, playing stuff that may even be originals that you've never done before, and pulling it off most times, well, is a great feeling and makes gigging seem like a breeze!
I'm a ham. I can't wait to get out there and entertain.
