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New band. First real gig... ever...
- Thread starter JoeDaddio
- Start date
Great advice: don't dwell on your mistakes. They happen to all of us... but if you don't make an "oh sh*t, I just effed up" face on stage, chances are nobody will even notice. Just recover quickly, clear your mind and keep playing as if nothing ever happened. And don't let it happen again : D
Also, avoid Red Bull... especially if nerves (or involuntary bodily functions) might be a problem for you.
When you load in, place a hand towel and a couple bottles of water or Gatorade (not soda or beer!) next to your equipment. Sweaty hands and dehydration are real bummers under those lights.
Also, seriously consider abstaining from alcohol/intoxicants before the show. Smack your drummer around if you see them getting buzzed. If they're inexperienced, you can probably expect them to start songs at the wrong speeds. Adding intoxication will not help fix this.
Have fun and enjoy being a rock star for the night! Your first time on stage may seem to go by in an instant. That's how it was for me, at least.
Also, seriously consider abstaining from alcohol/intoxicants before the show. Smack your drummer around if you see them getting buzzed. If they're inexperienced, you can probably expect them to start songs at the wrong speeds. Adding intoxication will not help fix this.
Have fun and enjoy being a rock star for the night! Your first time on stage may seem to go by in an instant. That's how it was for me, at least.
Throw in any bass solos you feel like throwing in, show off, wear some ridiculous piece of clothing (belly shirt, beer helmet, etc.) tell everyone in the band how bad their playing is right before you go on, don't listen to the drummer, drink half a bottle of jack before you get on stage, attempt your own lightshow, encourge anyone listening that the band is YOURS, and last but not least, demand double your guarantee from the bar manager before you get on stage.
The first gig my band ever played, I was 20, and my right hand just seized up 4 songs in. I was really nervous and I think I pulled something while lugging all our gear up 2 flights of stairs (a deal breaker today). It was just like Back to the Future... "I can't play!" We took a 10 minute break, and we finished the set, and I pretty much stuck to the root notes so that I didn't aggrivate it. Never had that problem again.
Something will certainly go wrong, but it"s honestly not the end of the world if it does.
Something will certainly go wrong, but it"s honestly not the end of the world if it does.
Only been doing it for 40 years but still get a little case of butterflies before every gig. I firmly believe that when that doesn't happen it may be time to hang it up.
Big +1 to don't get upset or start looking around at any mistakes being made. More often than not you'll be the only one noticing it.
I'm no seasoned vet, just joined my first real band last year, but I can add my two cents about gigging.
Be comfortable, don't worry too much about playing 100% perfectly if you're thinking too much while you're playing it shows. You should practice the songs as best you can, I found myself practicing between practices just make sure if I did flub something I could roll right through it like it didn't happen. If you act like it didn't, the crowd won't know the difference, mostly.
It's way different than practicing. The sound will be different, listen to the drummer more than anyone, they're timing directs the band's timing. Make sure your band goes through the set exactly how you're going to play it at least twice in every practice leading up to the gig. That way, if there is anything being done differently (intro to a song, connecting 2 songs with no break, or changing the ending) everyone is on the same page and ready to play as a unit.
Connect to the audience. Make eye contact with the people in the front, this is more effective than moving around. You need to be having a good time. Remember, the crowd is there to enjoy your playing, not to judge you.
Be comfortable, don't worry too much about playing 100% perfectly if you're thinking too much while you're playing it shows. You should practice the songs as best you can, I found myself practicing between practices just make sure if I did flub something I could roll right through it like it didn't happen. If you act like it didn't, the crowd won't know the difference, mostly.
It's way different than practicing. The sound will be different, listen to the drummer more than anyone, they're timing directs the band's timing. Make sure your band goes through the set exactly how you're going to play it at least twice in every practice leading up to the gig. That way, if there is anything being done differently (intro to a song, connecting 2 songs with no break, or changing the ending) everyone is on the same page and ready to play as a unit.
Connect to the audience. Make eye contact with the people in the front, this is more effective than moving around. You need to be having a good time. Remember, the crowd is there to enjoy your playing, not to judge you.
Some good advice here. If you have room for extra stuff, by all means. I don't travel with a separate amp anymore but I do have a DI if my amp were ever to go. If you happen to play a bass with a pickguard, I jam a pick in between it if your hands ever cramp up. It happened once during a punk tune and it really saved me. The dehydration was my own fault.
No matter how much you prepare, Murphy's Law Is always rearing its ugly head at gigs so be prepared to adjust. That could be an adjustment to playing songs out of order, extending a part if an equipment malfunction plagues a bandmate or knowing what background vocals are out there if your drummer forgets to turn on his mic for his backing vox. Stuff happens. I'm not the lead vocalist but I know the words to every song we play if I ever had to step in for some tunes. That's extreme but it underscores how much preparation can be done for a gig.
One thing that takes real restraint is not to make the eye roll, faces and comments when a bandmate clams a part. More than likely they know they messed up. You are better off laughing it off, keeping your poker face on and if need be, addressing the issues away from crowd and bar manager. If things ever get awkward or ugly because of it, air that dirty laundry away from anyone who might take an interest in the band. I've been guilty of this before and I learned my lesson. Nothing positive can come of handling things in an unprofessional manner.
As for getting nervous, you shouldn't be nervous that other people saying they don't get nervous has any relevance to what you are feeling. If you are a person who gets a little butterflies, so what. Over time they should diminish.
Knock em dead and if you play every gig like its your last one you'll be the best one out there every time.
No matter how much you prepare, Murphy's Law Is always rearing its ugly head at gigs so be prepared to adjust. That could be an adjustment to playing songs out of order, extending a part if an equipment malfunction plagues a bandmate or knowing what background vocals are out there if your drummer forgets to turn on his mic for his backing vox. Stuff happens. I'm not the lead vocalist but I know the words to every song we play if I ever had to step in for some tunes. That's extreme but it underscores how much preparation can be done for a gig.
One thing that takes real restraint is not to make the eye roll, faces and comments when a bandmate clams a part. More than likely they know they messed up. You are better off laughing it off, keeping your poker face on and if need be, addressing the issues away from crowd and bar manager. If things ever get awkward or ugly because of it, air that dirty laundry away from anyone who might take an interest in the band. I've been guilty of this before and I learned my lesson. Nothing positive can come of handling things in an unprofessional manner.
As for getting nervous, you shouldn't be nervous that other people saying they don't get nervous has any relevance to what you are feeling. If you are a person who gets a little butterflies, so what. Over time they should diminish.
Knock em dead and if you play every gig like its your last one you'll be the best one out there every time.
Congrats and break a leg. After the first few songs you will no longer be nervous. Lots of other good advice here too. No weed, trust me. Bring spare everything, trust me. Goes without saying, but know your material well. Relax, have a good time.
Have a couple beers and get up and play, it will calm the nerves and allow you to concentrate. Does me anyway. Just remember its supposed to be fun, not a nightmare. Oh yeah and make sure you can hear yourself or you won't have any fun. Don't let the sound man ruin your night. Make sure he listens to the entire band on what they need to hear so you can all hear yourselves.
This is our theory... we're in it to have fun, if we didn't have fun, then we did something wrong. I've had one we did where several little things went wrong and i let it upset me and it ended up not being fun. And honestly when we listened to it it didnt sound bad, *I* knew i was one fret off on the intro, but you cant tell, and i'm sure half the people dont even know the song, so what do we care?
As for drinking, i only have one beer when i unpack so i can stop being nervous and then just water after that. After being buzzed enough at one practice that i couldn't do my solo I realized I'd rather play than drink.
+1 on getting some rehearsal recordings to practice with. Be sure you have a comfortable strap. Setup so you can see the rhythm guitar players chording hand.
Here are a few links you may want to check out:
Gigging
Overcoming gig anxiety
1 First gig
2
3
How early to show up?
What to do if you don't know a song or forget your part
What's in your gig bag?
See more good stuff in my >500 links below.
Good luck.
PS. Don't noodle between songs.
Here are a few links you may want to check out:
Gigging
Overcoming gig anxiety
1 First gig
2
3
How early to show up?
What to do if you don't know a song or forget your part
What's in your gig bag?
See more good stuff in my >500 links below.
Good luck.
PS. Don't noodle between songs.
Oh yea, make sure you have plenty to drink (liquid, not alc). I always have a big bottle of water, or pitcher form the venue, to sip on in between songs.
Good advice. I would add that 99.99% of all 'mistakes' are not even noticed by the audience in the first place.
I think I have finally reached a good point in playing live. Someone told me when i was starting out that it took roughly 30 gigs to get comfortable. For me it was somewhere between 25-40ish gigs.
At first i was so nervous that it affected me negatively, first 5-10 shows. Then, there was a period of getting nervous would not affect me negatively but would cause me to constantly think about my playing and stage presence. Now, i'm still nervous but able to translate that into fun energy on stage.
At first i was so nervous that it affected me negatively, first 5-10 shows. Then, there was a period of getting nervous would not affect me negatively but would cause me to constantly think about my playing and stage presence. Now, i'm still nervous but able to translate that into fun energy on stage.
What the band is expecting
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What it ends up being
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Just have fun and don't sweat the small stuff!
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What it ends up being
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Just have fun and don't sweat the small stuff!
