Tips for first time performers

mcblink said:
Not actually sure if they booted their vocalist or if he bailed on them....what I do know is sometimes I hear them talk about him using words like "dick" and stuff...lol

Anyway, another local project called Ironwood. All these guys in these bands know each other and have played with each other ... sorta reminds me of the SoCal desert scene that gave us Kyuss, QotSA, etc...I think that "dick" is fronting this band.



I kinda laugh when I see this crap, but then I ask myself, "well, mcblink, how many music videos have YOU made??" ....and then I tend to shut up.
Click to expand...
That was great man !!!
 
Today is the big day. I woke up earlier than usual just before 5am.

Felt nausea immediately. I have been fighting the urge to hurl, because once I do, it's likely to set off a chain reaction, a condition called CVS that I've had for years. I believe it's related to migraine, which I suffered since I was a teenager. The go literally blind before the headache type. Never could ID a trigger. Anyway. At some point years ago I stopped having migraine so severely but started having CVS attacks instead. Again, without being able to ever ID any kind of trigger.

Never was able to totally rule out stress and nerves, but today I am wondering if that is indeed the case.

I spent about 16 hours yesterday throwing up. Usually the next day I feel fine. Today, not so. However, I don't feel as poorly as yesterday, and I'm not pulling out now.

I've read stories about dudes puking right before going on, which kinda makes me think I might not be alone with this lol

How the hell am I supposed to calm my nerves without doing anything that will impair my performance?

I need my brain and my hands in good shape.
I've got leads in 2 songs that are coming off the cuff. I have the beginning of the solos down, the rest is improv. The last thing I need is my nerves distracting me from the job I have to do.

I can't believe I'm having issues of this nature on the big day and we haven't even hit the road yet. We still gotta load all the gear into the trailer and have about 3 hours on the road.

I'm gonna try a nice hot bath for a while.

Failure is not an option. I must get better.
 
For those who don't know about CVS (which I'm guessing is probably all of you, it took me a very long time to find out what it was. I do have prescription medications, but they're a crapshoot. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't, but they always make me pretty drowsy.)

www.niddk.nih.gov

Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome - NIDDK

Learn about the four phases of cyclic vomiting syndrome. Describes symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatments. Gives tips to prevent cyclic vomiting syndrome.
www.niddk.nih.gov www.niddk.nih.gov


I can tell you this and I've said it for years:

One day, this thing is going to kill me. It's brutal. But not today.
 
mcblink said:
Today is the big day. I woke up earlier than usual just before 5am.

Felt nausea immediately. I have been fighting the urge to hurl, because once I do, it's likely to set off a chain reaction, a condition called CVS that I've had for years. I believe it's related to migraine, which I suffered since I was a teenager. The go literally blind before the headache type. Never could ID a trigger. Anyway. At some point years ago I stopped having migraine so severely but started having CVS attacks instead. Again, without being able to ever ID any kind of trigger.

Never was able to totally rule out stress and nerves, but today I am wondering if that is indeed the case.

I spent about 16 hours yesterday throwing up. Usually the next day I feel fine. Today, not so. However, I don't feel as poorly as yesterday, and I'm not pulling out now.

I've read stories about dudes puking right before going on, which kinda makes me think I might not be alone with this lol

How the hell am I supposed to calm my nerves without doing anything that will impair my performance?

I need my brain and my hands in good shape.
I've got leads in 2 songs that are coming off the cuff. I have the beginning of the solos down, the rest is improv. The last thing I need is my nerves distracting me from the job I have to do.

I can't believe I'm having issues of this nature on the big day and we haven't even hit the road yet. We still gotta load all the gear into the trailer and have about 3 hours on the road.

I'm gonna try a nice hot bath for a while.

Failure is not an option. I must get better.
Click to expand...

Are there any songs before the first song where you have a solo?

Many times, if you are able get a few songs under your belt first, it helps calm the nerves a little as you sort of get into the gig.

Your band should not put the most challenging songs first. They should put songs up front that are easier to play. If you do several songs well, the crowd will be more likely to overlook a goof-up later in the gig. Also, the easier songs give every one a chance to settle in. Of course, as the band gets more comfortable with the whole set, you can be a little more flexible with song order in later gigs. We've done that. In fact, our current set list is almost reversed from what it used to be, but that's come as we've gotten more ingrained with the songs.

Also, try to focus on something else.

Here's a tip I got from my track coach in high-school. I was first leg on a four-man relay team. A HUGE no-no with that sort of event is a false start. He would tell me, "Don't think about the start. Don't think about making sure you don't jump the gun. Think about the form you'll have coming off the blocks. Most of the time, people who false start are thinking about not having a false start!" I assume it worked because I never false-started. He wanted me to focus on leaning so far forward that I'd fall down if my legs stopped moving!

The point is, (and I know this is WAY easier said than done), don't over-think things. Almost every time I've goofed up when playing, it's been because I was thinking too much about not goofing up! One thing that helps with that is breath control. If you can, take a couple of slow, deep breaths before letting it rip!

You'll do great!!!
 
Okay I'm feeling a little better. Got some things gathered up and about to hit the road.

I did not puke.

I keep telling myself that it's just going to be like every other Sunday night that we get together for practice, we're just going to be in a different place is all.
No big deal. We'll do what we do.
 
mcblink said:
Okay I'm feeling a little better. Got some things gathered up and about to hit the road.

I did not puke.

I keep telling myself that it's just going to be like every other Sunday night that we get together for practice, we're just going to be in a different place is all.
No big deal. We'll do what we do.
Click to expand...

That's really is it in a nutshell.

I walked out on a stage for the first time in 1978 at 13 and i was excited, not nervous

All my life - even now - i feel like nobody liked or understood me, and for those few minutes, i finally fit in...i had a voice.

Find something bigger...concentrate on that.
 
mcblink said:
Okay I'm feeling a little better. Got some things gathered up and about to hit the road.

I did not puke.

I keep telling myself that it's just going to be like every other Sunday night that we get together for practice, we're just going to be in a different place is all.
No big deal. We'll do what we do.
Click to expand...
Exacyly. Same as the practices. Don't think of it as the big day. Just another killer practice with an appreciative audience. Remember they are on your side.
Hell, the wife was watching some Adele special and she hit a note, stopped the band and said "Wasn't sure I would hit that one, I was so scared I thought I'd sh*t myself!" Then continued!
Don't sweat small stuff!
 
Years ago I was teaching a class at the university one of my students was the band leader for the big band
their drummer was in a bad accident I'd only been taking drum lessons for three weeks I was asked to audition
I spent two days with my drum teacher then audition -20 degrees thankful drum cases they were practicing at the high school
unloaded my truck setting up I ran to the bathroom puked my guts out good thing I could read charts went way better than I
expected got the gig played with the big band for a year then their drummer recovered was asked to stay on I moved on
the pay was crap 40+ band members. But I did learn drummers get the hottest babes :D
 
Inspector #20 said:
That's really is it in a nutshell.

I walked out on a stage for the first time in 1978 at 13 and i was excited, not nervous

All my life - even now - i feel like nobody liked or understood me, and for those few minutes, i finally fit in...i had a voice.

Find something bigger...concentrate on that.
Click to expand...

I had way more confidence when I was younger than I do now. I just did stuff. Now, I think too much.
 
smitty_p said:
Oh…one other thing, @mcblink …pics or it didn’t happen!

Take pics and post them, or we may just think this whole gig thing was just a clever ruse!
Click to expand...
Actually, I want to record the whole thing on video, but I'm not quite sure how yet. I think 2 of the guys are bringing their women, maybe I can ask one of them to do it for me.

Ramo has been hounding me pretty hard about it too lol
His band is up and running and their first gig is also coming up.
But, if I send him vids, I expect to see his in return!! Lol
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top