As the bar doors swing open and the last of the cold air clings to the hairs on the back of your neck, you survey a sea of faces who’s eyes dart in your direction. You are headlining your first show of the year at a local bar. It’s your time to shine and you’re the Belle of the Ball, yet you’ve never felt so scared walking to the stage. This is the experience of countless musicians before their performances at venues all across the country.
Performing live music is nerve-wracking. It doesn’t matter if it’s your first show or your 50th, the experience can be petrifying for many reasons. While fear may be inevitable, there are plenty of ways to prepare for your first live set and ensure you are ready to rock the stage.
- Why Do You Want To Perform?
While music in itself is a performing art, every musician has their own reasons for wanting to take the stage. Maybe you want to try a new expressive avenue, maybe you want to turn your hobby into financial gain, maybe you just want to do it to look cool. No matter the reason, each performer who has stepped foot on stage has a reason for doing so. This makes it important because why you choose to perform helps form what type of performer you will become. It doesn’t matter if you want to be a glamorous pop star, a headbanging metal guitarist, or an electronic DJ. Spending time on the stage will show yourself and everyone else who you want to be.
- Know Your Stuff
One of the most important factors to a good live performance is having a solid and prepared setlist. If you walk into a show without knowing what you are going to play, you are already setting yourself up for disaster. Whether you are performing solo or with a band, you want to make sure you have music that people want to hear and enough of it to fill your time slot. Tylus Baumgardt, local musician and September Crows lead vocalist, says having more than one set of songs is always a good idea. “The more material you have learned and practiced, the better. Even if you have a full setlist planned out, having some backup songs can always help save a set from going downhill.” This approach has been beneficial to many musicians, especially those playing in new areas, or in front of different types of crowds. A room full of cowboys may not like ska punk, but if you have some music that can please their ears to mix in with it, you will be able to tie them in for at least part of your set.
- Gear Will Fail You
Many musicians have shared horror stories of broken cables, snapped strings, or blown speakers during their performances, so making sure you have your own equipment or access to back-ups is important. While your local bar may have cables for you to use, are you going to trust a microphone cable that has been stomped on by countless performers? Making sure you have all the gear you need, plus stuff like spare cables and strings, can help save you in a pinch in case of an untimely failure. Baumgardt says gear failures are just a part of the art of performing and the best you can do is be prepared. I’ve had strings break on me mid song, which lead to me bringing spare strings and cables falling out of my microphones, which is why I use my own now. Having some spare parts of your own can help save you from looking like a fool on stage for sure.”
- The Show Must Go On
While the phrase “the show must go on” is synonymous with theatre and various other performing arts, it pertains particularly well to live music. As established previously, no matter what things like to go wrong from time to time, it’s good to have a backup plan in case of an emergency. Live music is less about being able to play perfectly and more about being able to adjust properly when things do go wrong. Tanner Bexson, rock band teacher at Gilbert Patterson Middle School, says adjusting on the fly is something he tries to teach his students. “The kids tend to learn quickly that if one person messes up, everyone can mess up. So teaching them how to adjust and stay on target is a really important skill to develop.” This skill is also important for more experienced musicians. Bexson recalls that in many performances, there have been mistranslations but it’s your job as a band to pull it together. “There’s nothing more embarrassing than having to stop part way through a song, so being able to adjust on the fly to any timing or communication issues is important.” This no-stop mindset is essential to a good flowing set and encourages new performers to build a sense of understanding between each other. This is done by spending time playing together and finding ways to communicate without words when needed.
- Have Fun
No matter why you are performing or who you are performing with, it is always important to have fun while on stage. As an audience member, there is nothing more boring than a stale group of people awkwardly standing onstage. Finding ways to engage with the audience or express yourself on stage makes for a more engaging experience for everyone involved. Matthew Chechotko, drummer for September Crows, says the worst thing you can do is worry about every small detail. “If you are nervous and worry about playing perfectly, you will not have fun and will not play well.” While loosening up on stage is easier said than done, most musicians find a point in their set where that happens for them. Chechotko says that typically after a song or two, he is loose and having fun on the drums. “After a couple of songs, I’m typically not thinking about being on stage in front of a big crowd and am just focused on enjoying myself.” This ideology is key to any musician returning to the stage. If you play a show and don’t have fun, why would you want to do it again? Finding ways to make your first performance fun for yourself and others can be key to creating a string of potential shows.
If the prior points still don’t help you feel better about your upcoming show, just remember there is one reliable trick as old as time: imagine the audience is in their underwear. While yes, this sounds foolish and like something out of a sitcom, finding any way to make yourself laugh at what feels like a stressful time can help you enjoy what you are doing much quicker. A small chuckle can go a long way, especially when it comes to heading into a lengthy set. Everyone reacts differently when it comes to their first show but with these helpful tips, you now have the power to own the stage like no one has ever seen. So go on, take that first leap of faith and play that show you’ve been dreaming of, you’ll be glad you did.
