[thedownside]

so it looks like my band is gearing up for our first show this friday (anyone in moncton, pm me, i'll give you the details) and this will be my first time on stage in about 12 years.

so all you pro's out there, any prep advice etc...?

B.

[AngelVivaldi]

Be confident up there, make sure you make a list of all the shit you need before the set so that you dont realize once youre at the gig, "Oh snap I forgot extra cables, or a 9 volt in my pedals or extra strings etc." Ive made that mistake many times!

Make sure all your gear is in working order. The last thing you need to do is worry about gear malfunctions etc. You want to focus on performance and nothing else. Hope this helps!

[Zepp88]

Originally Posted by AngelVivaldi

Be confident up there, make sure you make a list of all the shit you need before the set so that you dont realize once youre at the gig, "Oh snap I forgot extra cables, or a 9 volt in my pedals or extra strings etc." Ive made that mistake many times!

Make sure all your gear is in working order. The last thing you need to do is worry about gear malfunctions etc. You want to focus on performance and nothing else. Hope this helps!

Get up there with the intention of blowing those people away. Impress them on your first show.

Be professional about it, friendly to the crowd etc. Handle a potential mishap smoothly. Like if you or anybody else messes up on a part of a song the band needs to keep playing and get things back on track. Odds are if it's smooth enough the crowd won't notice, but there are too many bands who just stop playing and it really sucks.

[noodles]

• Practice setting up your rig and tearing it down as quickly as possible. Flip/remove cables, turn dials, see exactly how certain changes effect your rig, so you can better troubleshoot a problem live.
• Never gig without a backup guitar.
• If you use a wireless, have a spare cable sitting on your rig, ready to go.
• Don't drink alcohol on stage. Nothing slows you down quicker. Stick to water until after your set.
• Relax. Don't blow all your energy on the first song. Pacing yourself is the key.
• Time is a killer. Don't waste time between songs. If you have to stop and tune, do it quick and make sure your singer knows how to work a crowd.
• Have extras of everything with you. Picks, cables, batteries.
• The simpler your rig, the better.
• Have fun. At least look like you're having fun. Looking bored, upset, frightened, or frustrated is a sure way to kill the crowd energy.

[newamerikangospel]

I would like to say, go up there to play the songs the most precise way as possible instead of trying to impress anyone. If you are worried about impressing people AND are nervous/jittery, you will fail miserably.

The difference between the first show and the 2345 show is that you are focusing on playing the songs, or have played them enough to be, as precise as possible. Guitar flash gets attention, but the song is what sells people. If the song isn't good enough to make them remember the solo, then it will be novelty. If the songs dont do, write new ones.

[shadowgenesis]

be animated. You don't have to thrash around like a lot of crazy bands (some people try to hard and it takes away from the music) but an audience doesn't want to watch people standing stiff as a board staring at their fretboards. At least i don't. Eye contact or some level of interaction is good for the energy.

and yeah... I would echo the sentiment that if you mess up don't stop, don't curse, try not to even flinch. I learned that if you act like you didn't fuck it up, 95% of the crowd won't catch on unless it's blasphemous.

[Drew]

Hmm.

Things you should bring to a gig
-a spare guitar
-spare cables, the more the merrier.
-spare batteries, if you use pedals
at LEAST one set of spare strings
-a handful of spare picks. Leave 'em on top of your amp or taped to your mic stand within easy reach. Throw a few in your pocket too, just in case.
-a tuner. Have the whole band tune to the same tuner, too - I've had practices (never gigs, thankfully) where we sounded like shit because someone accidentally set their tuner to A430 when everyone else was A440.
-deodorant. You're going to be up on stage under hot lights moving around a lot. You WILL sweat. If you want to smell nice for the hot blond by the bar after the show, this will be your secret weapon.
-a spare amp is overkill, but if you play a tube rig you should at least have two spare powertubs and a spare fuse, just in case.
-all tools needed to do anything to your guitar. Allen keys, wrenches, socket wrenches, screwdriver... A soldering iron is probably overkill, but I know a guy who managed to re-solder his guitar wiith duct tape before a show once when the connection gave out on him, so it might not hurt.
-a pen - networking, giving said hot chick your number, last-minute setlist changes, whatever.

Things that make you sound like beginners.
-I'm going to assume you can all play your instruments well.
-downtime between songs. Energy = keeping the show moving. The occasional 30-second pause is ok, but you'd better have someone interacting with the audience.
-anyone who says "are you ready to RAWK???!!!" or some metal cliche should be taken outside and shot.
-look at the audience, not at your hands. Practice playing your songs in front of a mirror, looking yourself in the eyes the whole time. It's surprising how you automatically watch your hands if you're not thinking about it, but eye contact, be it while gigging, in an interview, or up with that blond at the bar, makes the experience feel much more engaging and interactive.
-try not to fuck up much, but it's better to make a mistake or two in the middle of an energetic show than it is to just stand there and play flawlessly. Most guitarists might notice if you blow that Adim run at the end of the solo, but most normal people will be sitting there thinking, "well, if he isn't going to move around, why should i?"
-the mix. If you know how to mic up an amp and dial it in for the mic and not the room, great. If not, start reading. Also, once you're rig is set up, start jamming a bit and listen through the mains, if you have time for a soundcheck. If you're not happy with the mix, don't be afraid to (politely) ask the sound guy to, say, bring up the bass guitar a little bit and take the kick drum down a touch. Don't expect it to sound like a CD, but it shouldn't be all vocals and kick, either.
-as a correlary, if possible, keep your stage volume moderately low, and let the sound guy bring you up in the mix. If you set your amp loud enough to cut on it's own, anyone right in front of you will hear you perfectly, but anyone ten feet to the side won't hear you at all. Go through the mains, though, and you'll be evenly dispersed through the room.

Booze

Iffy. You CAN put on a great show while loaded, but you, your band, and the audience all sort of have to be on the same page with this one ("Ok, we're so-and-so, we're going to stand up here on stage, get shitfaced, and play a couple songs for you. We suggest you do the same."), and either way it's a bad idea for your first show. When I was playing with a blues-rock band, I found about two gin and tonics was the magic point for me where I was loose but not impaired, but this was loose, mid-tempo, vibe-y music with a lot of improvisation, not technical metal. One drink won't fuck up your act - three might. Of course, on the other side of the coin, I've heard of clubs where the owner will put the band on a free tab, but won't serve them a drink until after their set, so this may be out of your hands.

[eleven59]

These people speak the truth.

And if all else fails, even if your songs fall apart and your gear explodes, at least be able to fall back on being funny

And remember, you're on stage, you have a guitar, an amp, and a microphone: You're taller and louder than everyone else, so you get the last word Get up there, own the place, be confident and relaxed, and have fun.

[RgAscendant]

Everything Drew said was golden.

Also, you're there to put on a show. If people don't stand up, don't give up, keep going. At our last gig me and the lead singer made this mistake, thinking "if they aren't going to get up then why the fuck should we bother?" Needless to say, we both got in bad moods and played a shite show.

Most of all, enjoy yourself! Playing music is the best thing in the world, and playing well is the best feeling. Hope it all goes well man!

[zimbloth]

My advice: If you're playing your show outdoors, in say, New Hampshire, and you are playing a 25 song set.....make sure you play in the daytime so you don't get eaten alive by long-dormant insects and spend the next 2 weeks sick as a dog.