# Getting quite nervous here...



## gaunten (Jun 30, 2008)

so, our band "nattsmyg" has been around for about 2-3 years now, 
we haven't played any really "big shows" mostly at small local places, without alcohol rights, and in front of 10-30 people at the most, we've never had a bunch of headbanging metalheads in front or a moshpit or anything like that, for more than a half song of a whole set anyways...

and now all of a sudden our old drummer/friend who is now the chairman of the organization that arrange the two day tullakrokfestival (one of the oldest musicfestivals in sweden) every year in ängelholm (which we usually play at, at about 16:30 in the afternoon)
has scheduled us to play last on the first night, at 00:30. I think it's at july 19th

OMGZBGOINGSZOR!!!! there will be hundreds of people expecting us to be the shit! we will be the large name on the posters all over town and neighbouring towns. I will personally shit my pants before I go on stage....

He called earlier today and gave me the confirmation (we had talked loosely about it before, but I thought it was bullshit) and first now at 03:25 in the night I realize how fucking nervous I am. I am usually never nervous before a show, because there is never any big crowd...
but this... and the worst part is that our singer, and our drummer work every fucking week between 14:00 and 22:00, monday to thursday, which means we can only practise about 1 or at the most 2 days a week, AND WE NEED PRACICE!!
I mean, we have 5 new songs that we've written over the last few months, and now we've almost forgotten most of our old songs...

yeah well, sorry for the  but I just had to get it out of my system for now.


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## Richardscuro (Jun 30, 2008)

As excited as I am sure your are you need to focus. Rehearse the set and only the set that you are going to play that night. Don't mess around with songs that you have never played before live. you have three weeks. It's time to crack the whip on the band let everyone know that they need to practice the songs on their own, not just at rehearsal. You need to run the set like you would live, no breaks in between songs and no joking around while playing the set. You guys can rip it up if you focus amd work hard. Go at it man! Kick some ass! Enjoy the break you just got!


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## Naren (Jul 1, 2008)

^This man speaks truth.

Three weeks should be plenty of time to get yourself in shape, but ONLY if you play your set list for that night. Anything out of your set list should definitely not be played. And you should play through your set list several times a practice, focusing on the songs that you notice mistakes in. 

Additionally, all of you should practice the songs at home when you aren't at band practice.


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## NegaTiveXero (Jul 1, 2008)

I've been in this situation plenty of times. Usually my band will slack off for a few weeks after a show and we'll stop practicing and then we'll realize we have another show coming up and we haven't even learned the new song we were supposed to yet.  We actually had to learn an entire song this Sunday in the early afternoon for a show Sunday night, that was rough.

When you do get around to practicing, be strict and stick to the setlist. But make sure you have breaks to soak it in, as well. If you just keep going, you'll get songs confused and you'll be overloaded.


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## Richardscuro (Jul 1, 2008)

My band can only practice once a week anyway so we are pretty use to working for three or four hours with maybe one break. I didn't think much of doing things that way because that is the way I have always worked with my bands until our new guitar player told our auditioning bass player "Bring something to drink that you can have in the rehearsal room because these guys don't stop for anything." I justy thought everyone works that way.


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## NegaTiveXero (Jul 1, 2008)

I mean, you can do that, but I think it helps to give your brain a break, as well as your fingers. 

Over doing it is worse for you than under doing it.


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## Richardscuro (Jul 1, 2008)

NO! No offense taken. Whatever works for your band is the best way to rehearse. I just recently realized that I might be how shall we say (anal) about rehearsal focus.


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## NegaTiveXero (Jul 1, 2008)

Yeah, it helps to be laid back about it, so some members don't start thinking its like school and to keep back some frustration. If someone's having trouble with something, we stop, go get food, come back relaxed and usually it helps.


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## 7 Dying Trees (Jul 2, 2008)

Take 2-3 days off before the show, book some 8 hour rehearsals, and play through the set like nothing you've ever done before. Do your practices in the weeks leading up, make it 2-3 times a week, and then the huge ones at the end. Finally, have a day rest before the show to sort out equipment, and restring guitars etc, soret out backup guitars, borrow a backup amp


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## Zepp88 (Jul 2, 2008)

All advice here has been good so far. 

Besides all that though, get up and stage and just kill it man, don't think or worry too much, besides, half of them are probably drunk anyway and just wanna hear some fucking metal. 

Own the fucking stage, if you're playing a rowdy crowd this becomes surprisingly easy I'm a pretty calm, quiet, reserved person but in front of a rowdy crowd that changes. You're all there to rock man!


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## petereanima (Jul 2, 2008)

DO NOT drink before the gig to get rid of nervosity.

everything else has already been said.


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## Zepp88 (Jul 2, 2008)

petereanima said:


> DO NOT drink before the gig to get rid of nervosity.
> 
> everything else has already been said.



Good point.

The crowd should be drunk. Not you.


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## Desecrated (Jul 2, 2008)

If you NEED to drink alcohol to stand infront of people, you need professional help.


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## arktan (Jul 2, 2008)

I think they meant alcohol dude........ In fact you should drink like mad in the days before your gig (about 3-4l water, WATER, WATER!!!! dammit) so that you're pretty hydrated... 
On stage: Water or Powerade or Isostar or stuff, nothing with CO2

EDIT: after the show: drink whatever you want!
I know you'll be nervous before it starts and maybe someone will try to get some shots or a beer before the show..... don't do it, the nervousness will go away as soon you're a few seconds into the first song. You should rather enjoy the kick before the show!


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## Zepp88 (Jul 2, 2008)

Yes bring plenty of water to the gig too, those clubs and stages get HOT!


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## arktan (Jul 2, 2008)

Zepp88 said:


> Yes bring plenty of water to the gig too, those clubs and stages get HOT!



listan to da maan!


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## petereanima (Jul 2, 2008)

Zepp88 said:


> Yes bring plenty of water to the gig too, those clubs and stages get HOT!



it cannot be quoted often enough.


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## Desecrated (Jul 2, 2008)

Zepp88 said:


> Yes bring plenty of water to the gig too, those clubs and stages get HOT!



And bring your own towel, don't borrow someone else's....


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## InTheRavensName (Jul 2, 2008)

Change your clothes just before you start. It'll help you get in the zone  

Also, backups of everything are worth having, no alcohol, get there on time, and make your setup as efficient as possible so you get a good soundcheck. Usual gig stuff really. Listen to the soundguy, seeing as you're one of the main attractions he will probably spend more time and energy making you sound good. Trust him, it's his job. Aside from that, just go fucking apeshit. How often to chances like this come along?


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## gaunten (Jul 2, 2008)

thanks a bunch for all the tips dudes, 
about the drinking I can say that of the 20 something gigs I've played, I've never been drunk, and only once have I had like 1 or 2 beers before. (mainly because I always drive)
on the other hand, I often get compliments by other guitarists and such at how good I play when I'm drunk at party's 
it's an outdoor gig so hopefully it won't be that hot. 
we played an indoor gig at a small club once, with a burning hot and small stage with a bunch of old hot f-ing colored stage lamps, first a 30 minute show with one band I played in, then a whole hour with this band!! that was intense. and I had no towel, no water no nothing but my guitar and my pick.
(and amp of course)


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## ibznorange (Jul 2, 2008)

DO NOT PLAY BOOZER PRE SET 

just think of it as a practice going really well. kinda layed back, nailing everything, etc. expect it to go that way, and odds are, it will


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## gaunten (Aug 11, 2008)

(reeeally long post, If you can't be arsed to read, just go to the bottom where the videos are)

sooo, the gig was a few weeks back now, haven't got around to posting anything here.
the thing is, the arranger (our old drummer) kinda fucked us over, because we where scheduled to play 00:30 at the SMALL stage, and his band was scheduled to play 00:00 at the big stage, now, the whole day consisted of about 16 bands or so, starting every half hour, with about a 30 minute set. (and no one was allowed to start until the band before had finished their set)
now you can probably figure out yourselves what happened, they got behind with about 30 minutes, because every fucking band was thinking "ah what the hell, it's probably ok if we play another song".DIVAS!!

so at about 00:30, when we where supposed play, our old drummers band got on (in which he plays guitar, and both the band, the music, and him sucked bigtime, but since they sounded kinda like green day/blink 182, all the emo kids and 14 yearold girls stood up front screaming and shit) and we where told that "the cops come and pull the plug at 01:00, so it's your choice if you want to take the chance, or move to another time tomorrow" naturally, we took a time the next day, at 20:00, forcing us to cut down our set from 10 songs to 6.(needless to say, we removed the song our old drummer was supposed to guest sing on...)

so, get there the next day, turns out the drumkit consists of 1 bass drum, 1 hang tom 1 floor tom, 2 cymbal stands, 1 snare, 1 hihat...
now our drummer usually plays on a racked kit with about 8 cymbals, 5 toms, 2 bassdrums etc. so he had to rearrange his whole playing because he actually uses his toms for some effectful drumrolls (imagine that on 2 FUCKING toms)
and also, he had to use his old double pedal, instead of his brand new axis pedals,
and these old pedals have a tendency to fall apart if he doesn't bend down and tighten some screws between each song... which they did in the last song...

now the funny part is, that he just bought a new drumkit, and he offered the arranger (our old drummer) to borrow his old kit (also with 5 toms, 2 bass drums etc.) for the small stage, and our old drummer answers this:"naah, most drummers like a simple drumkit"....

WHY THE HELL, couldn't he just admit that they didn't have enough drum mics?
I spoke to a few of the drummers that played that stage that day (which was mostly metalbands) how it went, and everyone was pretty pissed off that they couldn't play as usually because the shitty drumkit.


well, all this shit aside, the gig went ok, I used my podx3 live for the first time on a gig, and got a pretty good sound out of it through the shitty laney top they supplied.
we did a mistake on the first song, but hopefully not to many noticed (drummers fault hehe) and as I said, his pedal broke so he only had his right foot the last half of the last song. (which is pretty much a double pedal based song)

anyways, here are two videos that our singer decided to put up
(including the last song with the fucked up pedal because it went fucking good anyways)




oh, and... we didn't get a very massive audience....at all... but we did get one crazy cowboy linedancing around in front of the stage and yelling "YAHOEE" in between songs... kinda annoying when you try to be serious. we also have a buttload of really nice pics, but I am not in possession of those at the moment. I'll be sure to upload later.

Well thanks a bunch to you who got through the whole post


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## El Caco (Aug 21, 2008)

Performance wise that was good  looks like you got yourself worked up over nothing. Having said that I think Line6 let you down, I like what I can hear of your tone but it's just not cutting through, I can't believe I'm going to say this but I suggest replacing the X3 with an E530.


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## gaunten (Aug 21, 2008)

well, I don't think that's as much the x3, as my fatal inability to tweak and understand amps and amp settings. 
(I initially was going to use my 6505, but since there where so little people and it weighs about 765kg:s, I thought "what the hell, let's try the x3")
plus, my guitar got a big crack right at the neckjoint once when it fell, and ever since, it's just felt dead to me. 
(once I get my 8 string imma use that for gigs, even if they only require a 6 string.) once I get the hang of the x3, I think that, plus my roter 8 string will be TEH win live
(unless I get a really sweet tone out of my 6505, but then I won't have many tonechoises, given that the 6505 pretty much has "lead channel" and "crappy clean" and my 8 wont have no tone knobs...)

plus the soundguy was about 14 and knew as much about livesound as I know about rocketscience.
"hey, could you give us some more stagemonitor sound on the left guitar?"
"yea sure, how about now?"
*trying sound*
"eerhm, no, now you lowered the bassdrum"
"oh sorry, now?"
*tries again*
"no, now you gave us less bass..."
etc.
so I really have no idea how the sound out was(as the camera was pretty shitty, that's not much to go on), but on stage we managed to get a decent sound for ourselves.


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## El Caco (Aug 21, 2008)

Up until recently I would have agreed however after spending the last week solidly testing and comparing the X3 live to tubes I understand what gets repeated here over and over and have become a believer. I honestly thought the X3 could cut it and thought I preferred it but after testing it back to back over and over again I have come to realise and accept it gets you close but it is lacking.

Now I suffer a dilemma, I have no idea what to replace the X3 with for effects, until recently I was considering replacing the X3 and the ENGL with a Fractal AXE-FX ultra, now I am worried that it will also be lacking what the ENGL gives me but the ENGL is also lacking certain things like effects for example ullingmyhairout:


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## gaunten (Aug 21, 2008)

yea, I knew when I bought it that it wouldn't exactly be "TEH MAGIC TUBEPOD MAKER PERFECT TOEN!!!" but from the recordings I've heard made with x3s, I'd say that it's good enough for me.
As I said, I suck at tweaking and understanding amps and stuff so I probably wouldn't hear all lacking things you do, though, I will probably not use it live much more... perhaps for effects and solostuff, but for chugging rhytm, I'll just bypass it through my 6505, so I get the tone from that one instead.

Actually, I haven't even tried the "Criminal" amp in there, which is supposed to be the lead channel of a 5150, compared to my 6505. maybe I should give that a go, to see how close I can get.


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## El Caco (Aug 22, 2008)

Do that, I did it with the ENGL and like I said it is very close and great for recording but just not quite as nice as the real thing. The thing with the Pod is I can get all these different tones that I think are awesome and better than the ENGL until I compare it back to back. The real difference is a direct recording, the ENGL sounds thick and awesome as a direct live recording where the Pod sounds thin and needs to be layered to build it up, that's one of the main reasons for me believing there is no way the pod could cut it live.


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## ZXIIIT (Aug 22, 2008)

Richardscuro said:


> My band can only practice once a week anyway so we are pretty use to working for three or four hours with maybe one break. I didn't think much of doing things that way because that is the way I have always worked with my bands until our new guitar player told our auditioning bass player "Bring something to drink that you can have in the rehearsal room because these guys don't stop for anything." I justy thought everyone works that way.



Thats how my band does it.


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## chrismgtis (Feb 20, 2009)

I hate not getting enough practice. The last "hard rock" band I was in, we practiced all our songs (about 25 of them) about 50 times before we ever played them live. When we did play them live, we nailed it because of that. 

Right now I play with a church and the only practice I get is by myself, then 30 minutes before we play. It's pretty difficult I'd say. Definitely a challenge and I do mess it up.


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