A young band’s first gig is always an exciting time. Many hours slogging it out in the garage or rehearsal room finally come to fruition with the offer of your first gig. These days, bands usually get a school or party gig or a shared bill with a few other bands or even a band competition as their first gig. Either way, the experience of the first gig should be enjoyable and exciting. You don’t want it to turn into a nasty experience with everything going wrong, which it will if you are not prepared.
First, rehearse, rehearse, rehearse, rehearse! No matter how many times you have performed your songs in the garage, when you get on stage it will all sound different, and, if you don’t know your part 110%, you will get it wrong. In the garage, you are in one small room and quite close to your fellow band mates. On stage, you can be separated a lot and you may not be able to hear the other guys or what they are playing. If you know your songs very well, you will be able play no matter what sound problems you have.
Second, be confident in your ability. Rehearse your songs in the order you will perform them especially if you are doing a short set. If you are doing a whole night, rehearse your whole song list as if you are actually doing the gig. This will alert you to any problems such as guitar changes, pedal set up changes, singers needing a “breather” that may make you look disorganized on stage.
Make sure you have new batteries for pedals and especially tuners, and for any wireless systems you may be using. And don’t forget a guitar stand or two!! Have a spare lead close by even if you are using wireless system as it is a good back up. You don’t want anything to go wrong while you are playing so double and triple check all your equipment before you play.
Get to the gig early enough to be in no rush and bring as many as your friends as you can. Audiences generally have a ’sheep’ mentality and if they see or hear a bunch of people making a lot of favorable noises they too will go along and get the vibe. Packing the show with people you know will also be good for you- it’s good to see your friends come out and support you.
Your first music gig experience will be one you always remember and one you want to go right. Be sure to follow the tips above so everything goes smoothly and nothing bad happens. Even if problems occur, remember that this your first time- you’re learning and that’s ok. No matter what happens you’ll have a great time and be telling your kids and grandkids about the time you rocked the house down.
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Definitely some good advice here, preparation is always key.