Things that go through my head while I'm playing a gig:

About two years ago, I took on the task of playing backing tracks for our 3 piece band via an SPD-SX.

The easy songs have only 3 or 4 segments that repeat in the same manner throughout the song and those are never an issue.

The more difficult ones have 9 or 10 parts that don't necessarily follow a 1 thru 10 pattern. On those, all I am thinking is, "I wonder which pad I should hit next?" Playing the wrong drum part is much easier to disguise than playing a wrong piano/horn/synth part. All I can do is kill it and wait for the next segment to come up.

When I just play drums, all I am thinking is, "This is an easy gig!" and "I wish the front line/guitar players would move around some more and act like they are having fun".
 
"I wish the front line/guitar players would move around some more and act like they are having fun".

Yes!

Just as I was starting to wonder about how much energy the ska band has live (as I'm always too wrapped up in my own world to notice), I found out that at our last show, our trumpet player started playing air guitar on his trumpet during a guitar-heavy section of a song. That made me so happy.
 
Yes I can relate to all the above including "why are they looking at me? Oh I start this one!" and "Oh they have skipped a track and I'm playing the wrong song again!!"
 
OP - loL!

Here's my take:
" is the bass player dragging again? are the brass dragging again? Is the guitarist rushing again? Did the lead singer forget the lyrics again? Why does the keyboardist sound like he's playing a toy piano.. Where did the soundman go? Why are those lights pointed right in my eyes.. Are those lasers? If it gets any hotter in here my kit will melt. Why didn't I take up harmonica? I think I pulled something carrying by hardware box up the stairs. Why didn't I take up beat boxing? is the guitarist signalling a cue or scratching his nose.. I need a drink!
 
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Where are all the people? Wow this place looks huge with it this empty. Oh look a person! Wait that's just a homeless guy looking for a bathroom. I hope the bartender likes us because he is the only one here. Hopefully he likes us enough to give us free drinks. No wait, he looks pissed off. I guess its no free drinks tonight. What is twenty five percent of nothing, because that is what I'm making tonight. One day when I am playing Wembley Stadium I won't have to put up with this bullshit! Where are all the people?
 
I remember a few nights when I was thinking. " For pete's sake it's 2:00 in the morning, the room is empty but for a few clingons who don't care if there is a band here or not, Let's just go home."
 
Nothing wrong with being honest, but I believe they are called Women.

Except that "women" typically don't go home for one night stands with the drummer. Maybe he should have said "party girls" or something similar. I'm sure the lady drummer's have their "stud" or whatever equivalent.

In these parts the term is "talent". "Oh, there's some 'talent' in the room tonight". Personally there's not enough latex in the world to get caught up with the "talent", but then I'm also married to a wonderful woman (who I met back when I was a guitar player ;-)).
 
I was away for the weekend without my computer. I really enjoyed reading all of these posts. I recently joined 2 gigging bands at the same time. Had over 60 songs to learn in a short period of time so I'm still stumped at the beginning of some songs.

I charted out most of the songs but, for some reason, the singer/leader (of both bands) is totally against me using charts. He's a bit of a control freak but it's fine because he's booking about 12-15 decent-paying gigs per month so I'll give him what he wants. I don't like seeing bands reading charts at gigs either but until I have all the songs filed neatly in my head it really helps with beginnings, breaks and endings.

Anyway, more and more I'm easing into that zen state where I'm in the moment. It's just a process to get there.
 
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