Your first time playing a show

[kristen]

Thats true, I never thought of it that way. Thanks!

 

[RICHY-18]

For some reason i don't seem to get nervious! i am very much a live person.

i thhink i didnt feel nervious because i knew that my strong point was recovering well.

( having drummers in the audiance makes it more fun)

 

[Mediocrefunkybeat]

Let me ask you guys this question... Would you be more nervous while playing a show if you knew there was another drummer in the audience listening to you? I think there are going to be two at mine, and I'm afraid I might try too hard to play perfectly because I know that they will be able to tell if I mess up.

I actually get encouraged with this. All of the shows I've done in the last year (at least a couple of dozen - on the drums at least, probably a few more on the guitar) have been in front of other bands. I didn't get nervous because I was confident in my abilities on the kit and knew what I was doing. What was good is that afterwards I often got compliments from other people for my playing - if not for my playing, then they appreciated my 'sound' (at the time, lots of big cymbal (ride) crashes) and a high-pitched but powerful snare sound. This was in a heavy-ish band.

That's the other thing. Have something to identify you as a player. It's all very well being generic drummer number. 327, but if something stands out about your playing or sound, then you will get noticed - especially by other drummers. Try not to be a clone.

 

[bobdadruma]

Having musicians in the audience doesn't bother me. Other musicians know what its like to play live and they have also made mistakes. Once a long time ago I had someone heckle me, But he was just a drunk and his friends led him out soon afterwards. Funny thing is, I have received some of the best compliments on nights that I felt that I didn't play well. My first gig was in 1974. We played at a dance for the Emergency Medical Technicians in the town that I lived in back then. Our hit song of the eve was The Baby Elephant walk. They all laughed and danced to it. I have never forgot it! So just stay loose and don't worry about it.

 

[LM201]

My first real show was playing at Fullerton College when I was in 8th grade. Last year. It was some band festival thing for the schools where you'd compete to get a rank.

I had played the percussion there before but not my drum kit so I don't think that matters

When the string ensemble was getting ready, I set up my kit for the first time in that huge stage with all the lights. My drums looked beautiful! All of the different lights reflecting off of my hardware and cymbals. To make sure my drums were set up comfortably, they let me do a little 4 minutes solo. I was so light-headed I forgot I was actually in front of an audience of hundreds. When I got done, the auditorium just exploded with applause and I got so happy. When I stood up to take a bow I collapsed on the floor. I was so light-headed I couldn't even stand up.

So they took a break and a half hour later, we were back on. When I walked out first everyone applauded and I absolutely loved it. I lost my stage fright right there. The piece we were doing was a blues piece. And I LOVE blues so I rocked that thing. I got to do another short solo at the end too.

When it was all over and they were giving awards my school got 1st in concert, and strings. Then they gave out the special awards for best musician. I won. It was awesome. I got a plaque and 400 dollars. Right when we got home my parents drove me to the music store and I bought my Paiste Giant Beat ride. It was the greatest day ever....

 

[rmandelbaum]

16 years old, back yard party, I am sure I was nervous but I am also sure I had fun, after all I am still doing it 30 years later ;-)

 

[dale w miller]

My first rock show was Philly Fest in my New Wave band Scary Picnik doing Police, Howard Jones and U2 covers.

Let me ask you guys this question... Would you be more nervous while playing a show if you knew there was another drummer in the audience listening to you? I think there are going to be two at mine, and I'm afraid I might try too hard to play perfectly because I know that they will be able to tell if I mess up.

I get nervous from time to time when I know someone is in the audience who I respect greatly. Other drummers don't bother me per se, just people who blow me away.

 

[Bruce M. Thomson]

Let me ask you guys this question... Would you be more nervous while playing a show if you knew there was another drummer in the audience listening to you? I think there are going to be two at mine, and I'm afraid I might try too hard to play perfectly because I know that they will be able to tell if I mess up.

I used to let it bother me a lot because the part of town I was playing at that time was a mecca for musicians, artist's etc and I would see some of the pros sitting down for a cold one and check what us kids were up to; there was a time when I thought I would have to try and impress them (with what I'm not sure) and that sort of is a drummer thing but it was detrimental to the other musicians I was playing with; any way I was young and have learned since then that what impresses other drummers, musicians and myself is essentially quality sounding music.

I am always nervous before I play live or with new band mates because I tend to worry about all sorts of things by nature but once I get in to the groove with the band it always disappears and I am happy. I know you will have good time.

 

[tr3vis]

Well, my first gig was in Depo Club (Latvia, Riga) ... i wasnt nervous at all, because i knowed that everything will be alright All you need to know, is the music that you played )) So during the show i drink to many Vodka, and after it i just tell something to people in microphone ))) So that was my first gig ))

 

[bmilt]

my first time was back in about 02-03 with my former band. local club in Thomasville,NC called connelly's. it was very short notice and we only played 2 songs

 

[jjmason777]

My first was at the Troubador in Los Angeles, CA, for a band called Medusa. We opened for DuBrow. (That's Kevin DuBrow, who later formed Quiet Riot). Many more followed, sharing the stage with Ratt, Poison, Motley Crue, Slayer, etc. Ahh..the good old days!
That was in 1980. I was nervous as hell, but once we got into the first song (we were VERY well rehearsed), and the crowd was cheering, it was a feeling I never wanted to end!

 

[Jalli]

Let me ask you guys this question... Would you be more nervous while playing a show if you knew there was another drummer in the audience listening to you? I think there are going to be two at mine, and I'm afraid I might try too hard to play perfectly because I know that they will be able to tell if I mess up.

You know, they'll probably feel the same way about you. They probably worry that you'll hear if they make mistakes.
And most of the time they just know (at least I do) what it feels like. So they won't be judging you if you make mistakes, everyone makes mistakes.

 

[MatchedAndNumbered]

My first show was in 2003 at a local venue/church basement.
I was playing drums in a rock/"post-hardcore" five piece, opening the show for a few independent touring bands.
Back when I was 16/17, it was absolutely huge for MY band to be playing with four of five independently signed bands.

I was ridiculously nervous before I went on because we had the opportunity to promote the show for a month before hand, packing the place with friends and family.
I stretched and warmed up a little too much causing my left leg to cramp up while I was keeping time on my hats.
I pushed time and bashed at my kit and did my best to pull out my chops in parts of the songs where it wasn't necessary.
Aaaaand I also broke a stick in the middle of a song.

Afterward I was physically and mentally drained but felt a better connection to my bandmates most definitely.
Overall, it was a great experience though - I learned a lot about keeping my energy in check so that I didn't rush the time and I made a lot of great friends I'm still in contact with to this day.

 

[mikeybbdrummin]

It was at Gregg Bissonette's church in 1991. Gregg was supose to do it w/his brother Matt(bass) but he had to go to Italy for clinics. He told Matt to call me. It was very basic for a kid Church show. I had only played for about 3 years and Matt was a pro. Keyboard player also. Ron Pedely from Maynard Ferguson. But I was nervous w/a church full of people. There were a few up tempo tunes and I kept thinking, "Dont speed up!! Dont speed up!!" But it was fun. And the fact that I got to play on one of Gregg's Pearl kits instead of my CB700 kit was a big plus.

 

[TheGroceryman]

My first show was at a graduation party, it was the singer's friend's party. I dont get nervous playing in front of people anymore. I have many performances under my belt cause i was always in our schools band since 3rd grade. Though this was the first time i played set in front of people. So it took some time before i started getting into it and before i started getting comfortable. The worst part is bringing the drums...

 

[mikeybbdrummin]

Hi everyone! I would like to hear about your first time playing a show. Where was it? Were you nervous? Did everything go smoothly? How did you feel afterward? I'm playing my first show next month, so I don't have a story... at least not yet. = )

One thing that helped me AFTER my first show was chewing gum. When your nervous you dont breath like normal (sometimes holding you breath w/out knowing) and abviously not as relaxed as normal. Gum made it so I didnt have to think about it I guess. I have been playing for 20+ years and if I remember I will still grab some gum before a show.

 

[Oldie]

My first real gig was this Saturday (September 13th 2008), just 7 weeks shy of my 50th birthday. I have played on open mike night and such before. We played support for another band, but played one long set ,1 hour 20 mins.
I had nerves for days before the gig, but as we played the first tune at sound check, it just fell off by back as a blanket. Really strange. The gig was a success. I made some mistakes here and there, lost a stick, but no major stuff.

/Oldie

 

[genericdrummingusername]

I was a little nervous for my first open mic, but I had the preparation of being in school band for 5 years, so I kept my head and everything went pretty much perfect.

 

[Chollyred]

The first time I every played in front of a crowd, I was 10 and sat in with a band playing at a CB Radio Jamboree. There were probably 300 people in this huge tent. The band thought it would be cute to have this kid play. Played "Wipeout". Never missed a beat.

I don't remember the next show after that. I was somewhere around 11-12 and started playing with a gospel group at bunch of small rural churches. With the same band, we opened for some of the major label gospel groups at some huge shows.

In high school, we had a jazz band that would occasionally play halftime shows for the Atlanta Hawks.

In all that time, I never had stage fright until a couple of years ago when I got up on stage to play guitar at an open mic. I started off okay, missed a couple of notes and could never recover. Completely blanked out. I completely froze. I ended up walking off stage without finishing a song.

 

[supermac]

I was 17 in a packed, smoky workingmen's club in England, playing with a resident organist backing up a 'turn'.

First song was Tom Jones' It's Not Unusual.

It took me four or five songs before I got used to all these people watching me...