Tell us about the gig that made you most nervous...

[rocketman]

I played a lot of clubs in my youth ranging from both jazz to rock music, on both piano and guitar. By far the most nervous I got was playing a famous jazz club in Buffalo called The Colored Musicians Club. See here for a couple of the giants that played there. I was asked to fill in one night on piano with a bunch of old timers who were all phenomenal musicians. Mind you I was 16/17 years old at the time. I normally NEVER got nervous before a gig. But thinking about the history of this great club made me very nervous. I did alright, and the old timers made me feel very comfortable, but the sweat meter was flying high for me. Great learning experience, which I'll never forget.

[DPhillips]

The gig that made me the most nervous... When I first played for my future wife. We've been married for 11 years, so at least I didn't completely scare her off. I wanted to impress her, to show her who I was. Never been that nervous before or since. Faceless crowds hold no fear, no matter how important the outcome.

[Californiaman]

I was roadying for my buddies band Dungeon back in the late 80s. This band sounded every bit as good as Deep Purple did in their heyday. They were doing a gig at Mugsy Mallone's in Anaheim. CBS records and a couple of other record company executives were there. There was a lot of coke going around before the gig and I knew if they didn't lay off they were going to—excuse the pun—blow the deal. When the band finally started playing the tempo was way too fast. I'm thinking to myself, "They're done. That was there big chance and they indeed, blew it." Everyone who had come to see them play also knew it. Too fast, too furious. Too much cocaine killed it for them. I wasn't so much nervous as I was disappointed in almost knowing ahead of time what was going to happen. And that was it. They never got another "sniff" from any record company after that. Too bad. They were a great band.

[Mr. Robot]

One of my two dogs runs away when she sees the guitar case coming out. Does that count?

[Duende]

Every concert/gig/jam etc I am very nervous and have to give myself a pep talk before hand. The first piece I usually play is one that is my most comfortable to ease myself in.

 

I was my most nervous taking my licentiate exams. The atmosphere was so unmusical and cold. You walk into a large room where two men in suits (usually in their late 50's/60's) are sitting behind a desk. After minimal pleasantries you then get ready to perform 40 odd minutes from memory in front of them.

 

They are only about 6 foot in front of you and you can hear them writing and feel their scrutinising eyes upon you... and it is terrifying!!! They give no indication if it was awful or good either. I am cold just thinking about it! LOL

 

Matt

[Chrisdude]

This was not with Al's band, it was a very good friends covers band a few days before playing in front of 25,000 people in Scotland, nope that was not the nervous one. When I got up there I had to learn a 2 hour set in 4 days. The first night I was there we all got hammered on Jager (hey it was Christmas).

 

After 4 hours sleep we met up for a 1 hour rehearsal at midday, all of us with slight hangovers. The singer turned round to me and said "Dude, by the way you're playing a gig tonight at our local". They had had posters outside for days!! I was SOOO set up, and basically I had to jam for an hour and a half songs I had never played before. I'll tell ya playing in front on 150 people in a pub when you had no idea what was nonna happen was WAY more scary than the 25,000 we did play for.

[danb]

I'd have to say I was most nervous when the band I played for in high school did a couple of songs at school. The school put on a little talent show called the "Senior Follies" and our band decided to enter it(it wasn't a contest, just a show). I knew it would make or break our reputation among all our classmates depending on how we did. Luckily we pulled it off and what mistakes we did make were not that noticable.

 

I've played several sets in bars and various other places with that band and two other bands I played in through the years but, I've never been as nervous as I was that day playing in front of all my "peers" in high school.

[FirstMeasure]

My "Most Nervous Moment" was back in High School as well. The Drama Class was putting on Pirates of Penzance and the Drama/Chorus teacher needed Pirates real bad, so he tricked me into it(but I thank him now).

 

He asked me if I wanted to play 15 minutes of Intrumental Guitar Music for the interminssion of the play. I said, "Really, Yeah!"

 

He said, "Great, but you have to be a Pirate and sing with the Boys in the Play.".............Why you tricky Drama Teacher

 

Anyway, I did the play, I worked up 15 minutes of Instrumental versions of "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" and "Stairway to Heaven" with SRV's testify in between them. I plulled out my Trusty, Brand New 1988 Stratocaster, my Little old Deluxe 85 Red Knob amp, and looked up at 800 people. Not one of them left for the lobby during Intremission. I thought I'd be playing to mostly empty seats, but no. So I began to Shake and froze for just a second. I thought it was about a Minute, but everyone said I went right into the first song after looking at the audience. I looked right at my First chord and played it. Fortunately my shaking Hands made for some rich Vibrato (a technique I use to this day), and I forced myself to look up at the Exit signs. By the end of "Babe I'm Gonna Leave you", they cheered and clapped and my ego filled back up. The next two songs were easy, 'cause I was into it now.

 

Haven't had much in the way of Nerves since then. I can't wait to get in front of people now, the Bigger the crowd the Better.

[Flight959]

Some great post's here..

 

Im really gutted I have never played in a band or too anyone....

 

Maybe one day....

 

Regards

[DAS44]

here

quite a list!

[b-squared]

About a year ago the Nelson brothers (remember 'Nelson' in the 80's-90's?) came to town to do a charity gig. The promoter asked a friend of mine if he knew a good guitar player to play in the backing band--he recommended me.

 

I had to learn about 12 songs that were Ricky Nelson tunes, along with the 2 hits that the Nelson brothers did.

 

I buckled down and learned them as best I could, but of course was nervous...I'd never performed with 'signed' talent.

 

We met them at rehearsal, and they were the nicest guys you'd ever want to meet. Professionals in every sense of the word. They liked my playing, and even gave me a chance to play some solo stuff.

 

After the first song that night I was good to go. It went off without a hitch.

 

Rehearsal:

 

 

 

The Gig:

 

 

 

 

 

I played my Strat the first night, as Gunnar was playing his R9; the next night he showed up with a Nash Tele, so I played my R9. The amp is my '57 Bassman; I let Gunnar use my AC30. =D>/

 

Awesome gig!

 

BB

[Cruznolfart]

Been too long for me to be sure but probably my very first paying gig. I was 14 and sitting in for the regular drummer in a small town garage band who had a one night gig backing teen-idol Ray Peterson as he entertained the crowds at the county fair. That would have been '63. Ray was slightly past his hey-day by that time, in spite of his youth. But he had some hits under his belt that he worked off of for a good many years. "Tell Laura I Love Her" and

were probably his two biggest singles.

[Murph]

I've been a bar gigger all my life. I played the Surfside in Clearwater Beach at age 12, and was fronting bikers bars at age 17, drinking beer, and getting paid.

 

But a few years ago I took my J45RW to Nashville and did the "Bluebird Cafe".

 

It must be the way everyone in the crowd is forced to "SHHHHHHHHH!"

 

Or the idea that "somebody" might be in the crowd?

 

I don't know, I never get nervous having done it for so long, but those few seconds after I plugged in the Gibson, and looked out, were very weird...... Not really nervous, just.......

 

I don't know......

 

Serious......

 

Great thread.......

 

Murph.

[Riffster]

I used to go to those acoustics shows quite often Murph, if that is what you are talking about, it is a different atmosphere.

 

People do get thrown out for talking during a song, I have seen it happen. Shhhh

[retrosurfer1959]

Most nervous I've ever been was a older sisters wedding. I'd done it hundreds of times the songs were simple and it was a free gig so I wasn't feeling any pressure and wasn't nervous at all until I looked out at the audience and I realized that everyone in my family and almost everyone I'd known as a child growing up was there looking at me and most of the bridesmaids were my sisters friends and the girls I had crushes on as a young teen and they were all in the audience and I was sober!

 

After a few songs and curing the sober part I was fine but that was honestly the most nervous I've ever been even worse then the first time on TV because I knew everyone.

[Murph]

I used to go to those acoustics shows quite often Murph' date=' if that is what you are talking about, it is a different atmosphere.

 

People do get thrown out for talking during a song, I have seen it happen. Shhhh[/quote']

 

I love it man. I wish I could drive down there every Monday for open mike.

 

But I have a job, and gigs, and a kid, and a wife with a job and a kid, and stuff.

 

[surfpup]

Basketball stadium - about 8000 people. Strange to see that many people lookin' at you. Me knees was a knockin'. I survived.

 

As others have mentioned, I think small intimate acoustic gigs may be just as intimidating though. In fact, I'm usually more nervous in front of people I know.

[flyingarmadillo]

Haven't gigged in about 30 years but the most nervous was a couple of months ago. The GF and I went down to see some friends play (acoustic folk-roots stuff) after their show we went back to their place and were sitting around talking about music. The GF mentioned that I play so they haul out their guitars and decide we're just going to have some fun. Since I didn't have a guitar along they handed me one of theirs - an 1865 parlour guitar! (They like old guitars - I think they were playing a 1931 L0 and a 1947 J45). It was fun, but handling something that old with was definitely nerve wracking for the first couple minutes.

[milod]

Probably my first time on tv.

 

It was spring of '65 and I was a college dropout working at a printing company and some friends got me into this deal where I was the "tame folksinger" for a big benefit thingie.

 

Color tv was new, I was on a regionally well known noon show but off in what seemed like a hallway with hellish lights of what's now the old days of tube color tv.

 

Whooeeee... No crowd to look at, the only thing I really could see was this huge black box with a huge glass eye looking at me and the guy's hand finally dropping.

 

I'm with those who always have a little pre-performance jitters, but that one was something else for a kid. And yeah, one way or another I'd been performing in public since I was 3 or so. Hell, I can't even remember that. <grin>

 

m

[solacematt]

Any gi with my old drummer. He was just a trainwreck live and it really pissed me off. Makes you feel like all your hard work is for nothing when one person just slows everything down.