Had my first last week...

[guitargreg1993]

Hey everyone, sorry I haven't been on here much, but I've been busy for good reasons. I was preparing for my first gig, which was last Thursday at my school's Battle of the Bands. There was at least 200 people there, and it went pretty well!! (Except for the first song, which was executed horribly...) :unsure:

 

Anyway, here's some pics:

 

Here's a pic of me (attempting to) sing...

 

One of my fav pics... The only one where the lights showed up right too hehehe

 

Great pic of me rockin' out on a solo at the front of the stage!!

 

Me also rockin' out on the riff of our original song... And as you can see, I'm wearing my J. Bon Dust Bowl tour shirt!!

 

(cont. on next post)

[guitargreg1993]

And of course, here's videos of the show!!

 

This is our first song, an original called "Insomnia". Great example of why NOT to write a song 3 days before the show and only practice it once...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VB9IVWMXRq4

 

This is a cover of treble charger's "Red"... One of my personal favorite songs, and it actually turned out really well!!

 

(cont'd)

[guitargreg1993]

And this was our other original song, called "I Was Born to Rock & Roll". This went real well, and the crowd got really into it too! They were on their feet clapping with us towards the end

 

Well anyway, even though we got 6th place (outta 6 bands ) I was really proud!! It was my first time up onstage playing in front of people... and it was my first time singing too. Trust me, I'm no singer hahaha For our first show together as a band, we played pretty well together.

 

We already have another gig this Saturday, a small fundraiser for the local children's advocacy center. Got the gig because my dad's friend is in charge of the center. Pretty pumped for it; we're gonna be playing a lot more than 3 songs hahaha so it's technically our first "real" gig And now that I've played in front of people, I won't be as nervous. Plus there wont be as many people so it wont be as much pressure... Either way, it should be interesting, so we'll see how it goes!! I will definitely tell y'all how it goes after the gig!! Till then, see ya around and keep on rockin' everyone!!

[Kimbabig]

How many panties were thrown on the stage?

[Silenced Fred]

Hey man, gotta start somewhere. Just had my first real show two weeks ago (I think) and it was nerve racking as hell, but went over well.

 

Not to derail, but I was in a cover band at my high school last year, and I hated it and didn't have much fun and only sang once, so I don't really consider those gigs.

 

But anyways, the show went over well. I sang the whole time (I get you, I'm not singer myself, but nobody else would sing so you gotta step up). Anyways, the Battle of the Bands at my old high school where everyone else in my band goes to is in two weeks and I'll try and get some videos of that show or something, but you guys sounded good. I'm gonna tell you what I told my other guitar player when he was freaking out because he doesn't think we will win. I told him who cares? I just wanna put on a great show, I'm not very much for the whole Battle of the Band thing, most of it is just playing favorites anyways, and when I played basketball at my Catholic junior high school, this one gym had a sign that said "if you had fun, you won". I always thought that was lame, and made jokes about it all the time, but especially for music, I think it holds true. in all honesty, who is it to judge music? By me (live in a Chicago suburb, I think you do too) its all nu-metal and post hardcore bands. If you don't play in that genre, people think you're crap. So if you had fun, and felt like you put on a good show and enjoyed yourself, god damn it! I say you won!

 

Looked like you were having a blast onstage man, I'm more of the "shoegazer" type of player, I need to work on my stage presence. That sucks you guys only had time enough for three songs, we get like 20 minutes, the last gig was 30 minutes.

 

Good on ya man, knock em dead

[Kimbabig]

I don't have the balls to play live, I think I'd like to be a studio musician, pick up a couple more instruments and make albums without ever playing live. I'm glad you're enjoying yourself. Keep it up.

[Silenced Fred]

I don't have the balls to play live, I think I'd like to be a studio musician, pick up a couple more instruments and make albums without ever playing live. I'm glad you're enjoying yourself. Keep it up.

 

Not to derail, but I hate studio stuff. I love playing live. I mean I like recording, but recording without playing live, to me and I know I'm wrong for this, is like masturbation. Sure, you're making music, but its just different.... Don't mean to offend you at all, just saying for me, thats how I look at it

[Crocstar6]

Everyone has the balls to play live, even females.....hahaha but seriously try playing in front of siblings or other family members or friends, if you take on a big challenge little by little, its way easier, trust me.

[Kimbabig]

The proposition of playing live scares the hell out of me. My father tells me I'm so much better when I'm playing live (my bedroom) and just improvising leads and having wank-fests. PlayingI live ****ing scares me. I want to be the faceless guitarist. It consfuses people when I tell them I don't want to be famous or play live, and I don't want a band. I just want to stay inside and keep my guitar to myself. I hate being loud, because I know someone is judging me. I really hate the fact that my father knows about my soundcloud. I can't do vocals or write songs without dieing of embaressment. My closest friends don't know about it. I think I'm just going to make recordings and keep them to myself for now. Where I'll be the only one who judges them. Im sure what I just said makes me seem like a total loser who justs wants attention and people to feel sorry for him. I apologize for the thread derailment, but I've been wanting to get this out for a long time.

[Silenced Fred]

The proposition of playing live scares the hell out of me. My father tells me I'm so much better when I'm playing live (my bedroom) and just improvising leads and having wank-fests. PlayingI live ****ing scares me. I want to be the faceless guitarist. It consfuses people when I tell them I don't want to be famous or play live, and I don't want a band. I just want to stay inside and keep my guitar to myself. I hate being loud, because I know someone is judging me. I really hate the fact that my father knows about my soundcloud. I can't do vocals or write songs without dieing of embaressment. My closest friends don't know about it. I think I'm just going to make recordings and keep them to myself for now. Where I'll be the only one who judges them. Im sure what I just said makes me seem like a total loser who justs wants attention and people to feel sorry for him. I apologize for the thread derailment, but I've been wanting to get this out for a long time.

 

Nah man, I totally get you. I used to be like that a lot, but whatever clicked and I got out there and did it. Studio artists are crazy good, and I just don't have that talent. I can make some cool riffs, throw some chords together and scribble a solo out of my amp, but studio guys have my utmost respect.

 

BTW, just out of curiosity, who -1'd my initial post? I didn't even put anything negative into it lol someone needs to leave the house...

[Silenced Fred]

Everyone has the balls to play live, even females.....hahaha but seriously try playing in front of siblings or other family members or friends, if you take on a big challenge little by little, its way easier, trust me.

 

I just gave my mom recordings of songs of wrote. I was more scared doing that then when I played at my first show. Family members and small crowds scare the hell out of me

[Paging Page]

Heyyyyy great job getting out there and up on stage!!

KUDOS!!

 

You sound good, I'm listening to the YouTube as I type.

 

I'd like to address FuzzyFuzz's (Kim, right?) post tho.........

 

I think I'm older than the rest of you in this topic so far :) and I'd just like to say a little -- I would DIE too if some members of my fam found my SoundClick.

LOL

and who knows they might - my sister's seen my YouTube.

 

Why?

Because they're the ones who discouraged me and told me not to go there --- didn't want to see me in a career in the 'nasty' music/entertainment business. Savvy?? "Your voice slides" (well it does) or "You shouldn't sing that high" (in choir I learned to hit a high b-flat no sweat - I can too) and so on and so on.

Gah, the judgment - even if you're just FEELING it and it's not real at all -- bleehhhhhh it's hard.

 

However ------ I wrote songs in my teens and freaked out that I did this stupid thing, and didn't hardly show them to anyone -- barely even my hubby, once I "grew up" and had my family.

 

I understand those feelings. 100%

 

Just saying it's taken me a LONG. TIME. to overcome it and get to the point I can stand my voice on a recording - stand to listen back to the song I recorded -- stand to allow someone to compliment me when they DO like my song or my playing -- -and be able to accept the compliment and say Thank You.

 

And accept that writing songs is something "I do." Whether I do it great or not, I do it, and it happens, and it's a central part of who I am.

 

So -

Please please........ it's OK not to play live, etc etc and be alone with your guitar in your room...... that's all fine, but feeling GOOD about who you are and what you DO and being comfortable with those things... that's important.

 

I STILL HAVE that "eeek someone might hear this!!!" fear (I also have this, "fear of being famous" fear... LOL!! like, how likely IS that?!! NOT! so get over that too!!) which I am STILL overcoming.... I hope it doesn't take you as long as it's taken me to get over it.

 

Cuz the thing is...... music is meant to be listened to!!

 

If you have songs inside you, they should be born, come out, express themselves.

 

Who cares if they're not "Hit" songs???

You can always improve and edit and revise once it's out.

 

Hope I'm making sense.

 

Overcoming self-doubt is KILLER.

I think it's one we ALL work on no matter how old we get........

 

Good for you letting it out. I'm listening. Others are too I'm sure, even if they're lurking.

You're not alone in those feelings.

 

Paul Simon: "people writing songs / that voices never shared / no one dared / disturb the sound of silence."

 

DISTURB. IT.

 

 

L

[Kimbabig]

I know you're not one to care and you were just curious, but I plussed it back up.

 

But anyway back onto the topic of the original thread's intention and off my depression. You guys really rocked the place. Were there judges or some kind of voting system.

 

 

[Paging Page]

PS:

 

I'm the same way with small crowds (IE open mikes) and/or family members -- even my kids & husband who I know LOVE ME and care about what I'm doing. Terrifying. Give me a faceless sea of people and a huge amp any day of the week, let me try that, it'll be easier.

 

PPS:

I don't talk music much with my closest friends unless they are ALSO musicians.

Non-music people just don't get it. They get bored. :)

[Silenced Fred]

I know you're not one to care and you were just curious, but I plussed it back up.

 

But anyway back onto the topic of the original thread's intention and off my depression. You guys really rocked the place. Were there judges or some kind of voting system.

 

That's the one thing about this plus and minus system, another sad way for people to ***** anonymously. Before you had to at least call someone out

[DAS44]

I find it completely horrifying playing for people who don't know me. Playing for family and friends has always been easier for me. As I figure it, the more comfortable I am with them, the more comfortable I am with playing for them. I put nearly all of me into it when I play, so the more comfortable I am around you... the better.

[Enmitygauged]

Man I dont know any guitarist that hasnt had lead fingers at some point. My first gig in a full ensemble with a full orchestra LMAO I turned my guitar volume to zero and left it there. lol. I had an Alvarez guitar on stage once and the PU system preamp died. No backup guitar no cheers either lol. We all freak it never goes away you just learn to tune it out.

[Rokkstar 2210]

All in all, a good gig..CONGRATULATIONS!!

 

I am listening to the second Youtube vid as I type this..gotta say..you are good

 

and coming 6th (out of 6) isn't half bad for a start. the more gigs you do, the more confidence you gain, the higher you rise

 

you can do more original songs..I'd like to see more bands do their own songs than covers (our band only has 4 originals)

 

Keep it up mate, and Good Luck for our next gig!!

[retrosurfer1959]

Stagefright is tough to overcome but there is a lot of fun and gratification in playing out in the world. Ive said it on here numerous times Ive been playing for years and I'd still rather play in front of 5000 strangers than 5 good friends. My wife has to lose herself in the crowd for the first couple songs or it makes me nervous even after all these years. playing christmas carols for the family is probably the hardest gig i do in a year :unsure:

 

Self doubt is easier to overcome, that just takes practice and the first time you cash a check made 100% from performing a lot of that self doubt just flows away.