my playlist on the guitar

If your gig is close and you have learnt your pieces, what else should you keep in mind before jumping on stage? Of course, you can worry and be nervous but there are a few things to be done. Here is what I always do and what I think is important to take to the concert:

First of all, the program has to be fully mastered so whatever incident would not distract your attention. For example, you may discover that the lights are pointed right to your eyes, chair is too low/high, people are noisy, pants are too slippery, guitar doesn’t keep tuning, shirt’s buttons are buzzing against the guitar, some battery is dead etc. Things can happen and some of them do, you can be sure about that.

So I use to go through my program with the full equipment and clothes at home. I always use covered buttons on my suits. Recently I have started to bring my own seat. Radio transmitter gets a fresh battery every night. I change my basses a day before and leave the solo strings alone.

What else? Polish my nails, sandpapers to every pocket, nailcare emergency set to my bag. Also I take spare strings, batteries, lines, extension cable, radio transmitter and receiver, amp, stage suit, CD-s for sale, guitar support (Ergoplay or Gitano), sometimes a stand for the other guitar, music stand (if needed), sheet music, my Mac (there are all the notes if something happens) and of course, guitar or two. What I definately do is to prepare a playlist and stick it behind my guitar.

If I am going out with the electric then I have to take a couple of more things but my dance project takes just the things I just named. Playing with a dancer takes good nerves and 100% confident tempo. And if it happens that dancer is still louder than the guitar, well, that’s why I mentioned good nerves 🙂

How do you prepare for a concert and what would you suggest to others?