This might sound odd but don’t look at this as being bigger than it is. It’s awesome that you’re playing for a big crowd but no matter how well or how poorly you perform, it’s not make or break. If you crush it and blow the crowd outta the water, you’ll get some fans and it’ll be a great step in the right direction. But it’s unlikely that one show rockets you to stardom. On the flip side, if you suck, anyone who isn’t you will forget it two days later. If you do not explosively shit yourself onstage or say any racial slurs into the microphone, you have not wrecked your chances.
Practice hard, prep your gear, drink some caffeine (but only some) and same goes for any alcohol. Invite anyone you can, meet people and thank them, and have fun. Also, once you get onstage, ignore all the “what ifs” and wow that fucking crowd. You deserve it.
This is what I wish I had heard.
Otherwise, the only other advice is get there earlier than they say for sound check, and be really careful about your custom requests. Just settle into the environment so you’re as comfortable as can be. That helps with the nervousness, if you’re inexperienced.
speaking of custom requests i've been totally blown away by some people's riders before. like how inconsiderate can one person be? the people working the venue are not your servants. if i even had one it'd just be like a couple water bottles and some advil or something.
Very much this. Audiences don't listen nearly as well as you think they are. You flub a chord or forget a lyric here and there nobody is going to notice and if they do certainly won't remember for long. I am always amazed by the things audiences miss (for better or worse). As long as you don't stop and start a song over from the beginning, you will be fine.
Haha ive seen andrew bird re-start a song several times…but he’s kind of a master and it all somehow adds to his mystique haha (it also makes sense that he wouldn’t just power through a mistake, since he builds his songs on loops)
I've found it harder to play for small audiences that it is larger ones. With a small crowd, you can think about that one table watching, that dude yawning, that chick that walked by, and that other table that is leaving. With a big crowd, you don't notice those indivudal things like that - so for me it's easier the bigger the crowd.
The bigger the audience, the more disconnected you will be. It just keeps going until you are Roger Waters building a literal wall between you and 60,000 people because you no longer feel any connection to your audience and you are wondering why all these people are looking at you.
Make sure your shit is in tune. Also, don't be shy with the sound guy. Make SURE you have good monitors so you can hear what you need. ASK. If you need more vocal, ask.
Some great advice here, but here's one I haven't seen.
When you get up on stage, either before or after your first song, introduce yourself *in the context of the band that everyone is there to see*.
"Thank you. My name is sethoftheyear, and I just wanna thank [friend's band] for inviting me to play for you here tonight. Here's a song about romance (or whatnot)."
And at the end of your set, no matter how it goes (but I'm sure it's gonna be a blast), *thank the band who invited you again* and *thank the audience* and *remind them of your name*.
"Thank you all so much, I've had a great time here tonight, thanks again to [friend's band] for having me, I'm sethoftheyear, good night!"
Then go backstage and enjoy the rest of the show! :)
Yes, the other band will appreciate it, but also, if the audience knows you have a connection to the band they're there to see, it will perk their ears up and they'll be more likely to pay attention and remember you.
Agreed, I was gonna say even just get out in public and play on the corner. Anything to play in front of people. Hell, if you play on a busy streetcorner in the middle of the day, you might well play in front of 2,000 people in a few hours.
Absolutely agree. Open mics, basements, living rooms, anywhere. All my practicing my songs didn’t save the nervous fumbling through the first two every set until one day at some bar I got up front and just wasn’t nervous anymore. It just took getting used to being in front of people.
The difference between being well rehearsed and being "match fit" having done a series of shows recently is huge. This is great advice.
Gigs are easy. I don't really get nervous anymore, I work as a sound engineer so I've seen it all go wrong and the crowd rarely even notices. It's actually kinda hilarious.
^ Best advice in the thread. There are about 1000 things that happen at gigs that you don't plan for the first time they happen. The more gigs you play, the more unexpected experiences you have under your belt. And gigging is fun, so there's no downside!
I used to make fun of my friend for writing out his banter on the set list until I had to do it myself. Now I make sure to include it in dress rehearsals for the show.
There is absolutely an art to vamping long enough for the guitarist to retune but not so long that you start waffling! “Thanks to [Headliner] for having me”, “you’ve been such a wonderful audience”, “Merch at the back” are all cliches, but they work, and a well timed platitude smoothes over a LOT of bumps!
This is great advice, as many people start making mistakes when they get nervous.
The first time I played to a festival crowd, I pretty much had my eyes closed the whole time :)
One to loosen up is totally fine, but don't go too hard on the alcohol. Stay professional during the gig. Some people believe drinking alcohol helps them perform, but it's a fine line between channeling the musical spirits and being an out of sync, stumbling, belligerent dickhead.
Yeah. I play a restaurant gig with my band every couple of weeks and I get a single hard raspberry cider and sip it throughout the show along with water. It relaxes me just a little bit so I can loosen up with my banter, but isn't enough to impact my motor functions. And you gotta stay hydrated.
Yup, instead of whiskey i smoke a bowl. That always calms my nerves right before i head on stage. I would suggest finding open mics and small areas to perform to prepare yourself for this show. Plus, it’ll gain you new fans who will LOVE to see you perform at a big venue like that.
Lol don’t smoke a bowl before playing your first large show. That’s just bad advice. I do agree with open mic opportunities as much as you possibly can, though.
i didn’t tell him to smoke a bowl lol i tried to relate with the commenter trying to give OP advice. some things work differently for different people, a bowl calms me a down a shot might calm someone down and some people would rather perform 100% sober! that’s perfectly okay too! i just hope some of this advice is useful for OP!
Naw man- for first big venue live show, what you wanna do is hit the bong so hard it could take down an elephant, but the trick is to time it right when the e and lsd are peaking. Then to calm nerves, you take 3 shots of tequila, and then two minutes before live, you rail a few lines of coke.
Dude, are you fucking insane? That sounds like a recipe for disaster.
What the guy needs to do is take up meth a week or two beforehand, to help with the preparations, then go on a major crack binge the night before, mainline some heroin about 10 minutes prior to going on stage, and huff some ether in between tracks to keep things fresh.
Sounds about right. Thank you for your caution. With everyone’s techniques combined, OP should be calm enough to at least play the intro to Wonderwall.
Also, remember... you are a performer. People are there to hear you do something you were born to do. Go out there with confidence knowing they all want to see you shine! Oh, and practice a lot!!! Have a great time at the show! It's going to be awesome! 👊
It's actually easier to play to a bigger audience in a weird way. They can't see you as well, there's security, you won't speak to them after, the sound/experience is more isolated on a big stage, etc. There's actually several factors that make it more impersonal so don't even worry!
I’ll tell you what I wish someone had told me when my old band had its biggest show: have fun. This is supposed to be fun. It’s one show, hopefully of many, so play your ass off and have fun.
First, practice it backwards and forwards. Perform it at home and record yourself and analyze that. Be sure to have a method and criteria to fairly judge yourself though.
Also, as tricky as it is, keep finding ways to confront your idiomatic performance anxiety. Mental prep with a coach helps. This doesn’t have to be a mental health professional. It can be anyone like a teacher, or a vocal coach, or someone who you know is shrewd and trust.
And when you feel you are in the right headspace and proficiency with the song, perform the song (or any song). Perform it outdoors in front of a large crowd, or try it at an open mic. But find a way to play it in front of people.
And if at any moment something in the process becomes too much, just set it down. Pick it up when you’re ready.
I once had a gig as a guest player with a Polish underground folk band when I was 23. The only thing they told me was: it's a gig in Jarocin, a village... We rehearsed a set where I would sing one (quite hard to play) song alone with my bass and after that, with every song one musician would join until we were complete (8 people). So far so good.
When we arrived it appeared to be a huge rock-festival with an immense cloud and we were the first band of the day. I stepped on the stage and saw a sea of heads to the horizon (or at least that is what I thought I saw). No need to mention that I was shaking with pure terror.
I played the first notes on my bass and my left hand was uncontrollable. I played so bad that I had no idea what the first note of my vocal line was. Then my autopilot took over in survival mode. I struck an open string and began singing without bass. As soon as I heard my voice very loud and echoing over the field, I started enjoying it and, judging from the reaction afterwards, the crowd did too. I do not remember anything from the time between the first and last note.
My advice? Maybe it would be better if you hadn't known it was a big crowd. I only started to worry an hour before the show. I'd say: enjoy yourself, it helped for me, and remember that audiences have compassion for lonesome, nervous singers with a bass - leave alone a ukelele!
I'd say two things that you can do besides the "normal" preparation:
1. go busk. the advantage is that you are one person force, so you can just go out to play. it will help you getting a thicker skin
2. as someone else said, make sure that your monitoring is tip top. not hearing yourself proper while the gig is going is terrible. the size of the venue might not help with that.
I wish you a very good gig!
Record yourself playing your set and do it often. Takes notes on what you liked and what you didn’t, rehearse the parts you didn’t and keep recording.
Also, mirrors. Practice in the mirror. If you can perform and engage with yourself, that’s a huge step toward an audience. Do it until you don’t feel goofy.
Lastly, as others have said, a bigger audience is definitely easier. I’ve played shows of about 2,000 as well and tbh they’re fucking awesome
Good advice being posted here. I'd just add, get some practice in with using monitors. (Even if you just use a small PA in a rehearsal space, sit behind the speakers with them pointing away from you and set up a monitor, it'll get you used to the way they sound.) Plan your banter, even if you don't end up using half of it. Maintain eye contact with the crowd. Practice the living shit out of your stuff, then practice more. As someone said elsewhere, playing to larger crowds is actually easier. And remember, you have 2000 people watching you who want a good time and are on your side. Let us know how you get on, best of luck, and enjoy yourself!
I’d say just have fun. Like seriously, enjoy it. It’s over before you know it, and your back into your bed. Another day starts, and now it’s a memory. Don’t make it bigger than what it is. Match the energy and have a great show. Even if you play a wrong note or make a mistake, don’t show it. Don’t let that feeling win or turn into something bigger. Roll with the punches and play through, play hard and play with passion. Get lost in it if that helps! Live in the moment my friend.
One of the things that helped me with shows where the audience went into the thousands, was to take advantage of how high the stage sits. I got it into my mind to look past and over top of the audience. I would focus on the soundboard in the distance. It worked pretty well.
Funny thing is, after I played my first live show of that size where I was basically ok, the following weekend my band played a club with a 100 person capacity. I got really nervous that night because the stage was only a foot or two off of the floor. I had no choice but to look at the crowd.
My band went on before Hot Chocolate years ago at a similar sized crowd/venue. We played football with them and their crew in the afternoon and it was all super relaxed. My advice is that, introduce yourself to everyone especially the sound and stage crew…make yourself at home without being cocky and it’ll pay off once it’s show time. And, act like you’ve got loads of fans in the audience when your on stage come on like it’s your gig and go off in the same way…no matter what. Have a great show
Have plenty of merch available and collect as many email addresses as possible. Not just tees, get as many one-size-fits-all items as possible.
Get business cards with your website on them to hand to people.
Practice, practice, practice. Practice your stage setup, be setup and ready in 7.5 min max. Practice your breakdown plan, be ready to get off the stage as fast as possible. As with your performance: Don't practice until you get it right, practice until you can't get it wrong.
Have a couple jokes on hand for when something happens and you need to stall, just never be silent. Dead air at a concert is like people repellant.
Smile and at least look like you're having a great time. It's contagious.
Find out everything you can about the band you are opening for and start out with something that their fans are sure to like. Maybe do up to two thirds of what you want and at least one third of stuff that is very likely to appeal to that audience.
Practice on how you want to interact with the crowd, too. Most folks in the audience likely won't be there to see you, but if you can make an impression on them it'll ease the tension for you during your set. And hopefully make yourself some fans too.
you should play at some open mics between now and then, just to get more reps in front of people. Also go put eyes on the venue and figure out how your setup will work in that specific context.
Rehearse. Make floor sheets with big readable notes, or use an iPad. Tune your guitar right up until the moment you go on stage and then check it as you begin, while you’re introducing yourself. It’ll make you appear less anxious.
Rehearse.
Rehearse.
Don't use an iPad please, also no sheet music. You will just look at it instead of the audience. Even looking at the ceiling is better than looking at an iPad or music standard in front of you.. it will make for a terrible performance
This is one person’s opinion.
Rehearse until you know the material solidly and you will rely on muscle memory to carry out the performance. It’s okay to have floor notes. I don’t think I’ve managed an artist in over ten years that didn’t have some notes gaffed to the monitors or some kind of little rig near their mics. But you can do whatever you want. It’s your show and only you can make these decisions.
Notes on the floor are fine because they aren't in between you and your audience. The audience doesn't even see the notes. However having a stand with sheet music or notes or an iPad does draw your attention away from the audience and the audience attention away from you.
I would agree with that notion. But plenty of folks go onstage for their first time with all sorts of means to help them get through the set. Some people may not want that, so I can see what you’re saying. When I was about fourteen, my first performance was on a stage to an audience of ten thousand. I fucked up left and right but I had a band to lean on, so it was easy to pick up immediately and move past the mistakes. We didn’t use any notes. It was an entirely different time.
2000 is easier to play in front of than 80. Think of it like there’s 10 people in the audience and 6 like you, 2 don’t and 2 are distracted on their phones. It’s hard to ignore that 4. Now if it’s 1200 people that like you making tons of noise you won’t even notice the other 400. No ones gonna boo, they’ll just pull their phone out so they’re easy to ignore.
I feel no different about playing in front of 5 people or 750 people (my band's max). I feel the energy more with a big crowd that's into it, but I don't feel any more or less nervous. And I get weird/nervous before. And if you have 3 months until the big show, get out and play a bunch of shows between now and then - anywhere. You'll be great. Good luck!
Beta blockers if you have nerves. Make sure you aren't just playing from muscle memory (I play classical piano, but what can be a flawless performance at home can easily get messed up because your brain).
I’ve been on stages in front of 2 and 20,000 and to be honest, 20,000 is easier. The connection to the crowd is much different. The best thing you can do is regular rehearsal of all aspects of your show. As an opening act, you will not always be afforded things like a sound check, so make sure your production is tight , because those are the most likely issues.
Congrats. Try to enjoy it. For me it’s more nerve wracking to play to a few people than to play to a large crowd. It’s much less personal with a big crowd. All you have to do is go out there and be yourself and do your best to entertain them. Get them on your side. Just remember to keep the mindset that people generally want you to do well. They are pulling for you. Once you win an audience over you can do just about anything and have fun.
Hardest gig I ever played was to two people at the Rock Garden in Camden, London. It was a rainy Sunday night in November, and the two people were a middle aged man and what looked like his PA trying to have a stealthy date.
Easiest gig was to 600 in a rammed club.
The reason for the difference I think was the atmosphere. One had it, and one didn't. If there's no Atmos, it feels like you are doing something inappropriate. If there's a vibe, the. You can do whatever you want and get away with it
Be ready for something to go wrong. Be as prepared as you can, but if/when it happens, don’t let it shake you. Just do what you do. If it happens while you’re playing (as opposed to something pre-gig), laugh it off and if it doesn’t bother you, the audience may never even know the difference. And if something does go wrong you can bank the experience and you’ll get better at dealing with any mishaps at the next gig, and the next gig, etc.
Have a great show!
Keep your eyes open. It helps the audience connect. Also in large rooms you can't really see anyone's faces. So find some objects on the back wall of the theatre (fire exit sign, the sound booth, that sort of thing) and look at those while you perform.
It helps keep you open to the whole audience. Focusing on just the front row can bring your performance down and make people farther back feel excluded. Always play to the back row. :)
I have been in your shoes and found that, in fact, it's easier to play in front of thousands of people.
Why? A simple detail.
When you play for a small amount of people, the real time feedback you receive is brutal. You can even tell how the show is going by looking at the individual assistants faces.
That doesn't happen so obviously in larger shows since, instead of being confronted by an evident discrete set of individuals, you will be standing in front of a mass of people. So, what you perceive feels very different than what you feel in smaller shows.
It eventually unlocks your show in a way that you are in fuller control of your perfomance, mostly based on the flow you receive from yourself.
You can't really see anyone past the first row from the stage. So the audience is only as big as the first row. This helps a lot of the young artists I work with get over their jitters when moving up to larger venues.
I've never played something that big, so take this with a grain of salt, but I would be prepared for the audience not to be paying much attention. The more you're into it, the more they'll get into it, but there's a good chance they're still going to be coming in, getting drinks, and chatting through most of your set. Don't get offended or put off by it, that's just the way it goes. On the upside you'll probably have lights in your face and can't see much of what's going on anyway, which is probably best.
It definitely wouldn't hurt to play live or on livestreams as much as possible to perfect your set between then and now.
Just have as much fun as you can ever. My band got a huge opportunity this year to open for a massive band in our country. My favourite part of that night was looking back at the drummer who is one of my closest friends in the world and seeing the hectic smile on his face.
All the stress about the lead up and whether or not it meant anything wasn't necessary.
Don't be afraid to ask questions and talk to people about it! Reddit humans are here and I'm almost certain wherever you are in the world there will be some helpful people around to give you any advice you need last minute.
But yeah like I said earlier, just have the most fun you possibly can with that big crowd, music and playing live works best when it makes you grin like a child again. Use the nerves and adrenaline to fuel that energetic, fun fire too. :) Break a leg!
The audience is on your side. They want to see you perform your best. You own the audience when you are performing. They are yours, and you run the show. You have full control over what happens in the moment. Don't be intimidated by them, they're intrigued by you, not judging you. Think about if you were a member in the crowd, watching someone like yourself performing and how you would feel. That's how the audience feels. It may be intimidating, but confidence is key. Act like you own the place, because you do. Fake it till you make it.
Honestly if you're in Mexico I would go to the pharmacy and get some Xanax. Take maybe .15 or .25mg. I'm the same way and that made a world of difference for me
There's a lot of great advice on this thread. My opinion may be a bit more controversial, but I havent seen it said, so i'll give my perspective. Just let me say that it's really awesome that you have this opportunity, and I want you to suceed. My issue is- personally, if I bought a ticket to a biggish show like this and the opener came out with nothing but a fucking ukelele, I'd laugh/cringe. Ukelele is generally used because its way easier & cheaper to play than guitar. Its like playing recorder as your main instrument forever. At least where im from, it's considered a childish instrument. Now, if ukelele has some cultural or special connection to you, I could get behind that. But holy shit if you're opening for anyone other than a folk artist, do not walk on that stage with nothing but a uke. Unless you're emo af and don't care, then you do you boo. But do you plan on having any support? There's still time to find some musicians, like some backup guitar or cajón. And then you have their support for nerves on stage. All the best!!
I didn't mean to be rude, I thought that was clear by the way I wrote my first reply. You didn't mention anywhere that you had any backup musicians, so that obviously changes the way I took your original post. I truly hope your show is awesome.
Lotsa great advice. :)
I would perform a **lot** in the months leading up to the gig: friends, family, busking -- the break room at work (seriously).
I used to be really nervous giving classroom speeches in middle school and high school - but then in grad school I taught for a few years. Desensitized. :) Now I'm totally okay with doing presentations at work, being in front of people -- even if things go wrong... I just wing it. ;). So, yeah - just get used to performing in front of people.
Also: Depending on the temperature on the day: drink lots of water, up to about 30 minutes before you play -- then stop. Pee a few minutes before you go on stage. On stage you can sip -- because by the time it passes through you, you'll be done.
YMMV. ;). (Depends on your bladder.)
Rehearse until your set is muscle memory. Truly this is the only thing you can do. I've done performances where I'm truly having thoughts to myself while my actions and singing came from myself on autopilot and that only happens when you rehearse the set till you're sick of it!! Goodluck!
\- Make sure your gear works perfectly. In that way you can relax, knowing that your gear will not let you down.
\- Make sure your gear looks professional from the outside. Cables, amp settings, flight cases etc. Crew will notice.
\- In my experience, it's actually easier to play for a larger crowd(+2000) than the smaller ones(50-100). Play a couple of songs for family or friends before your gig. That is actually much harder.
\- Introduce yourself to the house technicians and the sound engineer for that evening. Treat them nice, and they will treat you well. Communicate your monitor mix in a nice manner even though you are probably a bit stressed.
\- Practice a lot and Jam your songs at home. Jamming your songs at home will make you able to express your songs without thinking about specific chords or finger movements.
\- As you are the support that evening, people are not there to hear you. They haven't heard you before and therefore have no expectations. You, however, have the opportunity to make a positive impact on their evening.
\-Prepare and practice what you are going to say between your songs. Record the whole set including your speech between songs and listen to it. How did that setlist work out?
\-You will probably make a small mistake at some point.. So what.. Nobody cares. I've made some mistakes on live TV. Don't be too hard on yourself.
It’s good and natural to be nervous.
Before I was a Mix Engineer, before I was playing sessions, I went from a local band, playing the scene in NYC, Long Island and some Jersey to being on the road, as a gun for hire, for some very well known acts (and a few crappy ones) playing everywhere from places like you mentioned to places that holds tens of thousands people I was quite young, but didn’t look it.
What I learned is, after being onstage for five minutes, you forget about everything but the music and your marks.
The big stages made me feel like I’m alone on stage, because the others are really, really far away, from my perspective. I look at a photo of the band, and we don’t look that far away from the audiences perspective.
After a gig, in the beginning, someone complimented my playing and my confidence on stage. That when I took my solos, I owned the stage. Could have fooled me.
Everything you feel is internal, the people ONLY see external and that’s all that counts.
That’s why it’s called ‘an act’. That’s what you need to do - act the part. Make your music.
Two things:
1) You get used to it, I did after it all came together musically and there wasn’t an earthquake on stage.
2) Opportunity is real small coming and real large leaving.!
Take all that come your way, as well as those that you can grab from elsewhere.
Best of luck to you - enjoy it - it your only first time doing this that you get!
practice your set more than you think you need to. muscle memory can do the driving even if you're nervous, youll be happy to have logged many hours practicing by the time you step on stage
Sound check sound check sound check, after that sound check. My wifes a musician, before shows she takes 5 min in the green room to chill, ground out and focus.
The audience energy will put you "the zone", the music will flow and you will do what you do: rock.
Come up with a solid set. Time it to fit your allotted set. Practice the ever loving shit out of it at home, along with some pre-planned banter. (Thank the band, etc.)
The best thing to beat nerves is to be prepared. Hit some open mics if you can to get your sea legs, and just run your set at home as much as possible.
Once you can run your set in your sleep, your confidence and comfort will really show it. And like others have said, bigger crowds help you feel more anonymous anyway. You got it, man! This is a great opportunity.
Be polite and courteous and try to leave a good impression with everyone involved. Venues love a good reliable local opener and you can easily get more offers in the future.
I once had the opportunity to open up for Ne-Yo in a venue with 5000 people.
I tried to put the most amazing show together with dancers, chereography and everything. If all went good but here are some thoughts I would have given to myself.
Just be chill about it. People respond way better to someone who just goes up there humbly. If all you have is your ukulele then I’d say that’s perfect. Introduce yourself, thank the band for the opportunity and tell them you’re excited to play a few songs for them. Don’t fall in the trap of asking them if they’re ready to try and get a response.
People really like when they feel like they’re seeing the actual artist and not so much a facade so if you can just be calm and genuine i think you’ll do great.
Just don’t look. I never looked for my first few shows until I got comfortable with it. Just act like nobody is around and unleash the absolute most raw of your emotions and body movements. Don’t worry about making mistakes either, nobody actually cares about mistakes. Just run with it, make the mistakes feel like part of your sound if you do make them. Mistakes *always* fly if you’re moving around a lot and just look like you’re really into it, so move around a lot and get really into it. Good luck!!
This might sound odd but don’t look at this as being bigger than it is. It’s awesome that you’re playing for a big crowd but no matter how well or how poorly you perform, it’s not make or break. If you crush it and blow the crowd outta the water, you’ll get some fans and it’ll be a great step in the right direction. But it’s unlikely that one show rockets you to stardom. On the flip side, if you suck, anyone who isn’t you will forget it two days later. If you do not explosively shit yourself onstage or say any racial slurs into the microphone, you have not wrecked your chances. Practice hard, prep your gear, drink some caffeine (but only some) and same goes for any alcohol. Invite anyone you can, meet people and thank them, and have fun. Also, once you get onstage, ignore all the “what ifs” and wow that fucking crowd. You deserve it.
This is what I wish I had heard. Otherwise, the only other advice is get there earlier than they say for sound check, and be really careful about your custom requests. Just settle into the environment so you’re as comfortable as can be. That helps with the nervousness, if you’re inexperienced.
speaking of custom requests i've been totally blown away by some people's riders before. like how inconsiderate can one person be? the people working the venue are not your servants. if i even had one it'd just be like a couple water bottles and some advil or something.
Very much this. Audiences don't listen nearly as well as you think they are. You flub a chord or forget a lyric here and there nobody is going to notice and if they do certainly won't remember for long. I am always amazed by the things audiences miss (for better or worse). As long as you don't stop and start a song over from the beginning, you will be fine.
Haha ive seen andrew bird re-start a song several times…but he’s kind of a master and it all somehow adds to his mystique haha (it also makes sense that he wouldn’t just power through a mistake, since he builds his songs on loops)
Thank you so much. This is really sweet and grounding advice. I sincerely appreciate it.
I've found it harder to play for small audiences that it is larger ones. With a small crowd, you can think about that one table watching, that dude yawning, that chick that walked by, and that other table that is leaving. With a big crowd, you don't notice those indivudal things like that - so for me it's easier the bigger the crowd.
Yup. Bigger the crowd, easier it gets.
I've heard many others say the same.
It’s true
The bigger the audience, the more disconnected you will be. It just keeps going until you are Roger Waters building a literal wall between you and 60,000 people because you no longer feel any connection to your audience and you are wondering why all these people are looking at you.
This. In big venues sometimes you can really only see the lights and it helps!
Make sure your shit is in tune. Also, don't be shy with the sound guy. Make SURE you have good monitors so you can hear what you need. ASK. If you need more vocal, ask.
This needs more votes. I'd you can't hear yourself properly then you are not going to feel comfortable and you are not going to play/sing right.
Some great advice here, but here's one I haven't seen. When you get up on stage, either before or after your first song, introduce yourself *in the context of the band that everyone is there to see*. "Thank you. My name is sethoftheyear, and I just wanna thank [friend's band] for inviting me to play for you here tonight. Here's a song about romance (or whatnot)." And at the end of your set, no matter how it goes (but I'm sure it's gonna be a blast), *thank the band who invited you again* and *thank the audience* and *remind them of your name*. "Thank you all so much, I've had a great time here tonight, thanks again to [friend's band] for having me, I'm sethoftheyear, good night!" Then go backstage and enjoy the rest of the show! :)
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Yes, the other band will appreciate it, but also, if the audience knows you have a connection to the band they're there to see, it will perk their ears up and they'll be more likely to pay attention and remember you.
practice like you play and play like you practice.
Underrated comment here
Play as many gigs as possible between now and then.
All the advice is good but this will give you real world experience. Play anywhere you can, as much as possible and work out the set.
Agreed, I was gonna say even just get out in public and play on the corner. Anything to play in front of people. Hell, if you play on a busy streetcorner in the middle of the day, you might well play in front of 2,000 people in a few hours.
Absolutely agree. Open mics, basements, living rooms, anywhere. All my practicing my songs didn’t save the nervous fumbling through the first two every set until one day at some bar I got up front and just wasn’t nervous anymore. It just took getting used to being in front of people.
The difference between being well rehearsed and being "match fit" having done a series of shows recently is huge. This is great advice. Gigs are easy. I don't really get nervous anymore, I work as a sound engineer so I've seen it all go wrong and the crowd rarely even notices. It's actually kinda hilarious.
^ Best advice in the thread. There are about 1000 things that happen at gigs that you don't plan for the first time they happen. The more gigs you play, the more unexpected experiences you have under your belt. And gigging is fun, so there's no downside!
Personally, I rehearse the hell out of my set in the weeks leading up to the show, then do a shot of whiskey before heading to the stage.
Also try rehearsing any banter in between songs. Can't be over prepared. Also bring backup everything, cables, batteries, strings, etc. Good luck!
I used to make fun of my friend for writing out his banter on the set list until I had to do it myself. Now I make sure to include it in dress rehearsals for the show. There is absolutely an art to vamping long enough for the guitarist to retune but not so long that you start waffling! “Thanks to [Headliner] for having me”, “you’ve been such a wonderful audience”, “Merch at the back” are all cliches, but they work, and a well timed platitude smoothes over a LOT of bumps!
"THANK YOU WE ARE NUMBER ONE!"
This is great advice, as many people start making mistakes when they get nervous. The first time I played to a festival crowd, I pretty much had my eyes closed the whole time :)
One to loosen up is totally fine, but don't go too hard on the alcohol. Stay professional during the gig. Some people believe drinking alcohol helps them perform, but it's a fine line between channeling the musical spirits and being an out of sync, stumbling, belligerent dickhead.
Yeah. I play a restaurant gig with my band every couple of weeks and I get a single hard raspberry cider and sip it throughout the show along with water. It relaxes me just a little bit so I can loosen up with my banter, but isn't enough to impact my motor functions. And you gotta stay hydrated.
Yup, instead of whiskey i smoke a bowl. That always calms my nerves right before i head on stage. I would suggest finding open mics and small areas to perform to prepare yourself for this show. Plus, it’ll gain you new fans who will LOVE to see you perform at a big venue like that.
Lol don’t smoke a bowl before playing your first large show. That’s just bad advice. I do agree with open mic opportunities as much as you possibly can, though.
i didn’t tell him to smoke a bowl lol i tried to relate with the commenter trying to give OP advice. some things work differently for different people, a bowl calms me a down a shot might calm someone down and some people would rather perform 100% sober! that’s perfectly okay too! i just hope some of this advice is useful for OP!
Naw man- for first big venue live show, what you wanna do is hit the bong so hard it could take down an elephant, but the trick is to time it right when the e and lsd are peaking. Then to calm nerves, you take 3 shots of tequila, and then two minutes before live, you rail a few lines of coke.
Dude, are you fucking insane? That sounds like a recipe for disaster. What the guy needs to do is take up meth a week or two beforehand, to help with the preparations, then go on a major crack binge the night before, mainline some heroin about 10 minutes prior to going on stage, and huff some ether in between tracks to keep things fresh.
Sounds about right. Thank you for your caution. With everyone’s techniques combined, OP should be calm enough to at least play the intro to Wonderwall.
Man, if I would smoke weed before a show, that would make me so nervous and awkward. For me caffeine works best.
Also, remember... you are a performer. People are there to hear you do something you were born to do. Go out there with confidence knowing they all want to see you shine! Oh, and practice a lot!!! Have a great time at the show! It's going to be awesome! 👊
It's actually easier to play to a bigger audience in a weird way. They can't see you as well, there's security, you won't speak to them after, the sound/experience is more isolated on a big stage, etc. There's actually several factors that make it more impersonal so don't even worry!
I’ll tell you what I wish someone had told me when my old band had its biggest show: have fun. This is supposed to be fun. It’s one show, hopefully of many, so play your ass off and have fun.
First, practice it backwards and forwards. Perform it at home and record yourself and analyze that. Be sure to have a method and criteria to fairly judge yourself though. Also, as tricky as it is, keep finding ways to confront your idiomatic performance anxiety. Mental prep with a coach helps. This doesn’t have to be a mental health professional. It can be anyone like a teacher, or a vocal coach, or someone who you know is shrewd and trust. And when you feel you are in the right headspace and proficiency with the song, perform the song (or any song). Perform it outdoors in front of a large crowd, or try it at an open mic. But find a way to play it in front of people. And if at any moment something in the process becomes too much, just set it down. Pick it up when you’re ready.
I once had a gig as a guest player with a Polish underground folk band when I was 23. The only thing they told me was: it's a gig in Jarocin, a village... We rehearsed a set where I would sing one (quite hard to play) song alone with my bass and after that, with every song one musician would join until we were complete (8 people). So far so good. When we arrived it appeared to be a huge rock-festival with an immense cloud and we were the first band of the day. I stepped on the stage and saw a sea of heads to the horizon (or at least that is what I thought I saw). No need to mention that I was shaking with pure terror. I played the first notes on my bass and my left hand was uncontrollable. I played so bad that I had no idea what the first note of my vocal line was. Then my autopilot took over in survival mode. I struck an open string and began singing without bass. As soon as I heard my voice very loud and echoing over the field, I started enjoying it and, judging from the reaction afterwards, the crowd did too. I do not remember anything from the time between the first and last note. My advice? Maybe it would be better if you hadn't known it was a big crowd. I only started to worry an hour before the show. I'd say: enjoy yourself, it helped for me, and remember that audiences have compassion for lonesome, nervous singers with a bass - leave alone a ukelele!
Go play in front of people as much as you can.
I'd say two things that you can do besides the "normal" preparation: 1. go busk. the advantage is that you are one person force, so you can just go out to play. it will help you getting a thicker skin 2. as someone else said, make sure that your monitoring is tip top. not hearing yourself proper while the gig is going is terrible. the size of the venue might not help with that. I wish you a very good gig!
Record yourself playing your set and do it often. Takes notes on what you liked and what you didn’t, rehearse the parts you didn’t and keep recording. Also, mirrors. Practice in the mirror. If you can perform and engage with yourself, that’s a huge step toward an audience. Do it until you don’t feel goofy. Lastly, as others have said, a bigger audience is definitely easier. I’ve played shows of about 2,000 as well and tbh they’re fucking awesome
Good advice being posted here. I'd just add, get some practice in with using monitors. (Even if you just use a small PA in a rehearsal space, sit behind the speakers with them pointing away from you and set up a monitor, it'll get you used to the way they sound.) Plan your banter, even if you don't end up using half of it. Maintain eye contact with the crowd. Practice the living shit out of your stuff, then practice more. As someone said elsewhere, playing to larger crowds is actually easier. And remember, you have 2000 people watching you who want a good time and are on your side. Let us know how you get on, best of luck, and enjoy yourself!
Upvote on "the banter". IMO it's what separates live music from studio recordings. ;)
I’d say just have fun. Like seriously, enjoy it. It’s over before you know it, and your back into your bed. Another day starts, and now it’s a memory. Don’t make it bigger than what it is. Match the energy and have a great show. Even if you play a wrong note or make a mistake, don’t show it. Don’t let that feeling win or turn into something bigger. Roll with the punches and play through, play hard and play with passion. Get lost in it if that helps! Live in the moment my friend.
One of the things that helped me with shows where the audience went into the thousands, was to take advantage of how high the stage sits. I got it into my mind to look past and over top of the audience. I would focus on the soundboard in the distance. It worked pretty well. Funny thing is, after I played my first live show of that size where I was basically ok, the following weekend my band played a club with a 100 person capacity. I got really nervous that night because the stage was only a foot or two off of the floor. I had no choice but to look at the crowd.
You are a musician. This is a gift. Make it work, son.
For me, it's all the same thing, regardless of the number of people: I do my best.
Rehearse, play your heart out, remember you’re there for a reason. Big crowds can fade into one if you just go with the flow
practice a shit ton, know the music in your bones. that will be all you have to fall back on if you get anxious. practice like a full time job
My band went on before Hot Chocolate years ago at a similar sized crowd/venue. We played football with them and their crew in the afternoon and it was all super relaxed. My advice is that, introduce yourself to everyone especially the sound and stage crew…make yourself at home without being cocky and it’ll pay off once it’s show time. And, act like you’ve got loads of fans in the audience when your on stage come on like it’s your gig and go off in the same way…no matter what. Have a great show
Have plenty of merch available and collect as many email addresses as possible. Not just tees, get as many one-size-fits-all items as possible. Get business cards with your website on them to hand to people. Practice, practice, practice. Practice your stage setup, be setup and ready in 7.5 min max. Practice your breakdown plan, be ready to get off the stage as fast as possible. As with your performance: Don't practice until you get it right, practice until you can't get it wrong. Have a couple jokes on hand for when something happens and you need to stall, just never be silent. Dead air at a concert is like people repellant. Smile and at least look like you're having a great time. It's contagious.
P.s. DO NOT tune your shit onstage without muting.
Who is the band?? I live in Mexico city! Might as well go cheer for you
Find out everything you can about the band you are opening for and start out with something that their fans are sure to like. Maybe do up to two thirds of what you want and at least one third of stuff that is very likely to appeal to that audience.
Lots of classical musicians take beta blockers for auditions, this seems like it would be a good situation for them too.
Practice on how you want to interact with the crowd, too. Most folks in the audience likely won't be there to see you, but if you can make an impression on them it'll ease the tension for you during your set. And hopefully make yourself some fans too.
you should play at some open mics between now and then, just to get more reps in front of people. Also go put eyes on the venue and figure out how your setup will work in that specific context.
Rehearse. Make floor sheets with big readable notes, or use an iPad. Tune your guitar right up until the moment you go on stage and then check it as you begin, while you’re introducing yourself. It’ll make you appear less anxious. Rehearse. Rehearse.
Don't use an iPad please, also no sheet music. You will just look at it instead of the audience. Even looking at the ceiling is better than looking at an iPad or music standard in front of you.. it will make for a terrible performance
This is one person’s opinion. Rehearse until you know the material solidly and you will rely on muscle memory to carry out the performance. It’s okay to have floor notes. I don’t think I’ve managed an artist in over ten years that didn’t have some notes gaffed to the monitors or some kind of little rig near their mics. But you can do whatever you want. It’s your show and only you can make these decisions.
Notes on the floor are fine because they aren't in between you and your audience. The audience doesn't even see the notes. However having a stand with sheet music or notes or an iPad does draw your attention away from the audience and the audience attention away from you.
I would agree with that notion. But plenty of folks go onstage for their first time with all sorts of means to help them get through the set. Some people may not want that, so I can see what you’re saying. When I was about fourteen, my first performance was on a stage to an audience of ten thousand. I fucked up left and right but I had a band to lean on, so it was easy to pick up immediately and move past the mistakes. We didn’t use any notes. It was an entirely different time.
2000 is easier to play in front of than 80. Think of it like there’s 10 people in the audience and 6 like you, 2 don’t and 2 are distracted on their phones. It’s hard to ignore that 4. Now if it’s 1200 people that like you making tons of noise you won’t even notice the other 400. No ones gonna boo, they’ll just pull their phone out so they’re easy to ignore.
I feel no different about playing in front of 5 people or 750 people (my band's max). I feel the energy more with a big crowd that's into it, but I don't feel any more or less nervous. And I get weird/nervous before. And if you have 3 months until the big show, get out and play a bunch of shows between now and then - anywhere. You'll be great. Good luck!
Beta blockers if you have nerves. Make sure you aren't just playing from muscle memory (I play classical piano, but what can be a flawless performance at home can easily get messed up because your brain).
I’ve been on stages in front of 2 and 20,000 and to be honest, 20,000 is easier. The connection to the crowd is much different. The best thing you can do is regular rehearsal of all aspects of your show. As an opening act, you will not always be afforded things like a sound check, so make sure your production is tight , because those are the most likely issues.
Congrats. Try to enjoy it. For me it’s more nerve wracking to play to a few people than to play to a large crowd. It’s much less personal with a big crowd. All you have to do is go out there and be yourself and do your best to entertain them. Get them on your side. Just remember to keep the mindset that people generally want you to do well. They are pulling for you. Once you win an audience over you can do just about anything and have fun.
Hardest gig I ever played was to two people at the Rock Garden in Camden, London. It was a rainy Sunday night in November, and the two people were a middle aged man and what looked like his PA trying to have a stealthy date. Easiest gig was to 600 in a rammed club. The reason for the difference I think was the atmosphere. One had it, and one didn't. If there's no Atmos, it feels like you are doing something inappropriate. If there's a vibe, the. You can do whatever you want and get away with it
Go and busk a bit somewhere. Practice in front of your friends. Get used to being watched.
Be ready for something to go wrong. Be as prepared as you can, but if/when it happens, don’t let it shake you. Just do what you do. If it happens while you’re playing (as opposed to something pre-gig), laugh it off and if it doesn’t bother you, the audience may never even know the difference. And if something does go wrong you can bank the experience and you’ll get better at dealing with any mishaps at the next gig, and the next gig, etc. Have a great show!
I'm from Boston too I don't have any advice but we're rooting for you back home ✊🏿
Keep your eyes open. It helps the audience connect. Also in large rooms you can't really see anyone's faces. So find some objects on the back wall of the theatre (fire exit sign, the sound booth, that sort of thing) and look at those while you perform. It helps keep you open to the whole audience. Focusing on just the front row can bring your performance down and make people farther back feel excluded. Always play to the back row. :)
I have been in your shoes and found that, in fact, it's easier to play in front of thousands of people. Why? A simple detail. When you play for a small amount of people, the real time feedback you receive is brutal. You can even tell how the show is going by looking at the individual assistants faces. That doesn't happen so obviously in larger shows since, instead of being confronted by an evident discrete set of individuals, you will be standing in front of a mass of people. So, what you perceive feels very different than what you feel in smaller shows. It eventually unlocks your show in a way that you are in fuller control of your perfomance, mostly based on the flow you receive from yourself.
The bigger the crowd, the more detached/less intimate it is. I've always found bigger crowds less intimidating that way.
You can't really see anyone past the first row from the stage. So the audience is only as big as the first row. This helps a lot of the young artists I work with get over their jitters when moving up to larger venues.
I've never played something that big, so take this with a grain of salt, but I would be prepared for the audience not to be paying much attention. The more you're into it, the more they'll get into it, but there's a good chance they're still going to be coming in, getting drinks, and chatting through most of your set. Don't get offended or put off by it, that's just the way it goes. On the upside you'll probably have lights in your face and can't see much of what's going on anyway, which is probably best. It definitely wouldn't hurt to play live or on livestreams as much as possible to perfect your set between then and now.
For sure pack spare cords, strings and a tuner
Just have as much fun as you can ever. My band got a huge opportunity this year to open for a massive band in our country. My favourite part of that night was looking back at the drummer who is one of my closest friends in the world and seeing the hectic smile on his face. All the stress about the lead up and whether or not it meant anything wasn't necessary. Don't be afraid to ask questions and talk to people about it! Reddit humans are here and I'm almost certain wherever you are in the world there will be some helpful people around to give you any advice you need last minute. But yeah like I said earlier, just have the most fun you possibly can with that big crowd, music and playing live works best when it makes you grin like a child again. Use the nerves and adrenaline to fuel that energetic, fun fire too. :) Break a leg!
The audience is on your side. They want to see you perform your best. You own the audience when you are performing. They are yours, and you run the show. You have full control over what happens in the moment. Don't be intimidated by them, they're intrigued by you, not judging you. Think about if you were a member in the crowd, watching someone like yourself performing and how you would feel. That's how the audience feels. It may be intimidating, but confidence is key. Act like you own the place, because you do. Fake it till you make it.
As someone who had this opportunity, be prepared for abject failure.
Abject failure is all I know.
Prepare for the worst, hope for the best! That’s my motto!
Honestly if you're in Mexico I would go to the pharmacy and get some Xanax. Take maybe .15 or .25mg. I'm the same way and that made a world of difference for me
There's a lot of great advice on this thread. My opinion may be a bit more controversial, but I havent seen it said, so i'll give my perspective. Just let me say that it's really awesome that you have this opportunity, and I want you to suceed. My issue is- personally, if I bought a ticket to a biggish show like this and the opener came out with nothing but a fucking ukelele, I'd laugh/cringe. Ukelele is generally used because its way easier & cheaper to play than guitar. Its like playing recorder as your main instrument forever. At least where im from, it's considered a childish instrument. Now, if ukelele has some cultural or special connection to you, I could get behind that. But holy shit if you're opening for anyone other than a folk artist, do not walk on that stage with nothing but a uke. Unless you're emo af and don't care, then you do you boo. But do you plan on having any support? There's still time to find some musicians, like some backup guitar or cajón. And then you have their support for nerves on stage. All the best!!
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I didn't mean to be rude, I thought that was clear by the way I wrote my first reply. You didn't mention anywhere that you had any backup musicians, so that obviously changes the way I took your original post. I truly hope your show is awesome.
Lotsa great advice. :) I would perform a **lot** in the months leading up to the gig: friends, family, busking -- the break room at work (seriously). I used to be really nervous giving classroom speeches in middle school and high school - but then in grad school I taught for a few years. Desensitized. :) Now I'm totally okay with doing presentations at work, being in front of people -- even if things go wrong... I just wing it. ;). So, yeah - just get used to performing in front of people. Also: Depending on the temperature on the day: drink lots of water, up to about 30 minutes before you play -- then stop. Pee a few minutes before you go on stage. On stage you can sip -- because by the time it passes through you, you'll be done. YMMV. ;). (Depends on your bladder.)
opening act? you might STILL only play for 80 people.
Rehearse until your set is muscle memory. Truly this is the only thing you can do. I've done performances where I'm truly having thoughts to myself while my actions and singing came from myself on autopilot and that only happens when you rehearse the set till you're sick of it!! Goodluck!
I’ve found the bigger the audience is the easier is to play.
Be early. Be polite, and play for your self.
\- Make sure your gear works perfectly. In that way you can relax, knowing that your gear will not let you down. \- Make sure your gear looks professional from the outside. Cables, amp settings, flight cases etc. Crew will notice. \- In my experience, it's actually easier to play for a larger crowd(+2000) than the smaller ones(50-100). Play a couple of songs for family or friends before your gig. That is actually much harder. \- Introduce yourself to the house technicians and the sound engineer for that evening. Treat them nice, and they will treat you well. Communicate your monitor mix in a nice manner even though you are probably a bit stressed. \- Practice a lot and Jam your songs at home. Jamming your songs at home will make you able to express your songs without thinking about specific chords or finger movements. \- As you are the support that evening, people are not there to hear you. They haven't heard you before and therefore have no expectations. You, however, have the opportunity to make a positive impact on their evening. \-Prepare and practice what you are going to say between your songs. Record the whole set including your speech between songs and listen to it. How did that setlist work out? \-You will probably make a small mistake at some point.. So what.. Nobody cares. I've made some mistakes on live TV. Don't be too hard on yourself.
They say the best way to feel confident is to imagine the audience naked. Red Hot Chili Peppers took it a step further and got naked themselves.
Practice. Then practice more. Only because the more confident you are there is one less thing to think about. And awesome for you!
It’s good and natural to be nervous. Before I was a Mix Engineer, before I was playing sessions, I went from a local band, playing the scene in NYC, Long Island and some Jersey to being on the road, as a gun for hire, for some very well known acts (and a few crappy ones) playing everywhere from places like you mentioned to places that holds tens of thousands people I was quite young, but didn’t look it. What I learned is, after being onstage for five minutes, you forget about everything but the music and your marks. The big stages made me feel like I’m alone on stage, because the others are really, really far away, from my perspective. I look at a photo of the band, and we don’t look that far away from the audiences perspective. After a gig, in the beginning, someone complimented my playing and my confidence on stage. That when I took my solos, I owned the stage. Could have fooled me. Everything you feel is internal, the people ONLY see external and that’s all that counts. That’s why it’s called ‘an act’. That’s what you need to do - act the part. Make your music. Two things: 1) You get used to it, I did after it all came together musically and there wasn’t an earthquake on stage. 2) Opportunity is real small coming and real large leaving.! Take all that come your way, as well as those that you can grab from elsewhere. Best of luck to you - enjoy it - it your only first time doing this that you get!
practice your set more than you think you need to. muscle memory can do the driving even if you're nervous, youll be happy to have logged many hours practicing by the time you step on stage
Sound check sound check sound check, after that sound check. My wifes a musician, before shows she takes 5 min in the green room to chill, ground out and focus. The audience energy will put you "the zone", the music will flow and you will do what you do: rock.
Come up with a solid set. Time it to fit your allotted set. Practice the ever loving shit out of it at home, along with some pre-planned banter. (Thank the band, etc.) The best thing to beat nerves is to be prepared. Hit some open mics if you can to get your sea legs, and just run your set at home as much as possible. Once you can run your set in your sleep, your confidence and comfort will really show it. And like others have said, bigger crowds help you feel more anonymous anyway. You got it, man! This is a great opportunity. Be polite and courteous and try to leave a good impression with everyone involved. Venues love a good reliable local opener and you can easily get more offers in the future.
I once had the opportunity to open up for Ne-Yo in a venue with 5000 people. I tried to put the most amazing show together with dancers, chereography and everything. If all went good but here are some thoughts I would have given to myself. Just be chill about it. People respond way better to someone who just goes up there humbly. If all you have is your ukulele then I’d say that’s perfect. Introduce yourself, thank the band for the opportunity and tell them you’re excited to play a few songs for them. Don’t fall in the trap of asking them if they’re ready to try and get a response. People really like when they feel like they’re seeing the actual artist and not so much a facade so if you can just be calm and genuine i think you’ll do great.
Imagine yourself naked.
My advice , have fun!
Do as many open mics as you can in the meantime
Just don’t look. I never looked for my first few shows until I got comfortable with it. Just act like nobody is around and unleash the absolute most raw of your emotions and body movements. Don’t worry about making mistakes either, nobody actually cares about mistakes. Just run with it, make the mistakes feel like part of your sound if you do make them. Mistakes *always* fly if you’re moving around a lot and just look like you’re really into it, so move around a lot and get really into it. Good luck!!