Good afternoon! It’s a bit of a smoggy day out there, with lots of dramatic headlines in the papers about pollution in the UK so I hope you are all staying safe out there, especially anyone with asthma or lung disease…
I have a gig this evening – one that in the midst of all the viral goo, I nearly forgot I had! So today is a day of all my normal day to day jobs plus gig prep. There are five things I always do in preparation for a gig, that generally mean I can then relax and enjoy the gig and I thought I’d share them today. In no particular order, they are:
GATHER AND CHECK MY GEAR
How many times do people arrive at a gig and find out their jack lead doesn’t work? Quite often, from what I’ve seen. I try to do this step before lunchtime, so that if something needs replacing or repairing, I have time to do it. I check my keys are working including the power supply, check the pedal, pack the working jack lead and a second, spare, working jack lead. I usually also bring my own microphone, spare batteries and spare clips. Just in case. I’ve also added in tightening and checking the keyboard stand, because as it’s getting older, it’s getting looser. It may sound anally retentive, but if I’ve double checked everything, I’ve massively reduced the chance of problems, which means I can focus on the performance. And plus, it’s just professional!
INCREASE MY WATER UPTAKE
I usually try to start this 24-48 hours before the gig, but sometimes I forget. Nevertheless, on the day of the gig, starting from rising, I drink a lot of water. The more hydrated I am the better it is for my voice and the better the performance will be. I try to avoid too much caffeine, fizzy stuff and dairy, to minimise the dreaded “clag” and if I’m feeling particularly dry I run a humidifier in the studio all day.
WARM MY VOICE AND HANDS UP THOROUGHLY
Starting with humming, “sirening” and trills first thing, and working up to full songs by the afternoon, I usually run my set list twice, once early with some of it hummed, and once later as a proper rehearsal. I try not to over-rehearse on the day because in my experience that can cause problems for the actual show. I’ll also play through, starting with some basic scales, and up to songs at full speed in the afternoon, to get my hands warm. If it’s cold outside, I’ll generally make sure I’m wearing a scarf and gloves to travel to the venue so I don’t undo all the work of warming up.
PREPARE AND PACK PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL AND MERCHANDISE
I’ll pack a box of CDs, making sure I have a poster or label with the price and my web address clearly marked. I also pack business cards to put out on tables, a sheet for a mailing list, some badges, some postcards and a float so I can give people change. I tend to mention my web address during my set but because my name has an unusual spelling, I find it helps to use cards too as people can take those away with them for later reference.
REST
Sounds counterintuitive with all the things I need to do to prepare but a key part of the day is a period of rest. It can be a nap in the afternoon, or an hour with a good book, or a long soak in the bath, but I make sure I take some time to regroup, gather my thoughts and quietly prepare. I’ve learned from experience that without this step, the day can rapidly become very stressful, and I never perform as well if I’m frazzled with nerves and tension. The rest period doesn’t have to be long, but it does have to be there.
So there you have it, my personal tips for ways to prepare. Of course, your mileage may vary. I also swear by Fruit Pastilles to help with dry voice, which I’m fairly sure would make some singing teachers weep… What do you do to prepare for gigs and presentations? Share your hints and tips in the comments. Cheerio until next time!
FALLING IN GREEN 