Practice until you can play with confidence and just have fun. It will take more than one time playing for a crowd, just be relaxed like you were playing at home. If all else fails just imagine the audience is just a bunch of cabbage heads with glasses

ive slowly been getting better at playing for people by playing for cousins friends etc... at first, i could barely play a scale in front of someone, but after a while, the pressure has slowly gone away and ive gotten WAY better

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Favorite bands:

Melvins
The Jesus Lizard
Cows
Big Business
R***man
Minutemen
Flight
Minor Threat
Big Black
Shellac
Karp
Scratch Acid
Wipers
Pixies

Perform more often.. is the only way to get rid of the anxiety... Get used to performing in front of an audience...
Also know your songs very very well... Practice them...

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In Reference to Blues Legend RL Burnside:
After a heart attack in 2001, Burnside's doctor advised him to stop drinking; Burnside did, but he reported that change left him unable to play.

Just play to have fun, and don't worry about playing in front of people or performing...It all comes with time and practice, both of wish you cannot rush...

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RAMA LAMA FA FA FA

Don't look at the people--look just over their heads--it will look to them like you're looking at them, but you're not.

If you didn't get at least a bit nervous, you should be concerned.

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It wasn't Willy-Nilly, it was at crows.

well, alcohol helps a bit IF YOU ARE OLD ENOUGH but in all seriousness yeah it's gonna be scary the first few times you play in front of people but you get used to it and it becomes second nature!

well, alcohol helps a bit IF YOU ARE OLD ENOUGH but in all seriousness yeah it's gonna be scary the first few times you play in front of people but you get used to it and it becomes second nature!

But that can get to be a crutch before you know it. If you rely on that to play, you'll fall into the trap of thinking you can't play without it and that will get you in some deep trouble.

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Website: http://www.rebeccalaird.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rebeccalairdmusic
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nervousness is natural before a performance, it will go away with time.

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you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.

VERY TRUE!!!! i've gotten into my fair share of trouble with it it's really not a very good thing. i'm not saying NEVER drink before a show but watch how much you have taken in, chances are it's already been too much.

I've had gigs ruined by guys who "had a few to loosen up".If you're old enough to indulge a beer or 2 during the gig to keep your throat fit for singing is OK but anything beyond that can make the whole band look bad. Driving isn't the only thing that worsens with impairment.BTW that's another thing,if you have to drive after a gig steer well clear of alcohol.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

Ha - that's a very good motto. Materially it means things like; practice standing up. Play songs through and don't go back to correct mistakes - you can't do that in front of an audience. Set the gear out for the practice session the same as it would be on stage. Point your attention at the imaginary audience, not each other. Etc...

So many good sayings of the famous and successful to call upon. Just one: the late great Ian Dury said that audiences basically just want to have a good time. All you have to do is not do anything to spoil that and you're most of the way there.

In that particular instance what he had in mind was long rambling introductions about how the next song was written by the bass player one evening on a beach on a Greek island after he'd just split up with his girlfriend and... etc etc etc.

Shut up and play!

Cheers - C

how did they ruin it?

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riley

Hey Riley: have you ever had to do a proper show with someone who was stoned or drunk? It is really, really tiresome. Not clever in the slightest.

Stay right away from the recreationals before the show is the best rule.

Cheers - C

I know lots of pros who still get nervous before shows,it's not a bad thing,it's better than thinking you're so good you don't have a thing to worry about....that's inviting disaster,Mr. Murphy likes to visit people who are overly confident.
Pros who get nervous can handle it once the show gets going,the trick is to not let the jitters get the best of you.
But,all of us have had those "oh *&%$#" moments when something happens at the worst possible time.