Do you get nervous??

[stewblack]

I too suffer an anxiety disorder which has me in knots right now thinking about a gig in 3 weeks time. I know I can do it, I know I'll be properly rehearsed and I have tools from talking therapy sessions to minimise the problem.  But I can think myself into a right state if I let my head get in a spin.

Interestingly enough I never actually know if I will get nervous or not but when it strikes it paralyses my brain. Songs which I have to start disappear from my head, my hands turn to leaden unresponsive inanimate lumps and I tremble uncontrollably. Other times I can't wait to get on stage. Size of venue or audience is utterly immaterial.

But the real oddity is that it's most likely to happen in the soundcheck and not the actual performance.

Edited March 25, 2018 by stewblack

[Dan Dare]

A little nervousness can be helpful, imho - keeps you on your toes, stops you becoming blasé. It can be disabling in extremes (see Stew's post above), but a little is a good thing. 

[Mykesbass]

Only once since playing regularly again - that was when a dep drummer was booked. Turned out her regular gig was with Hebie Flowers. No pressure there then!

[EssentialTension]

The less I am familiar with the setlist, the more nervous I would be.

[JBP]

I think I would be more nervous if i didn't feel nervous... if that makes sence

I think I suffer more from nervous energy than any kind of anxiousness, and that energy and adrenaline spike is one of the things I love about giging. I think I play better with that little edge. 

[oldbass]

I get nervous at posh functions say in a small marquee without PA support when some twit makes a bloody great announcement etc ..everyone's hyped up and we've been payed a "small" fortune..been known to fluff a few things under the "enormous" pressure.

Stage festivals hardly at all...the crowd are miles away and the bass probably sounds like mud so no-one cares what I'm playing anyway.

[TheRev]

I can get a bit nervous if it's a new venue or if I have to kill a lot of time between soundcheck and gig time.

As it happens, on Saturday I'll be playing a venue that was my first proper 'big' gig (450 people) almost 7 years ago. I'd only joined the band 3 months previously and wasn't as familiar with the songs as I would have liked - I'd had just two rehearsals before starting a busy summer gig schedule, many of which were 'cider fuelled and entertainingly chaotic' so I was pretty much rooted to the spot with fear for the whole 45 minutes (which felt like 4 hours). Hopefully the second time will be a bit more fun!

[BigRedX]

Not really. Playing live is what I live for.

I do however tend to get bored at gigs when I'm not doing anything, so I find it very difficult to appreciate other bands on the bill, because all I really want to do is get up there and play my music with my band. 

[christhammer666]

I have recently become sober so my next gig will be the first without a drop of devil juice. I expect the nerves to be there in abundance

[Callumjord]

For me it depends on the stage, venue and location. When I am nervous I get a twitchy leg so to combat it I move around so you don't notice it. Now it is just natural for me to move around and I don't notice my leg twitching. Of course if I am on a small stage and dont have any room to move it becomes a problem. 

[4000]

22 hours ago, josie said:

Thanks for your honesty. I work in mental health support, and am angry that so few people understand the difference between normal healthy "anxiety" and crippling clinical anxiety. So many of the young people I support are made to feel even worse by people saying "Oh everyone gets a bit anxious", or "Why don't you just stop worrying about it" - as if they wouldn't if they could!

A bit of alert raised attention makes most people play better, the demon can make you stop playing altogether. Much respect to you for managing your demon and carrying on gigging.

The first time I played in public - solo bass and vocal at my very supportive local open mic, where I was well known and had been encouraged - I could barely manage a note. Looking back at the video all you can see is a battle with sheer terror. I had spoken at international research conferences to hundreds of people with complete confidence - that first om is still the scariest thing I've ever done in my life. But their response was purely huge support that I'd done it at all. These days the nerves are usually just a buzz that raises my game.

Froggy - I walked out of my Grade 2 literally in tears, convinced I'd totally ****ed it up, and got a distinction. Hope you will too :-)

There are 2 things that keep me going in life. My cat, which I realise won’t be forever - losing her is also the thing I’m most terrified of, along with losing my mum - and my music. I often don’t enjoy playing live but unfortunately it’s a necessary evil, so I have to work through it and hope for those brief moments that are pleasurable. The joy for me is really in the writing, rehearsing and recording.

[BrunoBass]

Not often these days, which is a pity as I like the adrenaline. I sometimes get a bit of butterflies in the afternoon before a gig, but once I’ve loaded the car, driven to the gig, loaded in and set up it’s all gone. The last time I got properly nervous was last year when we were second from top of the bill at a local festival, a thousand plus people, the biggest audience we’ve ever played to.

[FinnDave]

I don't get nervous about performing, but I do worry a bit about the logistics of getting there, and worse, of the rest of the band getting there! Once we're at the gig and the gear's set up, no nerves, just want to get started.

[thepurpleblob]

I'm naturally "wound a bit tight" so, yeh, I do get a bit paranoid before a gig. I'm usually ok by the last song though :-D

BTW... I've suffered from proper, clinical anxiety in the past (and been treated for it) and it's no fun at all. 

Edited March 26, 2018 by thepurpleblob