Do you ever get mental block when playing live? How do you deal with it

[chris_b]

When the song starts I'm usually OK, but it's the count-in, between 1 and 2, that my mind can go blank.

[Hobbayne]

On 09/02/2019 at 12:41, Hobbayne said:

John Lennon had one on the famous Rooftop Gig in January 1969, where during "Don't Let Me Down" (his own song!) he completely forgets the words and instead sings something like "And no reelesa godyebloog jegoobmy". You can see Ringo cracking up at this.

Forgot about this.

Here is the clip.

 

[caitlin]

I've not been gigging for a while but I do remember that during a verse I would forget how the chorus goes, but strangely enough just before the chorus turns up the knowledge would seem to *arrive*.

Of course I get a bit of a cheat, there's loads of places on a drum kit you can hide some notes about 'how that tricky one goes'

[stewblack]

Worst instance ever was starting A Message To You Rudy. Or rather not starting it. Specials trib, early soundcheck, long afternoon drinking. 

Stepped to the front of the stage, made 'em wait for a bit then thought to myself - I have no idea what this song even sounds like.

Mortifying. 

Nowadays it still happens occasionally but two significant factors have changed. One  I'm sober. Two I realise I'm a musician not a heart surgeon. Nobody dies if I fluff my lines. So I just ask the rest of the band to hum or play it to me. 

We were doing a Bruno Mars song which I had successfully busked with chord sheets until this particular gig. The guitarist told me I should start it.Byt there's no bass on the intro I argued. BL agreed with him and sure enough when we reached the song I had no idea. Couldn't bring it to mind. After a few fumbled attempts guitar wandered over and asked - Do you actually know this song? 

I was bang to rights. Had to admit that no I didn't. Apart from when we gigged it I never heard of it. 

[ubit]

I have resorted to mumbling Esperanto when the lyrics fail me. The one time you hope your mic is not crystal clear.