PMT - Pre-Minstrel Tension .. What do you do?

[OldGit]

Listening to the James Taylor programme on wireless 2 yesterday he referred to PMT - what he calls Pre-Minstrel Tension. That's the tetchy time before he takes the stage... and his routines and superstitions..
He does a handstand against the wall to clear his head, amongst other things ..

I have to put on my stage clothes and stage head ...

What do you do?

Edited May 26, 2009 by OldGit

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

Usually my jitters have gone by the time I've managed to arrive at the venue on time & loaded in.
Although I do have an elaborate ritual of uncoiling cables and plugging them into various pieces of PA gear.

[gafbass02]

I pride myself on an über quick, tidy and fuss free set upwhich distracts for a few minutes. After that it's smoke a lot lol. I know it's no good thing but I never really get nerves, never really have. Only about things like interviews rather than playing.
I guess one important pre gig ritual I've stuck to since 17 is offer to buy the soundguy a beer!

[High score]

[quote name='gafbass02' post='497836' date='May 26 2009, 10:39 AM']I guess one important pre gig ritual I've stuck to since 17 is offer to buy the soundguy a beer![/quote]

Hey Si,

I could work with this guy - no problem

[Buzz]

I honestly thought this was going to be about the sweeties and the build up before launching into a packet. I'm slightly dissapointed.

[Johngh]

Never really suffered from nerves just before I go on to do a gig. I just like to get there and get set up, tune up the basses, and then re-check them again about 10 minutes before we are due to go on. I hate hanging about though, I like to get on and play asap. !

[bassace]

Like many of you guys I don't get the jitters and can't remember the last time I did. Is it because we have the relatively easy job of being at the back? Even the drummer, IMO, has to watch his cues more carefully that we do. Different for JT, right out at the front, nowhere to hide.

[Stylon Pilson]

[quote name='bassace' post='497949' date='May 26 2009, 01:02 PM']Like many of you guys I don't get the jitters and can't remember the last time I did. Is it because we have the relatively easy job of being at the back? Even the drummer, IMO, has to watch his cues more carefully that we do. Different for JT, right out at the front, nowhere to hide.[/quote]

I reckon you're onto something here. I haven't had jitters for a long time, but then I haven't sung lead vocals for a long time either. It's probably no coincidence.

S.P.

[casapete]

I only ever get jittery if someone else in the band is!

Also especially when we have a dep singer!

Am so used to waiting to play (functions eh!) that getting nervous would be a potential few hours nightmare every gig,
so I usually eat/drink/listen to MP3/go for a walk etc to kill the time. Think it was Charlie Watts (or maybe Bill Wyman?)
who said the being in the Stones had been over 40 years of rushing to end up then hanging around for gig time.

[Greene-Mann]

I find 2 pints of guiness is just the right about to remove the jitters and still be able to play properly

[OldGit]

[quote name='casapete' post='498059' date='May 26 2009, 03:38 PM']I only ever get jittery if someone else in the band is!

Also especially when we have a dep singer!

Am so used to waiting to play (functions eh!) that getting nervous would be a potential few hours nightmare every gig,
so I usually eat/drink/listen to MP3/go for a walk etc to kill the time. Think it was Charlie Watts (or maybe Bill Wyman?)
who said the being in the Stones had been over 40 years of rushing to end up then hanging around for gig time.[/quote]


Bill Wyman: 25 years of playing in the Stones was 5 years of playing and 20 years of hanging around ..

[M4L666]

In the hours beforehand, I tend to just chill/chat/argue with the other bands and noodle unplugged till the crowd arrives. Then before I go onstage, I do get a bit tense, but I just deal. Even if I was old enough to drink legally, I wouldn't before going onstage, it's unfair on the crowd.

[Dr.Dave]

Snort coke off a mucky bird's arse.

If there's no mucky bird available - I go to the nearest other pub , sip shandy , smoke a cig and generally stretch my arms and legs a bit. Anywhere quiet really.

Our drummer texts his family sitting in his car and our guitar player wanders about being grumpy.

It doesn't happen too often these days - just at gigs that are out of our comfort zone in some way or other. We never talk about the gig after about an hour before it starts. Never. Kiss of death - you end up altering something in the set and then making a pig's ear of it.

[Kiwi]

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=30802&st=0&start=0"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=...t=0&start=0[/url]

[OldGit]

[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='498276' date='May 26 2009, 08:27 PM'][url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=30802&st=0&start=0"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=...t=0&start=0[/url]

[/quote]


Sorry Sir, I do try to keep up ......

[Golchen]

Works every time.

[Stag]

I think my routine is very similar to gafbass's - set up quickly then drink and smoke. Talk to the audience etc...

[risingson]

I've never been nervous before a gig, or very rarely, though to be honest I am bricking myself about going up in front of 7000 people next month at a festival in Sweden!!

I usually just grab a smoke and a beer. It's more or less essential I have a Guinness on stage at all times though, that is sort of a deal breaker.

[d-basser]

I don't really get nervous, even Tuesday when I was doing my first gig in 3yrs with minimal practice and prep I was just excited. Like many others on here a Guinness does no harm.

[Stag]

+1 to the Guinness approach.

Although I found that having three bottles of Newky Brown on stage last week was rather pleasant.