Acoustic guitar master Tommy Emmanuel was asked by Guitarist Magazine to single out his "best tip for getting the audience on your side," to which he replied:
"Some people get nervous and they fumble around, they worry, they're self-conscious, blah-blah-blah. In that situation, just come out and say, 'Hello, I'm nervous as hell but I'm going to do the best I can,' and you've got them.
"If you're not nervous and you're ready to go, don't waste any time - get out there and start playing. It's really a matter of getting the audience's attention - don't walk out on stage and then start tuning as if everybody has to stop and wait for you. Too many players do that and it's bad - you've got to be perfectly in tune, know what you're going to start with, walk out there, plug in and go, 'Here I am... Bang!'"