Speaking of performance anxiety and dreams....

theluckyjackson

Anybody else have that dream where you're about to start a show but you're stuck frantically untangling instrument cables ,hooking up your pedal, and tuning your guitar? Then while you're dealing the mess you look up and the once packed house is walking out in disgust. Recurring, recurring, recurring.

Jack-Flash-Jr

theluckyjackson wrote: Anybody else have that dream where you're about to start a show but you're stuck frantically untangling instrument cables ,hooking up your pedal, and tuning your guitar? Then while you're dealing the mess you look up and the once packed house is walking out in disgust. Recurring, recurring, recurring.

C'mon Bruce, you've got roadies to take care of that for you ?
Never had that dream but I really do dislike having to set up from scratch when you're one of the support bands... scrambling around plugging stuff in when you're supposed to be lowered from the ceiling wearing a glittering outfit, wireless setup ready to receive your chords from heaven!
ps. a wee bit jealous of your proximity to Boston and NY... my favourite pastime in Brooklyn was scouting seedy bars with awesome unheard of bands...

Bob-Dubery

theluckyjackson wrote: Anybody else have that dream where you're about to start a show but you're stuck frantically untangling instrument cables ,hooking up your pedal, and tuning your guitar? Then while you're dealing the mess you look up and the once packed house is walking out in disgust. Recurring, recurring, recurring.

I don't pay much attention to dreams and don't have many (or don't remember many). However I do think that sometimes fear or anxiety can be turned around into something productive. So when you do a gig - any kind - make sure your guitar is in tune, that you are using leads you know to be reliable etc etc. That eliminates things to worry about. Players who want everything just so, their guitars there and in a certain order, their picks there, their leads secured in such-and-such a way are not necessarily being PITA, they are just organising their work environment so they can work more productively.

Skywalker

Well said Bob 8)

It's definately happened to me a good few times although I can't say that people upped and left in disgust ?

There's nothing wrong with being organised and on the ball. If only we could all afford to have roadies hey :?

I actually played a gig a few months ago where the gear gremlins ,as I call them, decided to have their wicked way with me. All my gear is well taken care of and maintained but on this particular night my guitar kept cutting out at the most inoportune times. Flippen annoying >☹ . I ended up playing straight through my amp as I thought it might have something to do with my pedalboard(I didn't have time mid gig to try and figure it out). It was interesting playing without the effects that I use on most of our songs ? Before the next nights show at the same place I looked over my gear and found out that the input jack of my guitar had given up the ghost. Typical. It was working fine a few days before :?

I guess you've just got to be aware and organised enough to be able to take care of whatever is thrown at you. Still not lekker though :?

FruitarGeek

theluckyjackson wrote: Anybody else have that dream where you're about to start a show but you're stuck frantically untangling instrument cables ,hooking up your pedal, and tuning your guitar?

Ha ha ha, this is no dream of mine, its a reality, hasnt happend that often, but the one time, the lady I was playing for just started the set, and I was still setting up my board.. haha, and still had to tune. No one left though

theluckyjackson

Wow, nobody's had this dream--I've talked to a couple of other guitarists who are haunted by it. It's kind of like the "going to school with no pants" dream for musicians. But the truth is, I've lived through disastrous gigs with gear that's crapping out and they never feel as terrifying as the dream.