If you could recount your first gig, or have any tips or words of wisdom for me, I would appreciate it! I've never performed before!
First gig :
Can't remember whether this was the first time I played in public, but it was one of the first. I was 28 and played less than a year. Well, basically I taught myself noodling hideously on tenor. I accompanied some jugglers and clowns to hand out flyers for a shop, alone with my tenor. One moment, I was noodling at a terrace close to the Herman Teirlinck institute, at that time a Jazz studio. When I pauzed for a moment, a guy turned to me, shook his head and said half smiling "Boy, you really have some guts, don't you?".
So I answered, half confused, "well yeah, sorry for bothering, but I have to play somewhere. I'll be gone in five minutes, no worries."
He looked surprised at me, and said: "I like that attitude. you definitely need some practice, but keep playing that horn, boy."
Words of wisdom uche uche yeah right... uche uche :
You have to start somewhere. f*cking up doesn't matter, you're allowed to make mistakes. As long as you keep that in your head, you're safe. You have your teacher as a back up, so it will sound good for the public anyway. But don't hide yourself either, enjoy playing. That's the most important part.
I actually just return from a gig. I also played some mistakes as always, I'm still an amateur. But the people don't remember the mistakes, they remember the way you play your sax. This evening, quite some people came to tell us they loved to see us play, because they could see how much we enjoyed it. Seeing us having fun made them dance too.
It's all about the attitude, showing you like it. People are forgiving, definitely when they know you're still learning. Give yourself a nice evening, and the public will go home happy. You'll love it, for sure
Enjoy the first, and keep us updated!
PS : the band I played with this evening :
www.myspace.com/ratkabaybal