SUMMER 2015 101st – Sagebrush Cantina

What a fun day at the Sagebrush! Leading up to concert day we were worried about getting a very hot weather day. It turned out to be a beautiful and comfortable day for an outdoor concert. (I read somewhere that worrying is like wishing for something you do not want.)

Big thank you to all of our JTB staff: Ryan, Rosh, Trent, John, Leilani, Hailey and Brandon. The concerts rock because of you.

I want to take a moment for a big thank you to Scotty for once again helping with the JTB concerts. Some of you may not know Scott. However, you have most likely seen him at all of our concerts and around the studio.  He helps with logistics at every JTB show. Scott is always there to pack up gear, load trucks, unload, setup, tear down, pack up, load trucks, unload and set up at the studio for every concert day. He is a vital part of our team.

A big heartfelt thank you to Scott from everyone at Join the Band.

CONCERT

From set up to tear down the concert day ran very well and we had fun performances from all of our Band Members. Playing outside is very different acoustically and everyone adjusted very well. We did have some occasional microphone issues but other than that the sound was good.

Towards the 2nd half of the show we had some set up issues that slowed down the turnaround time of a few bands. Remember, planning your staging and how you get on and off stage is also very important. Only bring equipment you absolutely need and know how to set it up efficiently. If you need help or ever have any questions about staging, just ask one of the Band Leaders. We are there to help you. :)

PERFORMANCE NOTES:

Performing in different environments (besides your home or lesson studio) comes with many new challenges. The room may make your instrument sound “different,” the stage lights are bright, there are over 100 members in the audience, if you are outside bugs will fly in your face,  and then there is that nervous waiting period right before you have to walk on stage.

All of this can cause you to be nervous, distracted, and anxious about your performance. You may make a mistake and get “stuck”… forget a passage, forget your lyrics, forget a fingering etc…

All of these experiences are a normal part of public performances, and you will get better the more you work on the 3 P’s… Planning, Preparing and Performing.

The more you PLAN with your teacher the more focused you are on what your goals are.

The more you PREPARE, (practice) your songs the more confidence you will gain knowing you can play what you planned for.

The more you PERFORM, the less distracted and nervous you will become knowing that you have done the work to have a successful concert.

Sometimes you may still make mistakes. It happens to EVERY performer. Even the greats make mistakes. It just happens. The more you follow through with the 3 P’s, you will learn how to adjust and work through these mistakes to where they are minimized.

See you at the studio!

John Mizenko