a couple friends and I formed a band a few months ago and we finally got a new guitarist to replace the original one that quit. We’re finally ready to go get some gigs. Anyone else here in a band with some helpful advice? Feel free to share videos and whatnot too.
I was in the schoolband for some time, nothing serious but we did about 10 shows and the one thing that I’ve learned is simply: be prepared
Know what you need, make sure it’s on the stage. Know where you’ll be standing and where the others are. Check that you’re tuned (if you play guitar or base). And most of all do a good soundcheck. Even if you know the exact settings that you use as a band, every day and every stage is different.
As in music you have probably figured that all out by now; you should know how you play together as a band and you bring that to the audience. Don’t just stand around (as we used to do), but make it an experience that they can’t get from a CD, so play to your audience, not to yourselves. But it is even more important to play to your other bandmembers; stay in contact. Again you probably figured this out already but you’ve got to keep checking each other: If someone is too loud, soft, fast, slow or anything else signal him and make it work.
Anyway good luck! Performing is one of my favourite things to do, it never gets old. 