Stage Fright, a Musicians Arch Nemesis
By Mike Fox

Ever get dry mouth or dizzy before a gig? Is the feeling of bile in your mouth a common thing as you take the stage? Or worse yet, have you ever been afraid it’s going to come out the other end as your stomach tries to leap out your throat? Do you forget words, chords, or notes to songs you’ve practiced hundreds of times?

Stage fright, for me, has been a musical cancer of all my life. I’m thirty-one years old and I still suffer from performance anxieties the same as I did when I was a kid. As a young trumpet player I felt like I was a God when I was practicing in my room. I’d imagine I was playing in front of crowds of hundreds, I was unstoppable. That is until I actually got in front of as little as one or two people. If ever I was in front of more than that I was a mess. At that point sweat would pour from every orifice. My brain would still be coherent except that it could no longer communicate with my body. It was as if my mind had entered the astral plane, I had left my body to go for a mental walk in la-la land.

I can safely say that nothing changed when I got to college. As a music major I was required to perform a recital almost every semester. None of them went well. There was not one that I can say I played up to my ability level. Even if I was playing in the concert band among sixty students, if I knew I had a solo coming up I would get the shakes or start sweating my nuts off. Sometimes Jazz Ensemble gigs were unbearable, I had to hit high notes and play solos every song, and you could actually see my hands quiver.

Even today Finks Constant performs out at least once a week if not two or three times. I still get nervous as we tear into the first song. The rest of the guys in Fink’s know that if it’s a large crowd, a new venue, or a high pressure gig that they need to be on their toes. It isn’t uncommon for me to skip a verse or go into a solo early. At several gigs I’ve started tunes on guitar in the wrong key!

Why does this happen? I think the answer to this is easy: Self-esteem or confidence. I have always been fat, I think that was the beginning of my poor self image.

In elementary school I was always the kid that people made fun of. Poor me right? Well don’t worry, in high school something changed that made people stop making fun of my weight. At age fifteen my hair started falling out. Yes, if ever there were two people who shouldn’t have bred it was my parents.

I can honestly tell you that as I sit here today I don’t care that I’m bald. I’ve lived longer without hair now than with. At this point I wouldn’t know how to take care of my hair if I had it anyway. I’d be lying if I told you my weight didn’t bother me but I definitely don’t obsess on it like I used to. There are things in my personal life that bother me and definitely take away from my confidence but nothing major. All in all I’m pretty happy with myself. So what am I still afraid of?

What do I fear when I go on stage? I don’t know. It’s possible that I’ve been nervous so long I can’t perform without being a bundle of nerves. All I can do is tell you how I deal with it.

1.) Practice. I have confidence in myself and the guys around me. I know the material well enough to get back on if I make a mistake. I also know the rest of the guys will just follow me if I skip or miss a part of the song. No looks, or embarrassing tantrums. They just move to whatever section I jumped to and no one in the audience is the wiser. However, after the gig I usually hear about it!

2.) Plan your next move. Always know what’s coming up so that you’re ready. Since I call the tunes I’m able to imagine my next move ahead of time. While someone’s playing a solo let the guys know what the next song will be. If you’re going to talk to the audience, know what you are going to say BEFORE you say it. Know what instrument you need in your hands and what key you’ll be in before you play. Like chess, you should always know your next move.

3.) Keep your stomach empty. I typically try to not eat anything an hour or two before a gig. My philosophy is that if there isn’t any fuel in the tank then there’s nothing that can blow in either direction once the anxiety starts. You’d be surprised how much of a difference this one makes.

4.) I use a music stand at gigs. I know that sometimes this makes me look like a weiner but it helps. On stage I sing 95% of the songs, play trumpet and rhythm guitar. It’s a lot to juggle in my tiny brain and usually it’s song lyrics that suffer. I don’t always need them but it’s nice to have my notes there just in case I “brain fart” as I’m trying to keep my lunch down.

5.) Jump into another suit. As I’m performing I picture myself as someone else. My stage identity is “Big Bubba Shackle” and he isn’t afraid to say or do anything. The first thing that jumps into his head is what he’s going to say to the audience. He’s confident and arrogant, he doesn’t care that he’s fat or bald, in fact he embraces it, he’s proud of it. If the band flubs a song he makes the band stop and start over telling the audience what happened. They think it’s a part of the act.

Notice I mentioned nothing about drugs or alcohol. I’m not your dad and I have nothing against either. Howeve if you have trouble keeping it together because of nerves and fear I have never found beer or pot to help. In fact it is quite the opposite. I know plenty of musicians who make things much worse for themselves by thinking that “ a couple of beers will calm my nerves” or “I’ll feel better after I take a hit.” Believe me I’m not preaching to you not to drink or take drugs, that’s a personal decision, just be aware that anxiety and mood altering substances are not a good mix if you want to sound your best. Save it for after the gig.

I hope this helps. Questions? Comments? Bigbubbashackle@yahoo.com