Icing the guitarist

[metropolis_4]

I had a show last weekend and they threw in a guitar feature song as a solo moment for me. They put it at the start of the second half of the show after a 15 min intermission…

So I was already feeling some nerves because they threw this song at me last minute and I didn’t have enough time to work on it, and this was a new group I’ve never played with before, and they were recording this show; then I had to sit for 15 min waiting and thinking and I felt the nerves coming on.

So I’m sitting there battling nerves and then as the show starts I’m on edge waiting for my cue…….. and I don’t get it… I look over and see no drummer! The guy is gone and I’m sitting there awkwardly on stage while people go try to find him. After what felt like hours he comes running on stage and in his stress he kicks off my song WAY too fast!

As if all of that wasn’t bad enough as I start to play I look up and see the MD pull out his phone and start to record me for his social media accounts.

That was the last straw for my nerves.

I felt my muscles start to tense and my chest get fluttery and it was all over. I totally ate it right in the middle, and had to awkwardly fumble my way to the end as nerves just got worse and worse after the first mistake.

To add insult to injury, I found out later they were not only recording, they were live-streaming the whole thing…

So now there is at least one Instagram video, an audio recording, and a professional video with multiple camera angles of me during one of the low points of my musical career.

If you need me I will be hiding under my bed in shame, and if you see any viral videos this week of “Epic Guitar Fail” it’s probably me.

 

[Chocol8]

Oh no! Chances are most people who heard it had no idea you struggled, so hopefully no one makes any Giacomo style videos about you and the world moves on to the next show!

 

[AutomationBias]

I had a show last weekend and they threw in a guitar feature song as a solo moment for me. They put it at the start of the second half of the show after a 15 min intermission…

So I was already feeling some nerves because they threw this song at me last minute and I didn’t have enough time to work on it, and this was a new group I’ve never played with before, and they were recording this show; then I had to sit for 15 min waiting and thinking and I felt the nerves coming on.

So I’m sitting there battling nerves and then as the show starts I’m on edge waiting for my cue…….. and I don’t get it… I look over and see no drummer! The guy is gone and I’m sitting there awkwardly on stage while people go try to find him. After what felt like hours he comes running on stage and in his stress he kicks off my song WAY too fast!

As if all of that wasn’t bad enough as I start to play I look up and see the MD pull out his phone and start to record me for his social media accounts.

That was the last straw for my nerves.

I felt my muscles start to tense and my chest get fluttery and it was all over. I totally ate it right in the middle, and had to awkwardly fumble my way to the end as nerves just got worse and worse after the first mistake.

To add insult to injury, I found out later they were not only recording, they were live-streaming the whole thing…

So now there is at least one Instagram video, an audio recording, and a professional video with multiple camera angles of me during one of the low points of my musical career.

If you need me I will be hiding under my bed in shame, and if you see any viral videos this week of “Epic Guitar Fail” it’s probably me.

I guarantee that most of the audience had no idea that you felt like you stumbled, and whatever you played was better than what most of us crank out at our best.

 

[Stone]

Ya Met your a Pro, while not the best of circumstances im sure you killed it given the situation

 

[la szum]

I had a show last weekend and they threw in a guitar feature song as a solo moment for me. They put it at the start of the second half of the show after a 15 min intermission…

So I was already feeling some nerves because they threw this song at me last minute and I didn’t have enough time to work on it, and this was a new group I’ve never played with before, and they were recording this show; then I had to sit for 15 min waiting and thinking and I felt the nerves coming on.

So I’m sitting there battling nerves and then as the show starts I’m on edge waiting for my cue…….. and I don’t get it… I look over and see no drummer! The guy is gone and I’m sitting there awkwardly on stage while people go try to find him. After what felt like hours he comes running on stage and in his stress he kicks off my song WAY too fast!

As if all of that wasn’t bad enough as I start to play I look up and see the MD pull out his phone and start to record me for his social media accounts.

That was the last straw for my nerves.

I felt my muscles start to tense and my chest get fluttery and it was all over. I totally ate it right in the middle, and had to awkwardly fumble my way to the end as nerves just got worse and worse after the first mistake.

To add insult to injury, I found out later they were not only recording, they were live-streaming the whole thing…

So now there is at least one Instagram video, an audio recording, and a professional video with multiple camera angles of me during one of the low points of my musical career.

If you need me I will be hiding under my bed in shame, and if you see any viral videos this week of “Epic Guitar Fail” it’s probably me.

Dang, Met. Sounds like you got pushed out in front of the Bus and then ran over.

Set and setting matters SO MUCH when it comes to how we play. Anyone can be
made to implode if not put in the best of circumstances.

I know I have Corey Feldman'd right on my face numerous times.

I also suspect it won't read/look as bad to others as it probably felt to you in the moment.

 

[la szum]

BRB.... going to go search the Internet for Video Evidence.

 

[FuzzyAce]

Shake it off Met! You'll get 'em next time.
Sorry it didn't turn out the way you wanted though.

 

[JiveTurkey]

I am betting no one noticed it NEAR as much as you did. Which doesn't take away from the whole nerve racking nature of the experience. Ugh.

On another note; I didn't get into guitar playing to play solos. I got into guitar playing to play songs. I LOVE solos; I just don't like doing them.

 

[HomespunEffects]

We all have an off night from time to time. No worries, my dude.

 

[Stone]

I get nervous when playing in front of my Cat so im not about to play in front of anyone lol

 

[spawnofthesith]

That sucks, but I bet you still did great I think we guitarists tend to be our own worst critics

Bombed the first two songs at a show last week and was reeling in shame. Doubt anyone noticed or cared. After working up the courage to review the footage from my phone recording, yes it was bad but not nearly as bad as it felt in the moment, and again audience would be mostly hard pressed to have noticed a difference lol

 

[FuzzyAce]

Again, this is why I love the chromatic scale. Just keep playing, you'll inevitably hit the right notes.
Fusion.

 

[norminal]

Any time I come home feeling like shit about my playing during a show, I just throw this on the TV and all is well again:

 

[TSJMajesty]

Ouch! Here's to hoping it's not as bad as you think!

We played a cover gig, and one of my difficult songs was Rest In Peace, and to top it off, I had 2 musician..., DRUNK-OFF-THEIR-ASS, musician buds right in front of me yelling NUNO! NUNO! Bowing to me as well, and I tanked it. Motherfuckers!

(Anybody got a link yet? )

 

[itchyfingers]

If its any consolation, I would never have known if you hadn't posted about it here.

 

[metropolis_4]

My wife was telling me the same thing that it probably seemed a lot worse to me than it did to the audience. It feels so shitty when you’re the one up there though!

I need to keep it in perspective too, it’s not like this was a major cultural moment viewed by millions around the globe. Probably more like 20 elderly people in a nursing home who don’t know what social media is and were just proud of me for doing my best

Thanks everyone!

 

[AFKAEjay(retired)]

Battle scares you get as soldier…sucks nevertheless.

Reminds me of one of mine:

Got a last minute call to sub, zero time to prepare, the setlist was made after soundcheck so I could veto some tunes.
One medley, the bass player who knew me assured me id be fine.
No charts..do or die by ear.

2000 people crowd…medley gets played…drummer breaks it down….big announcement of a guitar feature: ladies and Gents…on guitar…mr (me)..
I looked at the bassplayer…wtf am I supposed to do?…hé yelled “sweet home Alabama”…and i had never heard of that tune ever….

I remember the date..9-11…during the break we got texts a plain flew into the pentagon.

 

[AutomationBias]

2000 people crowd…medley gets played…drummer breaks it down….big announcement of a guitar feature: ladies and Gents…on guitar…mr (me)..
I looked at the bassplayer…wtf am I supposed to do?…hé yelled “sweet home Alabama”…and i had never heard of that tune ever….

Good lord. This is the musician equivalent of the "went to school without pants" dream.

 

[FuzzyAce]

Good lord. This is the musician equivalent of the "went to school without pants" dream.

dream?

 

[OrganicZed]

I have definitely had my share of clams in a live setting. It never feels good to faceplant when people are listening (especially during a lead). My experience also suggests that most of the audience is clueless and hardly notices even egregious mistakes. It seems to happen that I get more compliments on my playing on those days where I know I blew it.

The flip side of that is also true. A few weeks back I had a good set. Afterwards I asked my wife how it sounded and she said that it was fine. She then proceeded to tell me that there was only one song where she thought she heard electric guitar in a prominent role (wasn't even certain) and that it sounded good. There were prominent electric guitar parts in almost every song of that set.