I gotta say - coffee for me equals death on stage. I'm usually unmic-ed, and that wonderful closure of the throat and tightening of the voice just does WONDERS for me on stage.

Not to say that it's not something to do to pick you back up after it. But if you're having to worry about your vocal quality, and DEFINITELY if you're having to worry about non-amplified vocal performance, I'd think twice about it.

Warm water. It's just about the best thing you can do before hitting the stage. Not hot - but DEFINITELY not iced either. Think of the way your body contracts when you stick your toe into icy water... now think about that being your throat. Warm water lubricates the relevant areas, keeps things working, and generally does good things. Though I find once on stage, cool water (again, NOT iced) works well. Beer, if you're going for the "I have to sing for the next two hours and don't have to again, and it doesn't matter if I rip my anesthetized throat out on stage" show...

M