My first festival: Any advice?

Subject: My first festival: Any advice?
From: GUEST,Qwigs
Date: 04 Jul 05 - 01:52 AM

In the last year or two I've made a conscious effort to write more tunes, and to play more. I'm thinking about trying to do a cd in the next while, and then get into playing a bit more regularly (maybe a small tour by next summer?). In the meantime, I have been fortunate enough to be booked for a small weekend festival this coming August, which will be a handy way to find out if it's something I want to do more of.

Now, while I've played single sets many times, and multiple set shows a couple of times locally, i've yet to play a festival where I'm there all weekend. I'm very much looking forward to it, but I'm wondering if there's anything I ought to keep in mind either in terms of preparation or mind set or maybe even staying healthy? Seems there are plenty of very experienced folks out there who might be able to give me some friendly advice?

I guess I am kind of intimidated by some of the people I see on the bill. I think I'm normally a fairly confident performer, so it's not a stage fright thing as much as fear of the unknown and the new kind of dynamic that a festival like this will introduce me to. So any advice from you "catters? Q

Subject: RE: My first festival: Any advice?
From: Peace
Date: 04 Jul 05 - 01:58 AM

Go play your best.

Subject: RE: My first festival: Any advice?
From: Peace
Date: 04 Jul 05 - 02:02 AM

Qwigs,

I have seen some big names bomb at festivals and some unknowns absolutely capture the audience. I wasn't being glib when I said go do your best. It's all that can be asked of anyone. Luck to you.

Subject: RE: My first festival: Any advice?
From: GUEST,Qwigs
Date: 04 Jul 05 - 02:41 AM

Hey, Peace, didn't take it as glib at all. I guess maybe part of it might be my age. Most people new to the "scene" are on the young side. I just turned fifty, which also has its advantages as far as I'm concerned, but ... I dunno. Just feels wierd sometimes, but in all you're right. Just gotta get up and give 'em hell or die tryin'.

But here's the thing. Do I really try to load up on the tunes, ie run through as much of my repetoire (covers and originals) as possible? The parties sound great, but I would think you could end up having too good a time and hurting your ability to perform. Or am I just worryint too the hell much and need to lighten up for s-it sakes? That kind of thing. Q

Subject: RE: My first festival: Any advice?
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 04 Jul 05 - 03:38 PM

A ratio of 1 new song to every 2-3 trad/well known is a good ratio unless you're featuring as a songwriter or in a showcase situation. Hook 'em with a well known song and then slam in one of your own... if they like you, they'll have stayed.

Pace yourself and leave them wanting more, rather than trot out all your material... never put out on a first date!!

LTS

Subject: RE: My first festival: Any advice?
From: GUEST,Ghettoblaster
Date: 04 Jul 05 - 03:43 PM

Rehearse what you are going to play until you cannot get it wrong. Do not be tempted suddenly to do (on stage) something you almost remember from 10 years ago. Make sure you are certain what key you do things in. Make a setlist with titles, keys, and capo positions. You may even want to practice the links and the jokes.

Unless, like Ian Bruce, you have a totally bombproof voice, by all means go to the late night sessions, but sing as little as possible and as quietly as possible. Stop 3 songs before you know you ought to. You need your voice for stage. If you are on stage at noon, get to bed before 3am. Stay sober(ish) until the last night or two. Do not chainsmoke unless you usually do.

Take Strepsils, Vocalzones, or fisherman's friend (to taste) in case you ignore or forget advice above.

Learn to play some of your usual songs a tone down, in case you ignore or forget advice above. In such a case, also carry emergency brandy in the hope of the resurrection of the dead (voice) but don't overdo it - just very light lubrication, and very very light singing from as soon as you can make a croak. Do not overwork a voice you are trying to resurrect, you will make it worse.

CHeck you flies before you go on stage. Be in tune before you go on stage. Unless you can tune better than Martin Carthy, carry a spare instrument for each tuning you intend to use. Still have a story or two to cover late "tweaking" of tuning. A variant of the one about Martin Carthy and the rabbit in the bar often works.

Stay off cider. 47 strong coffees will make you hop around like a monkey up a stick, and probably need a waz halfway through your set.

Carry at least one spare roll of lavatory paper - a bodhran case is good for this.

Keep an eye out for the organiser's unexpected signal that you are to do one more song (or mone more song than you expected).

Treat the soundman like a human being, and with courtesy, and (s)he may return the compliment. Pre-warn him/her if you have eccentric requirements e.g. three instruments with wholly different input characteristics, or a stereo guitar output.

If the opposite gender (or same, according to taste) is impressed, carry and use condoms. My daughter tells me this is common coutresy in today's world.

I've never been booked to play a festival - but "be prepared"!

Subject: RE: My first festival: Any advice?
From: GUEST,Qwigs
Date: 05 Jul 05 - 03:02 AM

Excellent advice Ghetto. I tend to be a bit of a preparation weenie as it is, but it's nice to receive some sense that I'm not totally neurotic. I take my obligation to the audience and organizers quite seriously, and anything I can do to help others have a good time and increase my enjoyment as well is a step in the right direction in my book. Cheers.

Subject: RE: My first festival: Any advice?
From: Peace
Date: 05 Jul 05 - 03:08 AM

Quigs,

Been my experience that it's infinitely better to do a half dozen songs that knock their socks off than two dozen that leave them feeling they've been hit by an avalanche. Don't let 'them' have to decide what's good. Give 'em all good and they can choose best. Make that difficult for your listeners.

Subject: RE: My first festival: Any advice?
From: treewind
Date: 05 Jul 05 - 03:57 AM

Good advice there, to which I'd add that it would make sense to get your CD done before the fetival - if it goes well you could sell lots.

Also these days festivals are your showcase for the folk club organisers, (used to be other other way round) so have cards/leaflets/promo material around if you want some more work.

My biggest learning experience doing festivals was getting used to using a PA, after performing in the purely acoustic pubs and clubs, but your experience wmay be different.

Anahata

Subject: RE: My first festival: Any advice?
From: GUEST,noddy
Date: 05 Jul 05 - 03:59 AM

Get plenty of sleep and rest before you go cos you will not get much when you are thre.

Subject: RE: My first festival: Any advice?
From: GUEST,Jim
Date: 05 Jul 05 - 04:08 AM

Just turned 50??!! - you're nowt but a lad!
Good luck to you mate - let us know when the CD's available........

Subject: RE: My first festival: Any advice?
From: rhyzla
Date: 05 Jul 05 - 04:32 AM

If you're on a big stage, or in a big venue, try to make yourself noticed - walk around if you can - not easy if you mic'd up - remember to include some lively 'up' material, as folks are usually out for a good time, as well as poignant moments!!

Other than that, be yourself, relax and enjoy!

Subject: RE: My first festival: Any advice?
From: GUEST, Hamish
Date: 05 Jul 05 - 04:46 AM

Also take extra emergency stuff. See http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=51540 re "Gig emergency toolkit". I thought there was a similar thread about festivals, too, but can't find it. It had stuff like sun-block, loo-rolls, tankards...

And I'd agree with the above as regards staying in your safety zone.

And relax: have fun.

Subject: RE: My first festival: Any advice?
From: GUEST, Hamish, again!
Date: 05 Jul 05 - 04:51 AM

wrt "relax". You might find that some MCs aren't top notch, sound checks are hit and miss, timings run late. Don't let that faze you. You can only do what you do to the best of your ability.

Be nice to the sound man, even if s/he doesn't deserve it. You don't know what other problems s/he's had to deal with. It's generally worth while taking a few extra minutes making sure your sound is good: take the time. Make sure the monitors are right for you, too.

Subject: RE: My first festival: Any advice?
From: GUEST, Hamish, once again!
Date: 05 Jul 05 - 05:02 AM

Ah! Found it! It's Festival Survival Kit

Subject: RE: My first festival: Any advice?
From: Cats at Work
Date: 05 Jul 05 - 10:34 AM

Go and enjoy yourself and make sure you look as if you are. If you are enjoying yourself up there on stage it's infectious and the audience will join in and feel good about it too. All the best.... and don't be tempted to take a pint with you, water is far better as it doesn't de-hydrate you.

Subject: RE: My first festival: Any advice?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 06 Jul 05 - 10:12 AM

Never crticise your fellow performers

Particularly unaccepatable are phrases like :- Beam this bastard up Scotty; this guy could do with a voice transplant; morris dancer...more like a volvo with that bum...; didn't they give him instructions with that guitar when he bought it....?

All the really crap performers are personal friends of the organiser, and that 20 stone one standing next to you, with the beard and the pewter tankard hanging from his belt - that's his mother - so watch it...!

Subject: RE: My first festival: Any advice?
From: The Unicorn Man
Date: 06 Jul 05 - 12:04 PM

Don't be too down hearted if people walk away either, they may just be going to the loo, or bar or somewhere. Hello Hamish still around I see, good.

Subject: RE: My first festival: Any advice?
From: PeteBoom
Date: 06 Jul 05 - 12:25 PM

In addition to the ideas on songs, I'd add to pick ones you LIKE singing/playing. Stuff you can have fun with. I've never met anyone at a festival, where I've been performing or attending, who did not want to have fun. Cats at Work said it above (but I'm going to say it too) If you're having a ball doing your thing, the audience will as well.

I've seen major names where it was just another ho-hum gig lose half their audience (no small task when its 7,000 people in a natural ampitheatre) and no-name bands & musicians having an absolute blast at the same festival pull in the whole crowd will they had 'em eating out of their hands. Guess who got invited back the next year with a better spot in the schedule?

Good luck - and have fun!

Pete

Subject: RE: My first festival: Any advice?
From: Grab
Date: 06 Jul 05 - 12:44 PM

Ghettoblaster, what's the one about Martin Carthy and the rabbit?

Subject: RE: My first festival: Any advice?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 06 Jul 05 - 02:04 PM

When you aren't playing or getting ready to play, enjoy yourself listening to the other people and so forth.

One of the pleasant aspects of festivals is way performers turn into festival goers, and the people who were up on stage at one time turn upmin the audience or the queue when its someone else's turn upmin front. There are exceptions - people who swan in do their bit and vanish, but where's the fun in that?

Subject: RE: My first festival: Any advice?
From: PoppaGator
Date: 06 Jul 05 - 02:09 PM

No one has addressed the problem of repeating oneself over the long weekend, which I think Qwigs was worried about if I read the opening message correctly.

Not everyone in the second days' audience will have seen you on the previous day, so as far as they are concerned, you could repeat your entire set song for song, right?

On the other hand, there will of course be some folks there who did catch your act earlier, and of course you wouldn't do the exact same set (if only not to bore yourself, right?), BUT . . . at least some of those who are seeing you for a second or third time, despite having other choices at the same time, are your fans ~ old friends and also some new converts. These folks won't mind at all it you reprise a few of your best numbers; indeed, they might very well want to listen to several old favorites, or perhaps new favorites, from your repertoire.

I'm not necessarily referring only to your original material ~ like most of us, you probably have a few favorites of your own, trad songs and/or "covers," that you've been playing for years and years, recast in your own inimitable style, and with which you are now, for better or worse, identified. Make the best of them!

Subject: RE: My first festival: Any advice?
From: Maryrrf
Date: 06 Jul 05 - 02:40 PM

I have always played a completely different second set when I have played at a festival (I guess hoping that people who saw the first set might stop by and take in the second) but I have noticed many performers who basically play one set throughout the entire festival, even if they perform several times. Never knew which was the best course to take.

Subject: RE: My first festival: Any advice?
From: PoppaGator
Date: 06 Jul 05 - 04:37 PM

Repeating an entire set twice (or, worse yet, more than twice) seems pretty unimaginative and a bad idea, but I think it's OK to repeat a few selected numbers ~ the ones that elicited the strongest reponse from yesterday's audience, and/or your own favorites ~ especially if you don't have enough repertoire for an entirely different set every time out.

Subject: RE: My first festival: Any advice?
From: Peace
Date: 06 Jul 05 - 04:51 PM

When I performed I would have a 'stock' list of forty or so songs to choose from--things I was current with and did well (at least as well as I am able). My first sets (in clubs or at other venues) was always one I 'knew' worked. After that, I chose from the rest and decided what to play based on the mood of the audience. The key is to develop enough stuff that satisfies you as a performer and the requirements of your audience.

Subject: RE: My first festival: Any advice?
From: Deckman
Date: 06 Jul 05 - 05:55 PM

#1 ... NEVER let go of your instrument when offstage!
#2 ... locate the nearest bathroom before you need it!
#3 ... Have fun!

Good luck, Bob(deckman)Nelson

Subject: RE: My first festival: Any advice?
From: Peace
Date: 07 Jul 05 - 02:01 AM

Oh, yeah. Strings cost upto about $12. It is prudent--unless you are independently wealthy--to keep a clean rag with you to wipe down the strings after each set or performance, That will double the life of your strings.

Subject: RE: My first festival: Any advice?
From: GUEST,Ghettoblaster
Date: 07 Jul 05 - 08:17 AM

You can arrange the details as you like, but it involves Martin Carthy and a rabbit in a bar (or you can make it a rabbit that turns out when questioned to be Martin Carthy if you like).

You need to be pretending to tune a guitar as you tell it.

At the end of the story (which you make the length of time you need to tune the guitar) it sort of ends

"well, do you mind if I ask you one question? Why the huge









paws"

(timing is everything)

Subject: RE: My first festival: Any advice?
From: GUEST,Mr Red
Date: 07 Jul 05 - 08:24 AM

As Deckman says - there are a few bad souls.

If you play a mouth organ or similar small instrument keep 'em close or in a bum bag.

Watch out for cables on stage, and stage steps. If the stage is rickety try the old gag about "just a stage you are going through, at least this act hasn't been dropped"

and Smile a lot. It works wonders until people know your style well enough.

Enjoy.

Subject: RE: My first festival: Any advice?
From: Alaska Mike
Date: 07 Jul 05 - 10:09 AM

Quigs, congratulations on the festival gig. I've been playing festivals for the past dozen years or so and truly enjoy them. I can't add much to what has been said already, but I would emphasize the "having fun" aspect of it. If you have fun on stage, that fun will transfer to the audience and everyone feels great when the set is finished. Good luck to you.

Best wishes,
Mike