"Turn up early" is SO IMPORTANT. "Sound check" we call it here in the US.

In the early days of our little band's community appearances we finally dreamed up the habit of coming the night before the gig for sound check and complete rehearsal. Not every verse of every song, but set order, key adjustments, vocalist assignments, how guest muso's would be placed, wired, and helped; where the loo is, where to park, and oh yeah-- sound check. I always recorded these run-throughs because as we all know, it so often sounds better in rehearsal than it does with audience.

Now, for a paying gig of course this option is not realisitc, but I've been on the other side of the door (hosting), and for us it was quite normal to open the building early enough for a thorough sound setup, sound check, and run-through for touring artists in our Community Concert series. For a 7:30PM start we always opened up at 4PM, or earlier if asked. This way the group got a relaxed meal break well ahead of the performance, and plenty of time to change, put on their gig faces, look ahead to factors affecting audience participation, etc.

~Susan