Bob, I don't do gigs, but I do sing in front of people (and once on stage - whoopee!), and I've done public speaking. I don't have the experience these other folks have, but mine is a lot more recent. Believe me, I've put a lot of thought into overcoming "stage fright" because at one time, I was terrified of just singing for my friends. There are a lot of great tips here, so I won't go into the details.

For me, the most important thing is (as previously mentioned) to know the song so well you could do it in your sleep. If it means finding a very simple arrangement of something you've known for decades instead of that fancy arrangement of a great song you've just learned - go for it. There will be time for the fancy stuff later, after you've learned the audience won't eat you.

What's the difference between the nerves of fear and the nerves of being "pumped" for a performance? Confidence and control, which primarily involves knowing your material and your own limitations.

If you use alcohol to numb the nerves, you will probably never learn how to deal with that feeling and you'll always need the alcohol, perhaps in increasing amounts.

The heightened adrenelin that causes stage fright is the same exact thing that gives a performance power. What's best, I think, is to learn how to ride on that energy and not be afraid of it, and NOT make it go away.