Artists who have developed so much confidence in themselves can simply say they were born ready. They consistently rehearse, have all the time to polish their acts, and are regularly exposed to live gigs.
But what about those who are not yet ready and are put in a situation to showcase something in front of a live audience?
For performers who have experience doing it live and possess some kind of skill but find themselves feeling unprepared and rusty for whatever reason, there’s only one way to deal with the matter: go do it.
Last Saturday, I found myself in a no-choice spot and had to come up on stage at Noypitz Bar & Grill in the city of Rancho Cucamonga, Southern California, to perform a song. I was there with family and friends celebrating my sister Bea’s birthday. She asked me if I could perform a song from the ‘80s that she likes, and the featured band of the night welcomed the idea of backing me up, even allowing me to borrow one of their guitars.
The song in question is “I Just Died In Your Arms,” the signature song of the band Cutting Crew.
I could have declined and said I was not prepared. But I felt the occasion was extra special for my sister, as my other siblings and our mother were there, too. Kuya Boyet, the oldest in the brood, also asked me to perform on stage if there would be an opportunity. We were told the band could call someone from the audience to sing.
So, toward the end of the party, when many of the guests had already gone home, the singer in the band called my name—mispronounced, as often happens when people meet me for the first time, so it’s not an issue for me. Despite this, I was sure he was calling me to go up on stage. That was the point when there was no turning back. I had to go up.
I told the crowd that I was not supposed to do that, but I would owe my sister a thousand dollars if I didn’t. One of the band members asked which key I was singing and playing the song in. With that, we started playing.
“I keep looking for something I can’t get. Broken hearts lie all around me…” I started singing after a couple of bars playing the two chords (Bm and A) to launch the tune.
The audience seemed pleased. A couple of guests recorded portions of my performance. Somebody messaged me that I did “a veteran’s move.” Another described my effort as “binasic,” which meant I made it look easy. In short, it wasn’t a bad performance.
Truth be told, being a performer or playing or making music, for someone with considerable experience or a track record, is like biking. You can’t be rusty. Even if you find yourself in a long lull, the moment you step on stage, you’re good to go. Your years of experience and the confidence you have chiseled through the years will come into play. It’s the passion and muscle memory that will keep you appearing and sounding ready.
That is why there’s no wasted gig in the past. I’ve been to live performances—back in the Philippines—with my bands Syato and The Pub Forties. I’ve recorded music for years, many of them my compositions. I’ve listened to various music genres, including those of the 80s, in line with my profession as a music journalist and my nature as a music lover.
For a time, my mates and I in The Pub Forties rehearsed “I Just Died In Your Arms” because I liked the song myself. We never got to play it live because of the pandemic, when bars were closed.
What makes an impromptu performance special is that you’ve been ready for the moment—not on that day, but many moons ago.
The Beatles were still undecided about going to the roof of the Apple Building right at the last minute. But they were ready. So, when John Lennon decided for the group to do it, it was easy for them to lock in. It may have been their best live performance. They’d been readied by the life they chose to live.
