London gig (now done)

[Mr Arkadin]

If you're in London and want to say 'hi' then please come along to a gig I'm performing in. Not Scope-related, hence not in Announcements. In fact it's a three guitar trio. There may be some electronic noises from the other acts, I haven't checked. Anyway it'll be a night of experimental noises. We're Mihai Cucos Trio.

Friday 7th February at Ryan's Bar in Stoke Newington:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =1&theater

https://www.facebook.com/pages/RYANS-BA ... n=timeline

[dante]

Good luck - hope the gig goes well.

[dawman]

Glad to see it, will there be a live recording..?

[hubird]

hope you also get that meal from the menu
good luck

[Mr Arkadin]

Glad to see it, will there be a live recording..?

We'll have a studio recording done next week which will be available on CD and there should be a video of the gig happening too.

@hubird: I'll be too nevous to eat - just the one Jack Daniels for Dutch courage. I am the most nervous performer (and I start most of the pieces solo which doesn't help).

[Eanna]

Preparation is the key!
Let the first notes be no more challenging than clearing your throat

All the best man.. Enjoy!

[hubird]

Or do some introducing small talk, while pretending to check sound with some loose chords.
It's a (small) club where you play.

Dutch courage eh?
Never heard that one
We Dutch are cowards or beasts, depending on the position on the historical timeline and actual power

A Jack Daniels is always good, but keep the rest of the bottle for after the show

[Nestor]

If I wasn't so far away, you bet I would be there for you man!

[Mr Arkadin]

Preparation is the key!

We've been rehearsing since last September so we are pretty well rehearsed!

Dutch courage eh?
Never heard that one

I have no idea where that phrase comes from.

A Jack Daniels is always good, but keep the rest of the bottle for after the show

Always. Too much before and I'll be a mess. I do carry a hip flask for emergencies though.


Thanks for all the encouragement guys - it's been over ten years since I last played live in any capacity.

[garyb]

i gig all the time, it's no big deal. do your homework and understand that everything goes wrong, but at least you know what's supposed to happen because you did your homework. that alone will give you comfort and that alone will impress the audience because they really have no idea whether it's ok or not. make the music for them to enjoy and it'll be a nice night, don't worry about having a good time yourself, that just happens anyway.

if i can get away with it, a person of your talent can definitely get away with it.

[Roland Kuit]

Good luck Mr Arkadin!

I understand your feelings.
You want to perform the best you can ever. And that every time.
It is personal. It is something the audience has nothing to do with.

For me, it helps to be a moment alone before a concert.
Just sitting there and 'road mapping' the concert with my mind before I enter the stage.
Nervs are good, they make you sharper and faster.
So embrace them!
They are tools to perform better!
Better than in a rehearsal situation.

All the best!

ps: it is always better to perform without drugs/alcohol. Be clear...clear in judgement.
Just except those nervs.

[Eanna]

Performing music is the best part of musical endeavour for me.
It's fun to be creative in the studio, and getting cerebral with mixes, routing, patching synths and that, but it's a real buzz to get some tunes together with your mates, the trust you form in your collective, and to experience that 'knowing' trust on stage while performing to others who chose to be there...

If you've taken a break for a decade, then I reckon that the years of maturation in the interim will stand to you...
For me, I remember back years ago, I used feel the nerves something awful on stage. On solo parts, I would pray that the hand wouldn't seize...
I too took a decade-long break. Nowadays, between being able to handle my instrument like I do a pen or a toothbrush where the mechanics are a given, practising the songs so much that the changes are second-nature, and becoming generally more confident in public, I can focus on folks' reactions and the cues and triggers from my two band mates, rather than introspect on my own inner feelings...

Bring folk into your practice sessions this week, get used to eyes on ye.
And practice with all of ye facing the wall, rather than grouped around in a circle (if that's how you intend to play on stage).

Don't intend to come across as patronising in any way btw... I've returned to performing after a similar break, so I'm just recounting my experiences..

[dawman]

I think drinking while performing is a good option.
Do the first tune straight. If you feel proud, then chug some Jager.
Do this as a reward after each song you felt you did well.
It serves 2 purposes.
You have an excuse for drinking.
Second....the buzz is nice, so it'll motivate to perform even better.

[Mr Arkadin]

Jimmy you wag! I am not getting drunk before the gig. Plenty of time for that afterwards.

Thanks to everyone for the encouraging words. I feel a bit better about it and have now invited people I know (I didn't want anyone I know there at first).

Also the fact that I have a music score to hide behind helps.

[Nestor]

A long time ago, I got to know a classical guitar concert player with whom I did a few gigs in France. He would play extremely difficult concerts live alone, that impressed me much, because he would not mistake even once. So I asked him which was his secret not to mistake, and he answered me “Imagination”. I said, “What do you mean by imagination?” Then he explained me that, just before every concert, he would find a quiet place and would concentrate in the future, that is, in the moment he would be playing, and through his imagination he would represent a perfect playing act, with no problems, where he was confident, etc. He said that imagining himself in a good moment, feeling comfortable, secure and so on, would definitely influence his state of mind while performing for real.

Since he said it to me, I have used the power of imagination before big events, and it really helps a lot, not only with music, but with everything you have to do, which is difficult. A great advice.

[Eanna]

Hey Mr. A, how was the gig?

How's the head?

[garyb]

[Mr Arkadin]

Not happened yet. In the studio this Friday and gig is following Friday.

[Mr Arkadin]

Well, gig is tomorrow. I see we have a SongKick entry (not sure how that happened):

https://www.songkick.com/artists/767617 ... cucos-trio

and also a listing in The Wire magazine:

http://thewire.co.uk/listings/bridget-h ... cucos-trio

Big time here we come!

[dante]

Maybe the venue did it. Good luck & enjoy !