Your first gig is terrifying and exhilarating in equal measure. Here's everything you need to know, pack, and do to make it go as smoothly as possible.
TL;DR
Preparation is everything. Rehearse your set until it's automatic. Arrive early for soundcheck. Bring backup cables, strings, and batteries. Promote the gig to fill the room. And most importantly: perform with genuine energy and emotion — technical perfection matters less than connection.
Before the Gig: Rehearsal and Preparation
Rehearse your set in order, multiple times, until transitions between songs are smooth and automatic. Your set should run like a playlist — each song flowing naturally into the next with minimal dead air. Dead time between songs is where audiences disconnect and nerves multiply.
Plan your set length carefully. If you've been given 30 minutes, prepare 25 minutes of music. Running over your allotted time is disrespectful to other acts and the venue, and it's a sure way to not get booked again. Running slightly under is fine — better to leave them wanting more.
Create a setlist that builds energy. Start with something strong to grab attention, put your weaker songs in the middle, and finish with your absolute best track. The opening and closing songs are what people remember, so make them count. Consider the energy arc — you don't need to go from zero to eleven, but the set should have dynamic shape.
Rehearse stage banter. What you say between songs matters. Prepare a few lines of introduction, context for songs, and natural transitions. You don't need a comedy routine, but confident, natural chat between songs creates connection with the audience and covers tuning breaks.
The Day-of Checklist
Pack everything the night before. Your essential kit: instrument, cables (bring spares), tuner, capo (guitarists), sticks (drummers), picks (bring many — you'll drop them), batteries for pedals, set list printed or on a phone stand, and any merch you're selling.
Arrive at least 30 minutes before soundcheck time. Late arrivals to soundcheck frustrate sound engineers and compress your setup time. Arriving early lets you acclimatise to the room, set up without rushing, and manage pre-show nerves constructively.
During soundcheck, communicate clearly with the sound engineer. They want you to sound good — that's literally their job. Tell them what you need in your monitor (usually more vocals and less everything else), play your loudest and quietest sections so they can set levels correctly, and trust their judgment on front-of-house sound.
Eat a proper meal 2-3 hours before your set. Low blood sugar makes nerves worse and reduces performance energy. Stay hydrated. Go easy on caffeine and alcohol before performing — both affect your voice, timing, and anxiety levels.
On Stage: Performance Tips for First-Timers
Look at the audience. This is the hardest and most important thing for new performers. It's tempting to stare at your guitar, the floor, or the back wall. But making eye contact with audience members creates connection, and connection is what transforms a performance from a recital into an experience.
Move with purpose. You don't need to run around like a stadium rock act, but standing completely still behind a microphone for 30 minutes is visually boring. Sway with the music, lean into emotional moments, use the space you have. Physical engagement communicates emotional investment to the audience.
If you make a mistake — wrong chord, forgotten lyric, stumbled transition — keep going. The audience doesn't have your set list and probably won't notice. If the mistake is obvious, acknowledge it with a smile and move on. Dwelling on errors amplifies them; confidence through mistakes diminishes them.
Perform with genuine emotion. Audiences connect with authenticity, not technical perfection. A passionate performance with a few bum notes is infinitely more engaging than a technically flawless but emotionally flat one. Pour your heart into every song, and the audience will respond.
After the Gig: What Happens Next
Stay after your set. Watch the other acts, talk to people who watched you, be present and generous with your time. The connections you make after the gig — with audience members, other artists, and the venue staff — are often more valuable than the performance itself.
Collect contact details from anyone who expressed interest. Have a sign-up sheet for email addresses or direct people to your Instagram/Spotify. The people who just watched you perform are the warmest possible leads for your mailing list and social following.
Thank the sound engineer, the venue staff, and the promoter. These are the people who decide whether you get booked again. Professionalism, gratitude, and being easy to work with are remembered long after the music fades.
Debrief honestly. What went well? What could improve? Were there moments where you lost the audience? Were there moments where you had them completely? Write down your observations while they're fresh, and use them to improve your next show. Every gig is a learning opportunity, especially the first ones.
Promoting Your Gig: Filling the Room
A gig to an empty room is a rehearsal. Promotion is your responsibility, not just the venue's. Start promoting 3-4 weeks out: create an event on social media, post countdown content, DM friends and contacts personally, and make the event sound unmissable.
Personal invitations are more effective than broadcast posts. A direct message saying 'I'm playing my first gig and it would mean a lot if you came' is more compelling than an Instagram story that gets swiped past. People respond to personal requests.
Offer something to incentivise attendance. Entry might be free, but you could offer 'first 20 people get a free download code' or 'drinks deal for people on the guest list.' Small incentives give people a reason to commit rather than vaguely planning to attend.
On the night, make the audience feel valued. Thank them for coming, mention that it's your first gig if it is (people love being part of an origin story), and make them feel like they're part of something special. An audience that feels appreciated becomes an audience that comes back.