For The Love Of It

People who perform live do it for the love of it. 

There are trials in live performances. You have to get it right the first time, as my old friend Nick told me recently. 

It was Billy Joel who wrote "get it right the first time, that's the main thing, get it right the next time that's not the same thing".

Playing live is always a challenge to any performer and there are ups and downs, and there can be pitfalls.

Playing live starts with performing. There is initially the desire to do the thing individually. Such desire entails practice, over and over, on and on, until the thing is done or is at least is in the doing. When you get to know it, you begin to play your instrument from your heart.

To expand the desire some may turn to rehearsal with others over and over and on and on: the group experience. The whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

Transporting instruments, setting up, sound checking and getting the mix right, are all part of the realities of the  live performance, not to mention the location of the venue and the mood of the listeners .

The true test of the live performer is to do the performance as rehearsed to the best ability, regardless of the circumstances, and if there is joy in the doing, chances are the performance will be good.