Good luck!

Oh... and the extra dill on top of that mindfreak salad was that it was pretty much the ONLY gig I've ever played since I was a teen without at least one beer in mah belly.
 
Wasn't about to roll in with a sack of tall boys.
 
Then again... I think they may have been the type of family who would have been down with that as long as I shared.
 
lol... Canadians.
 
You'd better BELIEVE part of that hundie went toward a six pack on my way home. I was a fifty pound ball of spazz crammed into a dimebaggy after that shiz. Played the set a bunch of times, especially LMT, before passing out... yanno... just to torture myself over the minutia.
 
It's what I do.

Beepster
yanno... just to torture myself over the minutia.
 
It's what I do.

Typical

I was in almost the same situation last year. What got me through it was intense rehearsal. I was doing covers, but I practiced them everyday for about 3 months. That made it so much easier when it came time to perform. I had done my rehearsals just like the show was going to be. Songs in order. I had a little bit of onstage patter rehearsed and when in the set I was going to say it.
 
When showtime came, I was still a little nervous, but within 30 seconds into the first song I was very comfortable and really enjoyed myself the rest of the set.
 
Have fun. It's why we do this.

Slugbaby
Thanks Mesh!
 
Now I've got to worry about keeping it to "a few."  More pressure...

think of your performance as a seance, and try to cast a spell over the people.  Magic makes it fun  (if not heretical)

Congrats Slug!  You'll do great. I'm sure.  If you keep in mind that you're NOT the center everyone's focus maybe it will ease the urge to puke. 
 
 

Slugbaby
...  But it's probably similar to the nakedness I'll feel on a stage alone.
...  Then I can play alone...

****!
 
It's you and the music that got there, why should it be different?
 
Your focus is not correct from this "director" point of view!

Solo? I thought you said

Beepster, great story.  I can’t imagine the stress of playing a funeral.
 
Craig, you might be right.  Naked in a biker bar…. Thank god for wearing a guitar!
 
Randy, I’m planning to do a few covers anyway since most of my own songs were never meant for one instrument.  I ALWAYS over-practice:  I read somewhere that one should rehearse until they can play the entire set in their heads.  That way, when things go wrong on stage, you can focus on fixing the issue while your brain keeps your hands playing.  I've sat in with a few bands without knowing the music properly - it's been stressful at the time, but that pressure also pushes me to greater heights. The danger of cover songs is that the audience has something to compare you to; if you only play your own music you can say I MEANT TO HIT THAT NOTE!
 
BobF:  If I’m NOT the centre of their focus, I damned well SHOULD BE!  I’m not doing this for background music.