Live Music: Why I Love Playing Shows

Live music connects people whether you are watching a symphony play in a grandiose performance hall, or you are sitting in a coffee shop listening to an acoustic guitarist finger pick their original songs. I think this connection forms because of the shared experience live music gives us. You can be surrounded by strangers in a packed venue but because everyone is listening to the same music, you feel like you are surrounded by friends. That is the power of live music.

I still remember the first concert I ever saw. A small indie dream pop band called “Child Ivory” played at a tiny venue in Rexburg that probably doesn’t exist now. The expansive crowd of 6 whole people was composed only of my family and our friends. I remember staring at the band onstage and thinking: I want to do that. I need to do that.

For so long that has been my dream: play my own music onstage. At age 8 I started teaching myself to play any instrument I could get my hands on. Ukulele, banjo, drums, cello, mandolin, and guitar. I’m rubbish at most all of those, but I love playing the guitar and singing.

In June 2021 I played my first show and I immediately fell in love with playing live music. I felt connected to the audience’s energy. Since then I’ve played at the farmer’s market, open mic nights, and the Rexburg Art Stroll, among others. (I actually have a show at The Basement on May 6th. You should come!)

There is something exciting about putting yourself out there, standing on stage and playing your favorite songs. Countless things can go wrong and I think that is what makes playing live music fun. What if my guitar breaks or I lose my voice? What if there is an issue with the sound system? Believe me, I’ve run into all those problems and more. But the uncertainty is what makes playing live music so electrifying.

Playing a live show is all about making it work in the moment, improvising, and keeping a level head. Let me tell you, when I had major technical difficulties during my first gig I did everything but keep a level head. My plan was to switch from electric guitar to electric ukulele halfway through my set, but at soundcheck we couldn’t hear my uke. I didn’t have issues with it at home. Why was this happening?! I was frantic. Thinking the batteries in it must have been dead, I made my parents run to the store 15 minutes before I went on.

Close to hyperventilating, I stepped onstage. The sound guy ended up setting up a microphone for my uke in between songs, which caused 5 minutes of awkward silence. Now I would have been able to fill the silence by talking to the crowd, but give me a break, it was my first gig.  (Let the record show that the issue was not with the batteries and my uke works fine now. I swear it was an issue with the sound guy’s set up, but don’t tell him I said that!) Even though that could have been called a disaster, I learned from the experience.

May I suggest going to a concert this weekend? Sure, binging the newest season of a Netflix show is fun and all, but don’t you want to hear some good music? Don’t you want to make a new connection with the crowd? Or try your hand at playing onstage yourself! Trust me, it’s addicting 😉

Stay tuned,

Hazel Paul