Hello all!
I had a couple requests to post a video from a live gig. The quality of this video (and sound) isn’t the best because it’s on an old iPhone. In general, my recordings have lacked quality because they are all on an iPhone 8.
Either way, this was one of my first gigs several months back. Any feedback would be appreciated!
RE: Badfish—Sublime (Live)
Fantastic, Travis! That takes a lot to be able to sing and play at the same time, as well as to have the nerve to get up and play in front of others. I imagine you feel really proud of that experience!
Thank you, and absolutely! I think that this was my 3rd paid gig, but it was the first time that I played in front of a large crowd of strangers. I have since had several decent sized shows in front of mostly strangers, and I love the stage!
And paid even, wow! Had you had unpaid gigs before that? If so, I’m really curious how many and how long ago you started that. I’d love at some point to be good enough to be able to do that, but if and when I am, I have no clue as to how to break into that
Great question.
I had two paid gigs prior to this, but they were both in the bar in my hometown, so it was mostly people that I knew. The show from this video was an awesome learning experience, including starting to explore the sound differences between playing inside versus playing outside.
I had a couple muck around “gigs” last summer in front of friends, and it was very beneficial because they all told me “don’t stop”, but more importantly that I needed to get out there, and to not just sit in my garage and play for the crickets.
I picked up several more paid gigs at the show posted in this video, so in many ways, it was my “coming out party”. I think that I have had around 15, mostly smaller paid gigs since June. I have 2 more booked before Xmas, and I already have 5 good sized gigs planned for next summer, including a wedding that I’m going to mingle playing with DJing.
It’s a fun ride!
Awesome! And I really appreciate your responses and to hear about your experiences!
I just joined here a couple days ago, and I regret not joining the community earlier.
I have a lot to learn, but what I’m hoping I can offer on the surface is some perspective of what it’s like to be in the middle stages of following Justin (and I have exclusively followed Justin since the beginning). I would consider myself a pretty solid intermediate guitar player, but honestly, probably not good enough to be gig worthy.
I think that my personality and vocals carried me through the beginning stages. Im a history teacher and have 14 years of experience in public speaking, sometimes I’m front of very large crowds. Without that, gigging would be, I don’t know, but very different, and probably much more difficult.
You started with Justin when you started playing guitar in May 2020?
I hear you. I started around the same time you did, but never joined the old forum. It might seem silly, but the way the old forum worked with the little extra step of having to specifically create an account on it was just enough friction to prevent me from ever doing it. So that being said, I really appreciate the new system where if you have a justinguitar.com account, that you then automatically have a forum account here now!
In any case, it’s great to have you here now. There’s no time like the present! 
I’d say the free market is saying otherwise 
I was fortunate to find Justin at the very beginning of my journey. I was on his website and following his YouTube videos on day 1 of deciding to make sense of the 6 string 
Thank you for your kind comments. Sublime was my favorite band when I was in high school and they are still up there. I play several of their songs.
This was my 2nd paid gig. (Early May of 2022)
It’s kind of neat because the intro of “Yesterday” and “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” are according to how Justin taught them. Sound is a little weird here but a lot of people were actually paying attention (I think!!!). I kind of did my own thing with “Let It Be” for the main part of the song, with many flaws, but I wanted to reiterate that I was leaning on Justin when I first played live. Also my rendition of “Let It Be” has improved steadily.
In hindsight, I made a boatload of mistakes, but I like the mash up! I didn’t plan that. Ha
This is a clip from my 1st paid gig, at the end of April 2022. Just trying to offer this as perspective of the journey.
Many people tell me that this is one of my best songs.
This is one of my favorite songs to play!
You did a great job with this one. I aspire to be able to play a gig on stage one day too. I’m not quite there yet, but definitely inspired that you have already done it. Thanks for sharing.
Jeff
Thank you! The biggest thing that I can say is just keep putting on mileage!!
Great stuff, suits your voice. wagon wheel is the perennial favourite at our music club, I remember playing it on stage a couple of years ago with a buddy of mine, we had something like another 25 guitars playing along in the audience.
Thank you @tony! This is the song that I play at the end of my 2nd set now. I have always been a big Darius Rucker fan, and I like his version of this song the most!
Yeah, his version is super and I love his video of it with all the old pickup trucks and such.