We’ve all heard it, right?

“Act like a rockstar before you’re a rockstar.”

In the past, I’ve hated that advice. When people actually take it, it seems to produce musicians who act like they own everything they look at, abuse stages, act as though their every whim is paramount, play way too !@#$ing loud, get annoyed if it takes a tech more than 2.5 milliseconds to interpret an ambiguous request from the stage – well, you get the picture.

The “rockstar attitude,” as we’re used to it in popular culture, is bad at every level. If you actually are an A-lister, it means you’re a jerk. If you’re still playing small venues, it also means you’re a jerk, AND it makes people want to take you down a peg.

Although…I will totally make exceptions in certain cases of “being a rockstar.” There was this one time where a band rolled up to Fats in a van. The space that would normally have been occupied by gear was being filled by attractive women in their early twenties. Seriously, I think two guitars and a combo amp comprised the entirety of the cargo. The drums showed up a couple of minutes later, stuffed into a hatchback. It makes me smile and chuckle just thinking about it. The band was pretty easy to work with, too, so I’m willing to label the whole thing as “Dude, that was pretty rad.”

Where was I?

See, this whole time, we’ve believed a lie. The lie is that, if you project the attitude and the swagger, you ARE the attitude, the swagger, and everything associated with it. (That is, “successful, loved, and able to get a monitor mix that peels paint.”)

That’s a load of crap, of course.

But that’s not the end of the story. See, I think that “act like a rockstar” can be redeemed as an idea.

What Acting Like A Rockstar Actually Means

The thing is, honest-to-goodness rockstars prepare, plan, and execute their shows very seriously. A ton of work goes into absolutely every aspect of the experience. Gear packing is specified down to the mic-clip. The experience that the music is going to bring to the audience is rehearsed for weeks – maybe even months. When hiring in a local audio contractor, the required gear is specified exactly. Venues are carefully researched for suitability – as is the local market for the show. To the appropriate degrees, the crew and band know exactly where everything needs to go, and how it comes together. Gig compensation is hammered out in advance, and is as unambiguous as possible.

That is what acting like a rockstar really means. The show is serious business, and it’s treated that way.

Seriously, do you think U2 and their associated organization remembers that they have a show at Rice-Eccles with, say, two days to go, and then just shows up a day before with a multi-ton set? Of course you don’t think that, but that’s how some bands treat their gigs, proportionally.

There’s good news, though – with just a bit of effort, you can plan and execute like a rockstar. (Well, like a rockstar and their associated organization, to be fair.)

The “Act Like A Rockstar” To-Do List

1) When booking, take the time to actually vet the venue thoroughly.

• What’s the pay scale?
• If your band doesn’t have a strong following, what’s the situation with regulars and walk-up traffic?
• How early can load-in be?
• Is there a PA?
• A lighting rig?
• An onsite tech?
• What’s the SPL (Sound Pressure Level, i.e. Volume) “speed limit?”
• How much power is actually available for backline and other carried production?
• Who do you e-mail with info, questions, and concerns?

2) Take the time to actually tell the venue who you are and what gear you would like to have for the show. This is especially helpful if there is a tech onsite. Even a very basic input and monitor mix list can be a huge help. Seriously, I can’t count how many times I’ve had to Google bands and hope their Reverbnation pages are accurate descriptions of what’s going to show up at the venue.

Yes, techs should do their homework, but we shouldn’t do it alone. We especially shouldn’t do it alone if your online presence states that you’re a guitar, bass, and drumkit trio…but what you’re actually planning on doing is bringing all your friends for a superjam featuring four electric guitars, two acoustic guitars, a banjo, a mandolin, temple bells, five singers, one singing drummer that “only sings on one song,” a bass guitar AND a standup bass (no pickup on the standup bass), a musical llama that sings via severe flatulence, oh, and this one guy who will DJ on breaks – you have RCA to 1/4″ adapters, right?

C’mon, guys. We can totally pull this off, but you have to tell me in advance.

Anyway.

3) If the gig has multiple acts, figure out exactly who is going to play, and in what order. It’s perfectly okay if the order will be dynamic, based on the crowd, but please tell the venue in advance. Also, have a clear start time – it’s also okay if that’s dynamic, but it really helps if the venue knows that’s the plan.

4) Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse. Also, practice what you’ll do in the event that something goes wrong. Have a backup plan. Know your material so well that you can do it in the dark, with no PA. I mean it.

Robert Plant was doing a show a while back where the FOH console committed partial suicide. His incredible preparation, poise, and comfort with the gig meant that he basically shrugged it off and kept the crowd entertained. His crew was also prepared to go into damage-control mode while things got sorted out.

5) Have all your equipment and merch organized so that leaving something behind is virtually impossible. Know your setup and teardown such that you can do it by rote, in a hurry, without thinking. Know exactly what the setup priorities are, and have a good idea of what can be cut if you run out of space or are pressed for time.

6) Be where you said you’ll be, when you said you’ll be there.

7) Remember that real, top-of-the line rockstars are polite, aware of their own mortality, concerned for the people and gear around them, and look out for their fans.

8) Overall, remember that the point of good planning and extensive rehearsal is to remove the emotional component from the business and technical aspects of the show, so that you can pour all of that feeling into actually connecting with your audience. Emotional energy that you’re spending on being flustered by a piece of gear, or a venue problem, is completely wasted.

Act like a rockstar.