Band Dynamics Performance Prep - Nevah - Part 6

All of NEVAH's rehearsing has really been paying off. It certainly showed in the studio. We didn't waste a lot of time trying to decide what to do. We had it planned and then went about our business laying down the tracks at Main Street Studio in Bangor, Maine … which made for a terrific first band recording experience. Now we'll see what comes of the "mixing/editing" sessions.

However, onto the next topic … performance prep. All of this practicing ultimately leads to our live performances. We've done a few shows in the last several months in very different venues - from a Wedding in a lovely old barn, to a large backyard wedding setting up outside on a stone patio, to the midway stage at the BlueHill Fair and even a small Bar/Restaurant Andy's Old Port Pub in Portland, Maine as well as some shows at bars and local theaters.

NEVAH setting up at a Back Yard Wedding in Winterport, Maine

A Wedding at a Beautiful Old Barn

NEVAH at Pellitiers Loggers Family Restaurant in Millinocket Maine

We like to call what we do –  concerts, performances. They aren't ridged with a complete script found in theatrical performances/plays - legit theatre. However, we have a set list of songs that Phil puts together. And I must admit he has a superb sense of "time" - every show hits the mark and I don't think we've been more than a couple of minutes past our "set" time allowance … ever. And that includes times where he jumps ahead to an alternate tune if he feels the mood of the audience warrants a deviation from our set list.

NEVAH at Andy's Pub in Portland, Maine

Why? It's because we actually rehearse our show, all the tunes in the order we're going to do them, without stopping. And we do this quite a bit. Sometimes running a show two times in a row at one rehearsal - with only a couple of minutes break in between. The only thing we don't rehearse in the same manner is some of our banter which seems to flow easily on-stage between all of the "NEVAH" musicians.

NEVAH at the Blue Hill Fair

We are trying to find a nearby venue to set-up all our equipment and do a full - all out - rehearsal so we can get to another level of performance. It's coming, but finding a place and getting everyone together is not an easy task. Plus we need a sound person to make this work 100%. Luckily we've had some super folks run our board over the last couple of years and it has helped us tremendously (A big thank you to the "sound guys" - you know who you are.)

I'm going to pause here because there is a lot more to discuss concerning performance preparation. 

NEXT BLOG: Performance preparation continued.