Matt (Golden Shitters)
How nervous were you the first time you played a show?
My first show was around 2002. I was 15 years old and it was a basement house party in my hometown of Welland, Ontario. I’d just proved myself to my high school buddies by singing The Stooges’ “I Wanna Be Your Dog” hiding under a blanket from having bad nerves. We dubbed ourselves “The Scabs”.
I knew I’d be nervous at my first show but I really wanted to play in a punk rock band more than anything. We set up our gear in the corner of a dirty smoke-filled basement overflowing with ashtrays and empty beer bottles. Our friend’s dad was an alcoholic with little regard for what happened in his house. As high school kids crammed themselves in, I got more and more nervous. Although we’d been rehearsing the songs nonstop for months, I was worried. What happens if I suck? Forget the words? Or just plain can’t sing? Lucky for me, it’s punk rock and I’m not trying too hard to be perfect but -- let’s be honest -- you want your friends to like your songs!
I smoked a bit of weed and put on some lipstick in an act of New York Dolls-inspired small town teenage rebellion. Armed with a handful of covers and a few songs we’d written, I remember trying to tap my leg to the beat but it just shaking and me feeling so stiff from being so scared! I pulled off my best chubby 15 year old Joey Ramone and hung onto the mic stand for dear life. No movement, just a twitching leg and white knuckling the mic!
I made it through fine enough and 20 some odd years later I’m still doing it. I don’t really get nervous anymore (sometimes a little!) and I don’t smoke weed for stagefright, but I still love playing punk rock!
I teach kids music now and run a rock school. We do a few concerts over the year for the students. I tell kids [that] nerves are all part of it. You get nervous, you walk on stage, and you play. Don’t overthink it because you’ve worked hard and you know the songs. Once you start playing it all goes away and you just enjoy being up on stage with your friends. The nerves, the fear, the excitement and the music is all part of the experience, so just go with it and turn it up!
