Decker – PRESHOW RITUALS

In this Preshow Rituals segment, the folk artist, Decker, shares what he does before every show. You can check out his rituals, after the break.

It’s challenging to be ritualistic about anything on the road really because you invariably find you’re back against the wall with time and in some sort of survival mode, I think. For us, it’s often that way anyway, and I’ve heard similar tales from bands in our CD player.  Much of what we are habitual with might be more tour in general type stuff.  We like to jump in water.  Mostly natural water. Pacific Ocean, Lake Michigan, Colorado River, some random creek. We like good coffee.  We like good beer.  I try to do yoga.

I heard Nick Cave give an interview where he said “Every tour starts with me saying, ‘this will be the one I go see all the sights!’ and by the third day I’m back in my hotel room starring at the wall.” The interviewer asks him why and he says, “Because touring is hard.”  So if it’s hard for a man of Nick Cave’s stature, well, you can imagine our experience.

But if we’re talking just pre-show stuff…  I do vocal warm-ups on tour. I’ve blown my voice out too many times and it’s just something I do every night.  That said, while not nervous, I have a good deal of anxious energy before a show, and I do a lot of pacing. I wouldn’t call it a ritual per se, but I do it damn near every show, so, there’s that.

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