Laura Pieri – PRESHOW RITUALS

In this Preshow Rituals segment, the singer-songwriter, Laura Pieri, shares what she does before every show. You can check out her rituals, after the break.

“Don’t. Fall”. On any show day, those are always the two first words that first pop into my head. Personally, preparing for any gig is a very important part of the actual performance. I feel like if I don’t prep right, the show won’t BE right. I usually start my pre-show ritual with ginger tea before soundcheck. I usually try and take that time to be completely silent, something I’m not very good at and don’t do very often. The only way that I can get myself to focus and actually stay silent is by listening to any podcast. You know — so that someone else is doing the talking and it would be so rude not to listen.

I am super disorganized, and so to keep track of all the things I have to do on gig-days, I make lists. So as I drink my tea listening to Karen and Georgia from My Favorite Murder podcast, I start making mental lists. “Don’t fall”, “don’t forget that change on the bridge”, “go over the lyrics again”, and so on. By the time that the podcast is over and my tea is finished, it’s usually time for soundcheck.

After traveling with the same group of people for a while, you start adopting their mannerisms and the group builds a dynamic that flows seamlessly. With my band, it was pretty much just like that. We had been around each other for so long, that soundcheck was almost like muscle memory. We knew where to stand, where to move and how to communicate during the show. It’s funny though because soundcheck is one of the most important parts of my gig prepping. It’s the “last details” time, where any adjustments can be made to the performance.

After soundcheck, I take some time to try and relax. I know, I know, it just sounds easy. I am always worried that something is going to go wrong, so it’s very important for me to take the time to breathe. I have this app on my phone, “Headspace”, that has some guided meditation recordings, and I try to stay consistent and do at least 30 minutes of meditating before any show.

Then I start actually getting ready. It’s like putting on our alternate persona armor. The hair, the makeup, the last minute rehearsals are all part of getting into that performing mindset. Maybe I just take too long to get ready, but it also makes for a good time to go through vocal warm-ups. After getting out of the sweats and into the heels, I sit with my band while we wait to be called onstage. There’s always a few minutes to spare here, so I like to use that time to listen to songs that inspire me. Michael Jackson, Beyonce and Ivete Sangalo are playlist staples. Then, as we’re given a 5-minute warning, I listen to the song “Ocean” by Hillsong. It’s the last few seconds before we go on stage. The band and I do a quick huddle, say a quick prayer, and before I have time to think about what’s happening — I’m onstage.

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