What should I check before going on stage for a live show?
Gear and technical
For musicians: tune your instrument, check cables, batteries (especially for wireless packs and pedals), and spare strings. Confirm your monitor mix and that your mic is on. For actors: check props, costume fastenings, and that you can be heard and seen from the back row.
Do a line check with the sound engineer if possible. Know where your water bottle is and that it is open. If you use in-ear monitors, make sure they are connected and the battery is fresh. A dead battery mid-show is one of the most common avoidable failures.
Body and mind
Use the bathroom before you go on—no exceptions. Warm up your voice or body for 5–10 minutes. Drink water, but not so much that you need to go again. Take a few slow breaths to settle nerves.
Know your first entrance or first chord cold. If you start confidently, the rest tends to follow. Have a mental cue for the top of the show: the first lyric, the first strum, or your first line.
- Instrument tuned, cables and batteries checked.
- Water bottle open and within reach.
- Bathroom break done.
- First entrance or first song mentally rehearsed.
- Monitor mix and mic levels confirmed.
- Props and costume secure.
Common mistakes
- Assuming the sound engineer will fix everything—verify your own mix.
- Forgetting to check wireless batteries, which can die mid-show.
- Rushing from the dressing room to the stage without a bathroom stop.
