I have been to at least ten well-organized rock and jazz concerts, both in our country and abroad. Apart from the unforgettable pleasure of listening to some of my favourite solo artists and music bands, my concert-related memories also include images of the performers’ team preparing for the two-hour long music show. Yes, I always arrive much earlier at the venue, which gives me a chance to witness an amazing sight: the birth of the stage. Every single member of the crew has a role to play and an instrument or element of the sound equipment to take care of. Everyone is aware that nothing should go wrong, otherwise the concert may turn into one of the most criticized events ever. Do not act surprised, we all know how harsh and merciless the media can be.

That is one of the main reasons why professional musicians never take the preparation process for their live performance lightly. They have got a reputation to maintain, after all. Most of them are experienced enough to know what it takes to get the stage ready for a successful and enjoyable show. A devoted and longtime musician is precisely whom I consulted with in order to satisfactorily write this article. After the thorough and not-so-formal interview, I have learned that the artist’s assistants start the preparations by making sure all of the instruments and audio products are safely packed in good-quality cases. The next step covers the transportation of the essential gig gear from the music studio to the place of the event. This is usually done by instrument transporting companies, as they are the best way to avoid any possible damage to the instruments and the sound equipment.

While every musician’s team almost never fails at properly executing the previously mentioned steps, many members of an artist’s crew (particularly the new ones) often forget to bring along with them the instrument cables, overlooking their importance. There are several instances when the instrumentalist couldn’t start his performance on time because his assistants didn’t remember to buy instrument cable or because they picked one that is not right. That is why plenty of highly respected music stores offer their experts’ services when someone who has come to buy instrument cable doesn’t seem to know what kind of product to look for. Many customers find this smart and useful, gladly accepting the help of the employees.

Yes, a concert can turn into a rather difficult, if not impossible mission, especially when the preparations for the event are not taken seriously. So, instead of becoming one more musician that has made such mistakes, try to learn from them.