• The day had come. My first gig. I was overcome with Stage Fright. I kept thinking to myself, 'It'll be fine, just remember the chords: A, A, B, B, C, C, A, C#, B#, A, A, B, A, C, D, D#, F#, then repeat.' The crowd roared behind the curtain, as the opening act finished, marking my cue. The other members ran on stage, overing their fright. I mustered up all my courage, and ran through the curtain.

    The drummer started. A, A, B, B, C, C, A, C#, B#, A, A, B, A, C, D, D#, F#, went my fingers, rubbing up and down the guitar strings at a million miles an hour. A, A, B, B, C, C, A, C#, B#, A, A, B, A, C, D, D#, F#. A, A, B, B, C, C, A, C#, B#, A, A, B, A, C, D, D#, F#. A, A, B, B, C, C, A, C#, B#, A, A, B, A, C, D, D#, F#

    The crowd screamed. My fingers burned. The strobe lights burned my eyes. A, A, B, B, C, C, A, C#, B#, A, A, B, A, C, D, D#, G#. Damn! A sour note! Did anyone notice. No, few did. A, A, B, B, C, C, A, C#, A#, A, A, B, A, D, D, D#, F#! Yet two more screwups. The Stage Fright was setting in. A few more seconds. Just get it right a few more times. Then, it's done. Then it's over. A, A, B, B, C, C, A, C#, B#, A, A, B, A, C, D, D#, F#. And hold!

    The crowd went silent... then screamed again. I had succeeded. I had overcome my Stage Fright. Now, only nine more songs to go...