If
playing in cold environments, wear clothing that will
keep your core body temperature maintained. If your
band has standardized clothing, then consider long
underwear to keep you warm. Also, consider how the
cold will affect your finger dexterity. Temperatures
below 62º will lead to decreased dexterity and
clumsiness. Maintaining hand warmth is critical to
preventing repetitive strain injuries to the tendons
and muscles. Besides that, your speed and dexterity
are much better when your hand and fingers are warm.
If
you're playing in warm environments, such as outdoors
in the summer, remember to take with you at least two
water bottles filled with spring or filtered water.
Take sips between every song or at least every 10 to
15 minutes to maintain hydration. Wear clothing that
will "breath" and allow air flow to the
skin, while allowing heat from the skin to escape.
Avoid costumes and suits if at all possible. Have two
towels handy, one to wipe off perspiration, and one
that is dampened with cold water to wipe your head
and face with. This will help keep your body cool.
Maintaining proper hydration days before the
performance is just as important. Drink six to eight
glasses of water daily in preparation for the hot
climate.
Sun
Exposure:
Everyone knows, or should know, that sun exposure
increases the risk of skin cancers. Musicians who are
continually performing outdoor gigs throughout the
summer must take preventative measures to reduce the
risk of overexposure to the sun. Use sun screens with
SF 30 or greater. One application should keep you
protected through a typical two hour performance.
Wear sunglasses that block UV rays. It's been proven
that sunglasses without an ultraviolet ray block can
actually cause retinal damage in your eyes. Just
because everything seems darker doesn't mean your
eyes are being protected. Most sunglasses made today
offer protection against UV rays, but if you're still
using those retro sunglasses from 1975 then take a
good look at purchasing some new "shades."
Dry
Ice:
This is gaseous Carbon Dioxide. Blocks of frozen
carbon dioxide are put into water and the solid form
goes immediately to the gaseous form to create those
clouds that reflect lighting so well and create that
misty appearance on stage. Many performers state that
this dry ice irritates their throat and affects
singing. Breathing in large amounts of carbon dioxide
over a long period of time can affect your overall
health and throw off your blood gas levels. (Such as
the carbon dioxide/oxygen ratio) If you're involved
in stage performances that include dry ice use,
consider the location where the ice will be blown
from and attempt to position your equipment away from
that location. Talk with the production manager about
pointing the dry ice machine away from the
performers. In most cases, working together with the
stage crew can provide the desired affects of the dry
ice, while at the same time preserving the health of
the musicians.
Sore
throat:
If your singer always gets a sore throat before an
important gig, it's often a case of nerves. Learn to
recognise and deal with physical symptoms brought on
by stress. The most common reason for a cancelled gig
is the singer losing their voice. You can't insure
against it without vast expense and one cancelled gig
on a theatre-sized tour can put the whole tour in the
red.
Accidents
on stage:
Most bands with wild stage shows risk injury every
night. Try to remain in control on stage, even if the
performance is on the wild side.
Electric
shock:
Always take this one seriously. Watch out for water
on the stage. (The Bee Gees once refused to play an
outdoor gig during a thunder-storm saying it was
unsafe. The promoter asked whether they'd perform if
the support band survived!) Check your power leads to
make sure your not going to form a link to earth.
A
musician who's serious about maintaining health will
take a serious look at these factors as well as many
others when preparing to perform. Don't go into a
performance with no knowledge of your playing
environment. Knowing your environment is as important
as the amount of practicing you've done over the past
few years. Poor preparation can ruin your performance
and even lead to health complaints down the line.
Let's
face it, rock 'n' roll is risky. That's why your mum
wants you to go to college. But we love music and we
love the lifestyle, so we're probably just going to
go on taking those risks. Be careful out there!!!
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