Opening spot for Hawthorne Heights this Saturday night

[DriftRoberts]

Previously my only experience opening for a band was a fifteen-minute spot at a Little River Band show at a biker fest when I was only six months into doing open mikes. Needless to say, that was a disaster.

There were probably fifty people there when I was onstage.

The show this Saturday will be in an opera house with over five hundred people in attendance. The biggest amount of people I've performed for before is about 150.

There are a few factors going against me:

A. The sheer number of people. Before, the more people there would be at open mikes and shows I would do the less nervous I would be, but I don't know how that would translate to an increase this radical.
B. A rather large percentage of my old high school will be in attendance. Public speaking used to be a phobia that comedy's helped me get over, but an irrational part in the back of my head thinks I'll look out upon the crowd and recognize people and have a 'Nam-style speech class flashback and shit my pants onstage.
C. Hawthorne Heights? Really?

But it's stagetime I guess. For an unpaid, charity show but stagetime nonetheless. I'll take it and hope for the best.

What I guess I'm asking is if anybody has experience, good or bad, opening for bands that they could share and offer advice?

[Nickflans]

I would say that if you don't have a set block of time to do, consider going 'short but strong' - attention spans at rock shows can sometimes meander. It's also important to keep the people at the front of the stage engaged.

[Cupid Stunt]

C. Hawthorne Heights? Really?

But it's stagetime I guess. For an unpaid, charity show but stagetime nonetheless. I'll take it and hope for the best.

This. make sure to insult the band, their music, and their fans.

[DriftRoberts]

And the accidental overdose and death of their original lead singer three years ago?

If I start a riot this could be a viral video.

[mattmanser]

Why was the Little River Band performing at a biker fest?

[Cameron]

And the accidental overdose and death of their original lead singer three years ago?

If I start a riot this could be a viral video.

It was their guitarist who overdosed, not their singer. If you are going to open for them/insult them, at the least get your facts right.

[ErikNielsen]

Hawthorne died in the 19th century.

Also, he did not rock.