I have never been so nervous in all of my professional performing career as I was today. I showed up to find myself in a new building, with new musicians, using a new in-ear monitoring system, playing new songs on a keyboard rig which was uncomfortable (standing rather than sitting, with the pedal under my left foot instead of my right), with people being let go from the gig while the clock ticked down to start time. I don't make excuses for when I perform something badly, but I think the deck was stacked against me this time. My heart was racing for almost an hour after the service, and I don't think I'll be able to sleep much tonight.
