All this month we are speaking to musician Sam Mulligan who this year released the album Pizza Forever. From Western Massachusetts, the singer creates music with a rock and comedic tone. This week we talk about shows.

How do you warm up for a show?

I like to get to the gig early, stretch, have some water, tune my guitar, pack up all the cables I need, and make sure that I have fresh batteries in the Gameboy. I’ll do a little strumming on the guitar, but I’m not out here shredding so I don’t run through scales or anything.

How do you wind down afterwards?

Most of the time I have a long drive home after the show, so I’ll wind down by going for that long drive. Then I go right to bed, and postpone unpacking the car until the morning. If I have a really long way to go I’ll treat myself to some fast food or a Dr. Pepper.

Tell us about the day of a show – what is the process your band goes through to get ready?

The biggest part of show preparation for me on the day of a show is packing up all the equipment, cables, and merch. A lot of the instruments I use are little and require specific adaptors and cables and if I’m missing something it means I can’t play every song I want to play. High stakes!

How many times do you rehearse before a show?

The amount of prep I do for any given show really depends on my setlist. For my album release party I rehearsed the whole set twice the week before, four times earlier in the week of the show, and again the day of the show. But if my set is mostly songs I play all the time then I’ll run through it once or twice a couple days before so I’m not rusty.

What are some of the most important lessons you have learnt about music in the last few years?

I’ve learned to be less critical of myself, and that just because something isn’t “perfect” doesn’t mean it’s not good. I write and record all my music at home so it’s easy to get lost in the sauce and to not know when a song is finished. I’ve definitely overworked songs before and am trying to get better at deciding when it’s done!

How do you feel when you get up on stage?

I’m sure this sounds a little hokey, but sometimes I feel most like myself on stage. Once the show has started it’s clear what I’m supposed to do, and I’m focused on playing and connecting with the folks who came to the show. I feel comfortable and love goofing around. It’s exciting to see how people react to the songs, and it feels so great to hear the people laugh!

We are based in the UK. Do you have any plans to tour over here?

I’d love to! Are there people that want to see me play a show over there?! Please tell them to let me know!

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