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They usually start late, take too-long breaks, and drink booze on stage.



These three taboos were strictly enforced in our band (along with "diddling"), consequently we were always booked solid.

When a professional like Tommy must re-tune for a particular effect, he does it in full view of his audience while explaining what he's doing: "I use a different tuning on this next piece. Please bear with me a moment." Not while hiding behind the amplifier stack. Keep your audience involved or risk losing "momentum".

You will see professionals with a playlist taped to their guitars, mainly to provide a smooth flow between songs and to eliminate "dead air". Chatter between songs is another taboo.