What Kind of Prepper Are You?
(Gig Prepper, that is!)
Do you need absolute peace and stillness in the lead-up to your moments on stage, or do you only feel ready when you're amongst your crew, getting hyped up before going on? Maybe you like to be in the bosom of your nearest and dearest, keeping it low-key. Or perhaps you're the type to stake out the venue the night before, arriving hours before soundcheck to acclimatise. Or maybe you rock up last-minute, all mysterious-like, before revealing your incredible outfit, entering stage left and blowing everyone away.
This week in The AMP Club, we’ve been looking at what gets in the way of feeling ready for a performance- and what actually helps. Because readiness isn’t just about knowing your set or remembering to charge your gear. It’s about how you manage yourself- your body, brain, nerves, energy, expectations, in the hours, days, or even weeks before a show.
And the truth is, there’s no one right way to prepare- only what works for you.
Some of us need quiet. Some of us need people. Some of us need structure, rituals, spreadsheets. Others thrive on last-minute chaos, or need a kind of intentional not-preparing in order to stay calm. And if you’re neurodivergent, your pre-show needs might not look like anyone else’s. This is about how you need to be in order to show up as your best performer self.
What kind of interactions do you need the day before, the day of, and at the gig itself?
Why reflect on this? Because sometimes things go really well, and instead of assuming it’s luck, we might want to take the mystery out of it- to get curious about what worked (and what didn’t). Maybe you realise you felt better when your friends arrived a little later and gave you space. Or maybe you needed them earlier so you didn’t spiral. Everybody is different, and it’s not about “getting it right”- it’s about finding what works for you.
What’s Your Gig Day Mode?
Gig prep is one thing, all the gear, checklists, rehearsals, and logistics. But this post isn’t about that.
This is about the day before. The hours before. That moment when you start to feel the shift — in your body, your energy, your sense of self. That in between space where you’re no longer in everyday mode, but not yet on stage.
Some of us go quiet. Some of us get louder. Some of us need rituals, solitude, noise, or our favourite crisps in the green room. It’s not just about how you prepare — it’s about how you arrive. How you show up for your performance self.
I've been thinking of it as Performance Launch Mode, that transition state where you start to orbit the show itself. And for fun (and maybe for reflection), I’ve been playing with a few gig day archetypes, inspired loosely by tarot, theatre, and the neurodivergent experience of being a person on the brink of a very big moment.
These aren’t types. They’re atmospheres. Energies. Ways of being.
Gig Day Archetypes
🌙 The Hermit
Vibe: Quiet, inward, grounded
Prep Style: Alone time, minimal sensory input, familiar rituals
Social Energy: Low. Prefers space, silence, or solo movement
They Might Need: A closed door. No chit chat. A grounding object.
Support Looks Like: Don't ask questions. Don't touch the gear. Leave tea outside the door.
☀️ The Sun
Vibe: Big energy, radiates joy, buzzes with warmth
Prep Style: Hype circle, music blasting, dancing in the green room
Social Energy: High. Feeds off connection and celebration
They Might Need: Their crew, compliments, someone to film the vibe
Support Looks Like: Mirror their energy. Celebrate loudly. Stay present.
🧙 The Magician
Vibe: Focused, precise, intuitive — with a side of mystery
Prep Style: Behind-the-scenes prep only. No explanations. No debriefs.
Social Energy: Neutral. Present but contained
They Might Need: Tools in place, one last glance at the set, then space
Support Looks Like: Don’t ask how it works. Don’t deconstruct the set. It’s magic, baby. Let them do their thing and vanish when they need to.
👑 The Emperor
Vibe: Cool, composed, commanding
Prep Style: Arrives just-in-time, knows the space, holds court
Social Energy: Selective. Reads the room and leads it
They Might Need: Clarity, control, structure. No chaos.
Support Looks Like: Stick to the plan. Don’t second-guess. Respect the boundary.
🧝♀️ The High Priestess
Vibe: Intuitive, knowing, slightly untouchable
Prep Style: Balances solitude and presence, deeply attuned to the moment
Social Energy: Low to medium. Only with trusted people
They Might Need: A sacred backstage zone. Altar-like prep.
Support Looks Like: Soft eyes, gentle words. Let them lead.
🎭 The Fool
Vibe: Spontaneous, chaotic-good, playful
Prep Style: Might forget the set list but brings the magic anyway
Social Energy: High. Thrives on interaction, mishaps, joy
They Might Need: A forgiving environment. Permission to not rehearse.
Support Looks Like: Help them focus when it matters. Laugh with them, not at them.
🌕 The Moon
Vibe: Quiet confidence, gentle glow
Prep Style: Cares deeply, preps thoroughly, needs emotional safety
Social Energy: Low to medium. Prefers soft presence of close people
They Might Need: A hug. Their favourite food. A playlist that grounds.
Support Looks Like: Stay close without asking anything. Be steady, be kind.
This isn’t a quiz. You don’t have to pick one.
You might shift depending on the gig, the venue, the set list, the week you’ve had.
But knowing how you tend to show up and what helps you feel safe, seen, or steady can be the difference between spiralling and settling, between panicking and performing.
And just incase you were wondering- here’s mine- Yes. No one must speak to madam when she is in gig prep mode…
So… what’s your gig day mode?
And what would happen if you planned for it on purpose?