I did acknowledge that some people don't ever fully get rid of stage fright: "A lot of experienced performers still get a little nervous beforehand or right at the start.... It's a natural, automatic response of adrenaline; just the way the brain and body work. For some people it just comes with the territory, but you learn to deal with it."
I've been a performing musician in various capacities since I was a kid. I've taken two public speaking courses. I've been a public speaker outside of that. I've spoken in front of peers, students, boards, auditoriums. And, of course, I've been friends and acquaintances with many people who do or have done the same or similar things, and on a regular basis, in some cases to greater degree and/or frequency than I. These are the experiences on which I draw. And while I acknowledge that some folks never get rid of "stage fright," and some are damn-near crippled by it, at least as many do get over it—either entirely or, as I noted, to enough an extent that they can deal with it. For some people it's just the novelty of the experience, and after several such experiences they do in fact acclimate and not get nervous anymore, or as nervous. Others figure out some sort of "coping mechanism" to deal with it or shed it for the duration of the performance, ranging from mental relaxation to physical catharsis. Point is, it's not universal. Even for an individual it may not be universal, but depend on the nature of a given situation.
You might want to check out Toastmasters International.
As to the performance aspect of it, I pretty much dismiss all that. I mean, if you're into the narrow, uh, "genres" of '80's hair metal or all this dance pop and stuff that's popular these days, or something like that, then I suppose contrived image, posing, choreography, attitude, gyrations, stage effects and all that—again, contrived for the audience, rather than natural and spontaneous—type of silliness are appropriate to the genre and performance. But, not only is that stuff generally uninteresting and lacking in entertainment value to me, but a turn-off as well (unless perhaps it's something original and unique, and/or that actually qualifies as "performance art"). There are plenty of serious musicians who feel no need to put on some performance of that nature beyond the performance and execution of the music itself, and plenty of audiences who are willing and able to listen and fully appreciate that—and be excited, entertained, and moved by it—with a lack of interest in, or even aversion to, seeing some contrived shuckin' and jivin', and without any sense of deprivation of the musical performance. Indeed, that may be the majority of instances, in terms of types of music (not necessarily a count of people).
But hey, if you're into this guitar hero shit, and playing the sort of, er, music that requires slinging your guitar around your knees, doing choreographed moves, jumping around making faces, projecting attitude, and you're playing to an audience that's more concerned with that sort of stuff, well, go ahead, I guess. Big-budget blockbusters do tend to sell a lot of tickets, but they're not worth my time or money.
lye on the floor
I hope not. That would burn somethin' fierce.
