I like to start many of my gigs with this song for a few reasons. The main reason is that it helps me become present in the room, in my body, connect with the people who are present and connect more deeply to the truth of the present moment.

Before I go much further, I’m going to state a few bleedingly obvious things like “Life is happening now and now and now” and “The present moment is all we really have” “The past is gone and the future isn’t here yet”. However, it’s important to realise that concepts about ‘now’ and the experience of ‘now’ are worlds apart.

If you are skimming this, you are racing towards the future where you will already know what I’m trying to say, but I don’t think music and art can be appreciated in that way, nor can life.

You would never dream of skimming through your favourite songs to listen to them quicker (I hope!). We are constantly wanting to skim through life looking for only the ‘good bits’.

Performance all happens in the present moment with focus and engagement with the music.

I’m a dead man if I’m thinking “Remember how this song sucked at the last gig?” “What am I going to play next?” “Will anyone buy my merch later?”. All of that is irrelevant. If thinking is at all helpful, the only thing worth thinking at that moment is “How can I be more present and connected to this song right now?” “What is the story and emotion of this song?” “How can I best express that now and now and now?”

To be present, is to engage with life as it is right now, to its fullest depth, with who is around, with the emotions that are present, as if to awaken to your own current reality with a vivid vision.

So, when I’m performing live or even practicing, writing or recording music, my greatest super power and asset is to be completely present. If you watch your favourite artist at their best, I can guarantee you that they are palpably present and expressing their inner most world.