Beat Stage Fright
"Courage is not the absence of fear, but the ability to act in spite of it."
— Bruce Lee
Hi, I'm Mark Tew, and I’ve got to be honest—I struggle with social anxiety.
Walking into an unknown pub without knowing EXACTLY where my mates are? It freaks me out. I get nervous at family gatherings and need my back against the wall so I can see everyone in the room. I tend to over-empathise, getting overwhelmed by other people's emotions, and I often struggle with the fear of showing off or upsetting somebody, even if I think I might be good at something.
But then there’s Chewy…
Chewy LOVES being on stage, mixing in front of any crowd. Whether it’s 10 people or 10,000, the number doesn’t matter! When Chewy gets on the decks and starts creating that vibe, making a positive impact on the people in front of him, nothing can stop him!
Okay, I’m gonna stop talking about myself like two different people now—but that’s really how it feels.
Behind the decks, I’m a totally different person. The music takes me somewhere else, and I trust my abilities. Sure, I have to take a moment before every set to have a little chat with myself, but once I’m in the zone, within a mix or two, I’m glowing with an energy that only music can ignite!
A lot of that confidence has come from experience.
The more I share those moments when a track drops and the crowd reacts—when I see that spark in someone’s eye as they realize what’s coming in the mix, when we all sing together—those are the goosebump-inducing, powerfully positive moments that keep me going. Every time I experience this, it builds up in my logic bank, making it easier and easier to step out on stage.
A wise Chewdent of mine once shared a fantastic quote (Thank you, Rah!): “Fear and excitement are a breath away from each other.”
When we’re scared, we take a deep breath in…
When we’re excited, we take a deep breath in and then let it out!
Before I get behind the decks, I always perform the first step of what I call my sonic immersion technique.
I breathe in for a count of 4 and out for a count of 6. Rinse and repeat. This breathing technique forces your brain to calm down, pushing it into what’s called the parasympathetic state. It helps to flush out the adrenaline causing your fight-or-flight response and gets you back to a place where you can focus and perform at your best.
Breathe in for 4 counts, and then control the breath out for 6. I’m tellin’ ya—it’s a game changer.
