After performing in several local competitions as part of our college music club, Dhvani, a few of my bandmates and I decided to form our own group, Ecstasy. Initially, the band was a formal team representing Dhvani in competitions, but it quickly evolved when we started receiving opportunities to perform gigs. These gigs offered a completely new challenge: unlike the college competitions where we played for panels of musically knowledgeable judges, we now had to engage diverse audiences at venues like restaurants. What songs would resonate with an audience spanning all age groups? How do you captivate people who don’t care about technical difficulty but just want to enjoy the music? And how do you craft a three-hour setlist that holds everyone’s attention? Our debut gig at Plink was our first step into this uncharted territory.

We prepared the setlist over Zoom calls, carefully choosing a mix of instrumentals and vocals, and managed just one jam session before the event. Despite the limited rehearsal, the gig was a resounding success. Friends and family came out to support us, and I received several Instagram messages from audience members who enjoyed my violin solos and found me through the band’s social media. One particularly memorable moment was receiving a handwritten note from a family who loved my duet with a bandmate on Choo Lo by The Local Train.

This experience taught me invaluable lessons about being a performer. It’s not just about playing well—it’s about understanding your audience, creating moments that resonate, and sustaining energy and interest through a long show. Performing at Plink pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me grow as a musician, and I can’t wait to see where Ecstasy takes us next.