Nerves on Stage with PATD | Dan Pawlovich Interview

Backstage at When We Were Young, I ran into my good friend Dan—drummer for Panic! at the Disco—and we got into something every emerging musician needs to hear: preparation isn’t optional. At this level, it’s like being an athlete—rehearsal after rehearsal—until the hard parts live in your muscle memory, not just your brain. Dan shares a wild moment from the show where he couldn’t “remember” a part right before it hit… and his hands still nailed it. That’s the power of reps, sleep, and trusting the work you’ve put in. We also talk about stacking skills—learning tracks, production, and the behind-the-scenes puzzle pieces that make a live show work—and how that mindset often starts early: taking apart your first kit, learning how drums tune, setting up without memory locks, showing up early, and watching every role around you. Big thanks to DistroKid for helping fuel the habit and making it possible for us to be backstage capturing tips & tricks for emerging artists. Start releasing your music today. In this episode: - Preparing like an athlete: practice, repetition, and performance under pressure - Why sleep matters (and how your brain keeps learning overnight) - Trusting muscle memory when nerves kick in - “Prior planning prevents poor performance” — the mindset behind the work - Stacking skills: drums + tracks + production + recording - Why showing up early teaches you how the whole show really works - The power of team: every role makes the show what it is - Staying open: opportunities may not arrive the way you pictured If you’re an emerging artist, take this as a reminder: do the reps, learn the full ecosystem, and stay open to the path. That’s Loyal to the Craft.

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