Happy New Year, GPCU 🎉 This is a special post. Last night, I was blessed to hit the stage with Big X Tha Plug for Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest in Las Vegas. It was a huge moment. But the most powerful part? One of our own GPCU members, @Rachel Francis , was on that stage with us. This was Rachel’s very first TV performance — and she showed up like a pro. She: - Learned the parts - Came prepared - Conducted herself professionally - Used tools and mindset from GPCU to deliver under pressure And she killed it. This right here is the vision. This is why GPCU exists. To help musicians be ready when the moment comes. Rachel — congratulations. This is just the beginning. GPCU family, please congratulate her and encourage her to keep going 👏🏾🎸 Proud of you. More wins on the way. — Damien “Dammo” Farmer Good People Club University 🤝🏾

Ready checklist: 1. Making sure I know the set from top to bottom 2. Making sure my gear is on and working properly ( keys, bass, keybass, Ableton live, etc. ) 3. Making sure I know all the transitions, licks, playing the record 4. I always will have a backup plan in case of anything and I always know how to use any part of my rig to help me incase of any situation 5. Being calm in the moment and knowing how. to resolve the problem in a timely manner 6. Being professional even when things are going wrong Backup Plan : 1. Backup MIDI keyboards (49 & 61+ keys) ready to plug in if my main boards fails ( Keys, KeyBass and Aux ) 2. Backup patches pre-loaded on laptop (pianos, pads, EPs, leads, keybass, orch hits etc.) 3. Extra sustain pedals & cables in bag 4. Stems saved on USB drives and phone 5. Printed or screenshot setlist + keys + arrangements 6. Secondary laptop setup for emergency playback situations 7. Second power strip / extension cord nearby 8. Duplicate Ableton session saved in a separate backup folder Preparation Habits : 1. Review set the night before 2. Test keyboard, interface, Ableton routing & click/cues 3. Charge laptops before departing 4. Communication with my team 5. Warming up my hands and my body + mentally rehearse transitions, licks and anything else I need to lock-in with for the show 6. Praying to God and mentally preparing myself before going on stage, also locking within myself and being READY to go

Ready List: 1. Knowing the music/setlist for the show day 2. Being Accountable and holding myself to the high standards that I set for myself 3. Being Accountable to practice consistently and growing my skills so I can be ready as a professional musician/tech 4. Making sure as a musician, I memorize all the music, the licks, the transitions and anything else that is apart of the show 5. Being confident in my craft and in who I am when working in the music business 6. Rehearsing show sets and locking in to understand what my role is but also growing to where I can do this so confidently that it's in me even though I do listen to live arrangements, the artist's music and even headlining shows, I feel like I really need to dive deeper into understanding arrangements, also understanding the artist's vision and what the music calls for

This year was tough for me in many ways. But out of it, GPCU was born — and that means everything. I’m truly grateful for every single one of you in here. Your support, your presence, and your belief matter more than you know. Thank you for being part of this journey with me. We’re just getting started. 🙏🏾💙 — Dammo