In the band I play in, the singer/bandleader counts them off. He is very inconsistent. One nite the song will be a fast 8th note groove, another nite a slow blues and yet a another a shuffle. I'm talking about the same song here. Once you know a song you shold be able to play it anyway it can be played. Just immerse yourself in the song and play. Nervousness and boredom will effect tempos, So will excitement. Stay loose, have fun and enjoy the opportunity to find new things in the song. Or...... you can take metronome readings at rehearsal and use a metronome on the stage.

I play jazz and we intentionally try to try a new twist every time we play a tune. In other words, there is no stated tempo. That being said, I think that, in general, it's a shared responsibility in most bands, to make the music groove. If there are people phrasing things in 8th notes or 16th notes over the quarter note pulse, then everyone needs to know how to evenly sub-divide. If tempos get funny, it's usually because the melody is leading things too much. Forgive me if this comes across insensitively, but tempos getting weird is such a correctible problem, there just isn't a good reason for it to happen in public. Record a couple rehearsals and use a click. Set a click tempo and then start a tune off at that tempo. Check the tempo again at the end of the tune. Has it sped up? Slowed down? Analyze the recording. Where does it speed up/slow down? Sometimes, it can be a phrase that isn't worked out well that triggers a tempo shift. Adjust the phrasing accordingly. If there is a section that tends to push or pull, then pay particular attention to that part and have everybody become more aware of what they are doing in those trigger areas. It's like bio-feedback!:Santa:

On the other hand, some people deplore any machine-like tempos and prefer the music to shift. Some bands build this into their tunes on purpose.

But, if it's something that's bugging you, then take it upon yourself to find a way to fix it. Make some polite suggestions for the people to "help you" hold things together. People tend to respond to being asked for help in a positive way -as opposed to being told that they are creating a problem.

If you need to play a slower tempo on a gig, then refer to metronome marking before starting the count.

Controlling adrenaline is something that takes practice, too. Playing live can generate some serious adrenaline dumps and time-perception definitely changes during an adrenaline rush.

I agree with both of the above. You have to let the song breathe. If anyone is anal - light their instrument on fire, spit on their car, and then dismiss them from the gig. They will only remove creativity from your art endeavor. Remember, sit back and enjoy = or find another outlet. I've hit many a recording dates with anal producers. I learned very early on to not accept dates with those guys. I'm a drummer. One of many instruments. If the man needs stiffness, hire a stiff drummer and bass player. If the man wants a drummer, he will hire me. Don't misconstrue any of this to mean the tempo wavers or the groove is disrupted. That's not what I'm saying. This is all about flow. The music must flow through valleys and over hills. It needs to breathe. If you hit the downbeat and the band takes your 4/4 song into the realm of ska or funk, then take it there and explore. That's what this is all about.

Great points guys. I talked with the guitarist yesterday and he summed it that we were ALL just fired up! I have to remember to relax. We practice 3 days a week so I totally know the songs. We have another show next week so we shall see.