Lindsay Manfredi’s Road to Cold: Music, Micro-Pivots, and Radical Self-Worth
Gig Gab - The Working Musician's PodcastShow Notes
You follow Lindsay Manfredi’s wild, non-linear path from merch table to main stage, and she shows you exactly how saying yes, showing up, and outworking your fear can change your entire trajectory. You hear how she moved to Florida at twenty chasing a rock-star dream, became an instant Cold superfan, and eventually landed the bass gig through a Twitter message that felt too unreal to be real. She talks candidly about law-of-attraction moments, why every Cold song has to matter, and where the line sits between authentic human creativity and formulaic or AI-generated music. Through it all, she reminds you that most fears never materialize and it takes the same effort to believe in yourself as it does to doubt yourself. Always Be Performing.
From there, you shift into the discipline behind her artistry: preparing for tours months in advance, running the set nearly every day, and over-preparing so the stage actually feels fun. She shares how making the road feel like home keeps her grounded, and how her book “The Girl Who Cried Love” came from losing her sense of self and rebuilding true self-worth, not just confidence. You explore dropping habits that don’t serve you, reconnecting with what you really value, and even why revisiting Mad Men taught her to only compete with herself. Finally, you wrap with a deep dive into in-ear monitor strategy, why a great mix beats great gear, and the small decisions that make performing sustainable for the long haul.
00:00:00 Gig Gab 513 – Monday, December 22nd, 2025
December 22nd: National Cookie Exchange Day
Guest co-host: Linsday Manfredi
NAMM coming up!
GG Coverage Sponsor: Ultimate Ears Pro!
00:01:30 Twenty years old, moved to Florida to become a rock star
Sprung Monkey needed a “merch girl”, Lindsay grabbed the gig
Saw Cold, loved the music, loved Scooter’s voice. Instant fan!
Unfuckwithable: A Guide to Inspired Badassery
00:04:45 Bringing the Law of attraction into the rock world
Lindsay’s Cold tattoo made it into the album insert
00:06:00 Getting the Cold gig… on Twitter in 2014
Picture Yes was playing at The Vogue in Indianapolis on tour with Saving Abel
Check your Facebook messages: “Will you be in our band?”
00:07:32 Always say “yes!” — Build the plane while you’re flying it.
Bought a 5-String
00:09:09 Play music because you love to play music
No fluff songs in Cold
Every song matters
00:11:25 Fuck AI to create music
Is Formulaic Music from humans just as bad as AI-Created Music
When do we hit the point where it’s OK to use AI to create music
00:20:13 If you’re an artist, you’re going to create art.
85% of what we’re afraid of won’t happen.
It takes just as much effort to have faith in something as it does to fear something
00:23:46 Transitioning from fan to band member
Scooter says: “bring your personality to it!”
Capture the original intent and emotion
Lindsay rewrote the run in “So Long June” and… it was welcomed!
00:27:30 Preparing enough to have fun on stage
Months of practice before a tour
In order to have fun on stage… I need to be an over-preparer!
Fender P-Bass at home to learn and prepare for tour
Heavier strings on the practice bass
Run the set every day (almost)
00:33:42 Start rehearsal in December for tour in April
It’s more fun to be prepared
00:36:10 Making the road feel like home
Making your bunk your own
Cold is a family
Touring is my favorite thing to do
00:39:52 The Girl Who Cried Love, a Pivot to Self Worth
Lindsay: I lost myself into what became a failed relationship
Trying to prove my worth to someone who didn’t see my worth
So many of us aren’t taught what our true worth is
Asking herself: “Lindsay, what do you really want in your life? What is your purpose? What are your values?”
The difference between confidence and self-worth.
00:45:33 It’s hard to drop the shit that’s not serving you
00:46:37 How can I make the world a little bit better?
Being in the audience first makes everything so much clearer
00:47:51
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