If you haven't played a solo in public before and are wondering whether to take the plunge, I would say, yes, go for it - but make it easy for yourself....
- Choose a piece you like playing and would like to share with other people.
- Choose something that you find relatively easy to play, ie a bit below your normal level, so that if you do feel nervous, it's less likely to affect what you're playing.
- Practise well in advance so that you know the piece inside out when you come to perform it. This is really critical to giving yourself performance confidence, and conversely, not knowing the piece inside out is likely to detract from your confidence.
- If possible, bring somebody with you who will act as your "comfort zone" that you can go back to to re-gather your thoughts from time to time - spouse, parents, friends etc. If this isn't possible, and you'll be coming on your own for the first time, a "buddy" scheme is being introduced at the Leeds concert and may be possible at other concerts as well.
- If it's possible to get to a playday prior to playing in a concert, it might help to break the ice about playing in public.
- Be an active contributor to the forums, because the more you contribute, the more you feel as if you're getting to know people and then when you do meet up, you can look forward to meeting "friends" rather than "strange people off the internet"