Richard Dedomenici's Top Tips

On the opening night I'm launching my own National Review of Live Art documentation bank – called DeDomeNRLArchive, based on notebook entries, photographs and other ephemera amassed during my past nine years in attendance.

I was lucky to be invited to the NRLA shortly after my first post-graduate performance, and I've habitually returned every year since; four times as a performer and four as a punter.

In fact, I consider the NRLA to have had a similar effect on my career trajectory as the mysterious black obelisk in 2001: A Space Odyssey had on the evolution of the human race.

I used to perform quite a bit on the spoken word circuit, supporting people like John Hegley. It was a bit like comedy, but without the jokes, which suited me fine, but I eventually recognised that it wasn't the most efficient use of my skills.

As an artist I'm regularly exposed to massive doses of viceral live performance.

As such, I worry that I’m becoming increasingly desensitized to the power of art.

Guillermo Gomez-Pena was the only work I saw in 2008 that elicited a genuine emotional response. So I definitely want to see him.

Actually, just looking through the programme (something I tend normally not to do until after the NRLA is finished), I also want to check out Jamie McMurray – he has a healthy disregard for health & safety which always makes him excellent value for money. And you can't go wrong with a little bit of Stelarc.

Geraldine Pilgrim is brilliant too, as is Marcia Farquar.

Also try and get in the front row for Ron Athey if you can, but don't make the same mistake I did in 2006 and wear a new pair of white trainers.

Christ, what a line-up. I'll be lucky if I make it out alive.