How gig fit are you?

Is there ever any real substitute for getting out there and rocking out? Does rehearsal even qualify? How important is being gig fit to your playing?
Fact is, you play how you feel. I know when I feel rubbish I can barely play a note, but when I'm on form, well, let's just say I play alot better. I was invited down to the Music Man party at the London Guitar show to see my friend Brian Kellner perform. The guy exudes pure joy when you talk to him. He's one of these guys that says 'do what you love, and stuff the rest', and he loves playing the guitar. The guy is also incredibly physically fit. So at the end of a very long day the party begins and a few guitarists take the stage. The first two guys were great, I mean what do you expect from Music Man endorsees?, they knew their stuff. Then Brian gets up and is also great, but he takes a different approach. He wasn't their to impress or show off his amazing ability, which he has, he was their because he just loves to play guitar. The joy that was so apparent really made a connection with the people in that room. It just felt really good, and to be able to turn it on like that at the end such a long day of trade is no meant feat. Then i realise at that point, if I was to play right now, I would sound like a complete turd for the simple fact that i was exhausted. The experience has made me rethink my approach to being 'gig fit'. It's not just about sounding great on the third night of a string of gigs, it's about having enough in the tank so that even when you don't feel like it, you can just turn it on and connect with that part of you that wanted to pick up the guitar and rock out in the first place.