Any suggestions for a mid-tempo restaurant first set repertoire?

Riaan-Combrink

The duo my wife and I have will be playing regularly at a VERY busy Portuguese restaurant in Cape Town. They are always fully booked, and it gets quite vibey later in the evening. Three one hour sets, but with a very strict guideline that the first set (8.30 to 9.30 pm) must be laid-back and mellow at lower volume whilst most patrons have their meal. After that, fill the dance area and party (which we do well!).

We've played there twice before, and I've found that straight-up love-song-type ballads don't really work for that set. Katie Melua, Norah Jones works well. So I'm looking to put together a solid 15 song set with enough extra songs to mix it up every week. "Don't know why I didn't come", "Nine million bicycles" and "Daniel" have worked well before, so that's the kind of vibe. Male and female vocals. I can't do Tommy Emmanuel type fingerstyle arrangements, so basically songs that are slow to medium, but not boring, and should be well-known enough for most punters to recognise and hum or tap along to.

Any ideas and suggestions would be welcome!

Blues-Brother

Eagles - Hotel California (live acoustic)
John Mayer - Free falling
Pink Floyd - Wish you were here
Eric Clapton - Layla (live acoustic)
Led Zeppelin - Going to California
Any Jack Johnson
Any Neil Diamond

Hope this helps ?

Squonk

Van Morrision - Moondance
Bob Dylan - Sweetheart like you
10CC - I'm not in love
If your whistling is up to scratch - Scorpions - Winds of Change

Squonk

Beverly Craven - promise me

Riaan-Combrink

Blues Brother wrote: Hope this helps ?

Nice suggestions. I thought of some of those. I think I've got a few for the "male" songs; now need a few for the wife (who is the far better singer!).

Squonk wrote: Van Morrision - Moondance
Bob Dylan - Sweetheart like you
10CC - I'm not in love

Thanks, Squonk. 10CC and moondance are great ones. Will do them. "Sweetheart' is one of my favourite songs and would suit the vibe very well - but I've tried for years to get a good track for that one. Will check out the Craven song - don't know it.

PeteM

Need You Now - Lady Antebellum
Put Your Records On - Corrine Bailey Rae
The Only Exception - Paramore
Hold On - Michael Buble

BluJu

Dire Straits - Romeo and Juliet

vic

For the Mrs: (now don't giggle !) ?

Down town (Pet Clarke)
Always something there to remind me (Sandy Shaw)
Master Jack (4 Jacks and a Jill)

For you Riaan:

Hamuchos (that doggy in the window) ? just kidding
Green green grass of home (Tom Jones)....always a crowd fav ?
Any old Elvis...eg. Can't help falling in love

Bob-Dubery

Riaan C wrote: We've played there twice before, and I've found that straight-up love-song-type ballads don't really work for that set. Katie Melua, Norah Jones works well. So I'm looking to put together a solid 15 song set with enough extra songs to mix it up every week. "Don't know why I didn't come", "Nine million bicycles" and "Daniel" have worked well before, so that's the kind of vibe. Male and female vocals. I can't do Tommy Emmanuel type fingerstyle arrangements, so basically songs that are slow to medium, but not boring, and should be well-known enough for most punters to recognise and hum or tap along to.

"Nobody Loves You When You're Down and Out."

That Roxette song "It must have been love, but it's over nooooooow".

chris77

For both you and the missus, check out The Beautiful South's version of 'You're the one that I want'. They slowed it waaaay down and did a brilliant interpretation of it.

Riaan-Combrink

Thanks for the great suggestions guys. Much value in there.