costafonix
ok so you're a gigging musician, playing at pub-type venues, to a wide age group (say between mid 20's to early 60's).
you are required to play 4 sets, spanning roughly 4 hours with 15/20 min breaks in between.
You do covers
What songs will you have on your repertoire that will ensure you have catered for the majority of your audience?
(this is not a debate around original music vs. covers, but more about what songs have made the 'A' list for general public enjoyment).
Keira-WitherKay
Being a cover band the answer is simple, play the hits ,
and there is a list of prescribed "classic " rock / pop you would need , most bands play em if they want work
then play the recent hits however much you despise em ,
they hits for a reason
avoid playing your favourite B sides or obscure songs , being a good cover band is about playing songs people know and that makes you popular
and yes it does sound like musical prostitution , but that is what earns you the big bucks
vic
Keira WitherKay wrote
Being a cover band the answer is simple, play the hits ,
and there is a list of prescribed "classic " rock / pop you would need , most bands play em if they want work
then play the recent hits however much you despise em ,
they hits for a reason
avoid playing your favourite B sides or obscure songs , being a good cover band is about playing songs people know and that makes you popular
and yes it does sound like musical prostitution , but that is what earns you the big bucks
Keira is right. I played covers for many years...nothing wrong with that. So don't feel guilty in any way ! Playing (and singing) covers properly help you grow as a muso and entertainer .... (I'm not talking about the 2-3 chord stuff you find on "30 Greatest Sokkie Hits"....well maybe that too...) ? People like to hear the hits of yester year :?
singemonkey
I've found though (very recently this was confirmed at a very popular venue), that if your performance is great, audiences respond very well even if only a minority of covers are songs everyone knows. By having the odd thing like Sweet Home Alabama, Roadhouse Blues, and Black Magic Woman in our set, people also react very strongly to our originals and our more obscure covers.
What I'm saying is that I'm slightly dubious that you need to play the very most popular numbers exclusively if your performance is exciting enough. And I certainly don't think you should play anything you hate. There are plenty of well-known numbers. Enough so that you can choose ones that are interesting in some way. I guess if you find yourself getting multiple requests for the same well known songs, it behooves you to learn them out of respect for your audience (although I am never playing Nickelback).
However, to answer the original question, I believe you can mostly get by on classic VH1 type material - Dire Straights, Creedence, Crowded House, Queen, Sheryl Crowe, etc., with a bit of classic rock like Beatles, Stones, Cream, Hendrix. Of course you're somehow obliged to play Hotel California, and Brown Eyed Girl. Some audiences may be more keen to hear popular local tunes, but in general people of all kinds seem to be comfortable hearing the ultra-familiar when they're eating and drinking.
I just don't think this is strictly necessary if your delivery is strong as long as you include a few numbers that everyone knows that you like anyway.
DaFiz
I insist on doing songs that other bands don't do. Songs that I like. Songs that I enjoy.
That said, I'm not doing it for the money but for the love of my music.
My selection is rather remote and I have difficulty getting the rest of the band to agree, and of course the rest of the band wants to earn some money.
Still I absolutely refuse to play Mustang Sally which appears to be on just about every other band's repertoire list. :-[
costafonix
some good points made by everyone,
I enjoy playing all the songs we do (that's why we play them), but I'm looking for some new, fresh stuff, recent hits that are getting frequently requested, that I will of course also enjoy playing, preferably with a shelf life of a couple of years ... (has anything been written in the last 10 years that could qualify as 'timeless' yet?)..
sharonzaz
almost every cent i have earned in the last 20 years was in the cover scene, and the song list has to be huge and has to cover all major bands and artists from the 50's till now.
I have one major issue though, why the hell 4 sets????!?!?!
back in the day we have played 2 one hour sets or in some places 3x45.
no more.
today every bar expects you to be his biaaaach and do way more and also to bloody Dj on the breaks while you at it.
pls pls pls pretty pls, dont ruin the industry by agreeing to those demands!
Ray
CostaFonix wrote
... (has anything been written in the last 10 years that could qualify as 'timeless' yet?)..
Black Keys
Bob-Dubery
I think Singe is onto something. Years ago when I used to go to clubs like Plum Crazy to listen to cover bands, I always liked the bands that did some less expected things. I recall one band (Jethro Butow on guitar) who used to do Steely Dan's "Black Friday". Often that sort of number would become the band's calling card, the songs that they played that nobody else did.
There's enough songs to cover by now that you should be able to avoid playing anything that you loathe.
If this is just yourself and Claude you might consider some Crowded House. I'd bet a lot of their songs don't require exact or near-exact replicas of the record to work. I think everything those songs need is built into the song (not the arrangement) and with your guys harmonies you could do those well. Also old Kinks and Bee Gees songs (when I say "old Bee Gees" I mean pre-disco).
A little bit of black humour can work, if you've got an audience that listens. Deefstes does a great Weird Al Jancowicz number about a girl who cuts the brake cables on her boyfriend's car, puts poison in his coffee and various other happinesses. He gets a great reaction with it.
costafonix
sharonzaz wrote
almost every cent i have earned in the last 20 years was in the cover scene, and the song list has to be huge and has to cover all major bands and artists from the 50's till now.
I have one major issue though, why the hell 4 sets????!?!?!
back in the day we have played 2 one hour sets or in some places 3x45.
no more.
today every bar expects you to be his biaaaach and do way more and also to bloody Dj on the breaks while you at it.
pls pls pls pretty pls, dont ruin the industry by agreeing to those demands!
Yeah I agree with you sharonzaz, this overlaps with the debate around 'auditioning' for an entire evening (for free) at a place before the bar decides to hire you or not,
but yep it was just a rhetorical question, it could be 1 hour, 2 hours, whatever, the point being which songs would hit the spot in today's market, and it seems like the tried and tested stuff is still well entrenched, but what I'm struggling with are the recent 'hits'.
Ray wrote
CostaFonix wrote
... (has anything been written in the last 10 years that could qualify as 'timeless' yet?)..
Black Keys
Thanks Ray, I'll take a listen
X-rated Bob wrote
I think Singe is onto something. Years ago when I used to go to clubs like Plum Crazy to listen to cover bands, I always liked the bands that did some less expected things. I recall one band (Jethro Butow on guitar) who used to do Steely Dan's "Black Friday". Often that sort of number would become the band's calling card, the songs that they played that nobody else did.
There's enough songs to cover by now that you should be able to avoid playing anything that you loathe.
If this is just yourself and Claude you might consider some Crowded House. I'd bet a lot of their songs don't require exact or near-exact replicas of the record to work. I think everything those songs need is built into the song (not the arrangement) and with your guys harmonies you could do those well. Also old Kinks and Bee Gees songs (when I say "old Bee Gees" I mean pre-disco).
A little bit of black humour can work, if you've got an audience that listens. Deefstes does a great Weird Al Jancowicz number about a girl who cuts the brake cables on her boyfriend's car, puts poison in his coffee and various other happinesses. He gets a great reaction with it.
Bob, thats correct, we have a very wide repertoire which has filtered down to the stuff we enjoy playing (including artists you've mentioned) and that generally gets a good response. I'm just looking for something new to add to it, so if a common suggestion is made from other bands, then its worth looking into, provided it suits our style, being predominantly rock and male vocals,,, (so no Rihanna, Lady Gaga or Beiber,,,, ?)
Bob-Dubery
CostaFonix wrote
Bob, thats correct, we have a very wide repertoire which has filtered down to the stuff we enjoy playing (including artists you've mentioned) and that generally gets a good response. I'm just looking for something new to add to it, so if a common suggestion is made from other bands, then its worth looking into, provided it suits our style, being predominantly rock and male vocals,,, (so no Rihanna, Lady Gaga or Beiber,,,, ?)
Bieber fans won't be in pubs. Yet.
Some songs sung by and associated with women can still work well sung in a masculine voice. I'm not sure it's the sort of thing you want to do, but Christina Aguilera's "You Are Beautiful" would not be diminished or weird if sung by a man. Ditto several Pretenders songs. Maria Carey had a big hit with "Without You" but it was written and first performed by an all male group (Badfinger) and then was a big hit for Harry Nilsson. So don't write things off as "chick songs" too easily.
Oooh! There's a thing you can have fun with! Harry Nilsson's "Coconut" (but you're not allowed to play it at TJ's). Dead easy to play as well. ONE chord.
PeteM
Interesting topic. I've been back on the gig circuit as a solo or duo player for a couple of years now in Durban. Here are some of my observations.
The pub environment is usually filled with non-paying audiences frequented mainly by regulars. They are there to drink and to stare glassy-eyed at the latest European soccer footage or some obscure golf tournament on the silent screens dotted around the establishment. They seem to be not that interested in the performer casting a cursory glance or two at the stage area on occasions. They might raise enough energy (or co-ordination) to applaud at the end of a song – two hand claps is usually enough. The strange thing is that they moan like hell if there isn't a live muso if that's what the norm is in that pub. What grabs their attention? Upbeat covers. You can't sustain this all night though so I play light jazz and ballad stuff as well and while I get some people enjoying these most will request the early rock and rockabilly stuff that I do.
I also play at places where there is a cover charge or the occasion has been advertised as an event. Here, you get a different audience. They've come to listen to the music and their knowledge and expectations are much higher than the regular pub scene. They appreciate good playing and singing and pay due attention to the performer. I see the same faces at different venues and I go around and talk to them after my set and during breaks. I've become quite friendly with them and in discussion they tend to criticize those performers who play the same numbers over and over at the different venues. So I now play a wide variety of stuff to keep the interest up although I still get requests for my 'signature' numbers, which includes one of my own. Often there are other musos on the same bill as me and I have noticed that when they play too many of their own compositions the audience loses attention and start talking to each other – sad but true.
So after that long-winded dissertation, to answer your question. I now have a repertoire of over 140 numbers that span from the 1930's to current hits and I play numbers that fit the profile of the particular audience I'm playing to.
PeteM
Fairly recent and current artists
Jason Mraz
Lady Antebellum
Keith Urban
costafonix
thanks for the info guys,
Bob, we will exclude Cocunut from any performances at TJ's (I'd still like to hear you play it next time).
and PeteM, thanks for your input and yes I've never understood the concept of Big Screen TV with Rugby/Cricket/tiddlywinks etc.,.etc. while there's a band playing... I guess people would want more 'bang for their buck' as Bob would say..
Good suggestions on recent and current artists,
thanks
:yup:
eric-vaxxine
My tuppence worth
You'll play something like Nutbush City Limits
and you'll generally get a good response....or you can
play Nutbush City Limits with a Tina Turner wig on your head
while mimicking her well known moves and act out the part and get a
truly 'wow' audience response. !!
Consider playing classics like: Mustang Sally; Brown Eyed Girl;
Walking On Sunshine.........as reggae tunes.
Raised eyebrows all around.
(my band The CopyCats have gigged in central London for
over 16 years, resident Tourist entertainment. It's not just the songs
we play that has made us successful, but actively engaging
and involving our audience... handing out props, wigs, hats
and plastic guitars and getting them onstage).
Psean
PeteM wrote
Fairly recent and current artists
How about stuff like this:
=
Muse have some fun, catchy stuff (when they're not doing all sorts of orchestral arrangements).
Arno-West
For me, your repertoire is the single most important thing when it comes to doing the pub/club circuit. I've been playing in coverbands for 25 years and in my experience, this is how you should break it down.
Your repertoire (let's say 30 songs) should consist of the following:
1. 50% standard pub classic rock/pop sing-a-long numbers. Eagles, Quo and 80's hogwash.Try keep them up-tempo.
2. 30% More modern (after 1995) pop/rock numbers. Green Day,
Blink 182 and sadly, Nickelback covers this area.
3. 10% "Showpiece" tunes where the audience won't necessarily dance, but they must go wow! These songs should eventually become your calling card. Shine on you crazy diamond, Thunderstruck are examples. You must do these numbers really well, cos if you don't it could blow up in your face.
4. 5% Ballads. Any kind.
5. 5% Original material.
I wouldnt do Mustang Sally, Sweet Home Alabama, Stand by me or Knocking on Heaven's door. Overplayed songs.
Unfortunately, the current hits on the radio do not lend themselves to coverbands with guitarists. All I can suggest is stuff like Coldplay, Maroon 5, Kings of Leon etc.
Cheers
IceCreamMan
80's hogwash ......crucify this man ?
but aye , its all true
costafonix
thanks all,,, brilliant suggestions..
PSean thanks for yours too, unfortunately i've reached my internet cap so can't go into any international sites,,,will have to wait until 1 Dec.
coool stuff,,, time to reassess things :yup:
Ray
Listen, I dont know if anyone metnioned Achy Breaky Heart (something like that). But if you're out in my neck of the woods you're not going to spend the night alone if you play it.
