stufunkybass Posted July 15, 2016 Share Posted July 15, 2016 Hi All, Wanted a few opinions on this one. I currently play in a covers band and we set out to play primarily 90's stuff. Oasis, Shed 7, Stereophonics etc I know it's not great bass stuff. But it's what we do well. We had to learn some stuff fast for a gig which involved the typical pub classics ie Beatles, Elvis and The Monkeys. My main question to all my fellow bass players in covers bands is does your band play songs that make you happy or do you play songs that you have to for the audience? My feeling is if the band plays what it plays best the audience will enjoy watching and listening. Welcome thoughts you guys have. Cheers Stu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Posted July 15, 2016 Share Posted July 15, 2016 Play for the audience, that's what gets us repeat bookings. I may not like listening to much of our set, but they're a lot more fun to play than listen to. If I was playing for my enjoyment I'd be in a black metal or doom band Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrtcat Posted July 15, 2016 Share Posted July 15, 2016 This old chestnut comes up fairly often on here, so I'll pull up a seat. Up to you at the end of the day but whatever you do make it entertaining, engaging and get vocal harmonies nailed if you want to stand out because there's a lot of people doing that stuff in a very mediocre way. Personally I'd go for the "give em what they want" approach and do your best job of it and you'll be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewJordan Posted July 15, 2016 Share Posted July 15, 2016 We started by playing popular stuff from the genres we liked, grunge, alt rock, punk etc most bands in these genres have a couple of widely known songs. This got us our audience. Gradually, we started introducing slighlty more obscure/heavier stuff and a few originals. The venues that wanted the popular stuff book us less now but the other venues book us more. We are happy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted July 15, 2016 Share Posted July 15, 2016 I'll put a set together that pleases the band and suits the players. Then the task is to educate the audience but most people can get good music, well played, even if they don't actually know much about music. They know enough to like. Then you need to pick the gigs that this offering will work best in. You need a bit more thought than play anywhere and hope to pot luck, IMO...and tbh, some places you should avoid like the plague anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted July 15, 2016 Share Posted July 15, 2016 I've never managed to make the correct call as to wether the audience will like the band I'm in at the time, boring old blues band for a school/college leaving doo,they loved us! Same the other way, 80th birthday with an indie rock covers band, the dance floor was full all night! Flip side too where I thought we would do well we haven't, funny old world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted July 15, 2016 Share Posted July 15, 2016 You should always pick songs for the audience. You won't be able to educate the audience, that's not what they come out for and not your job. Your job is to sell alcohol and entertain. Blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted July 15, 2016 Share Posted July 15, 2016 [quote name='blue' timestamp='1468604863' post='3092134'] You should always pick songs for the audience. You won't be able to educate the audience, that's not what they come out for and not your job. Your job is to sell alcohol and entertain. Blue [/quote] No, Blue; that's [i]your [/i]job. [i]Our [/i]job is to have fun and educate the audience, whilst (hopefully...) entertaining them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrunoBass Posted July 15, 2016 Share Posted July 15, 2016 80% of what my band plays is not anything that I'd choose to listen to at home. That's not to say I dislike it, it's just not necessarily my thing. I enjoy playing it to an appreciative crowd, and that's what makes it all worthwhile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted July 15, 2016 Share Posted July 15, 2016 We have a pretty wide repertoire so can tailor the set to suit the occasion. We do like to push the "musical" venues with a bit more guitar and proggy stuff, but can do Sweet Caroline etc if needed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted July 15, 2016 Share Posted July 15, 2016 And Blue - it sounds like you play to a lot of "cold" crowds in your bars. In UK it tends to be a bit more "local" and we have quite a few fans who will follow us around and make an effort to see us if we're nearby. I suppose that makes a bit of difference in our approaches to playing. A familiar crowd makes it an intimate experience, which seems not to be a feature for you as far as I can tell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callumjord Posted July 15, 2016 Share Posted July 15, 2016 Personally I would say a bit of both, while you might not personally enjoy the songs on the set lists you can easily make them your own. That way the songs will mean a little more to you and the audience will be glad that they are seeing a live band play something different and unique as appose to seeing a band play a dj set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stufunkybass Posted July 15, 2016 Author Share Posted July 15, 2016 We are a relatively new band, so it will be interesting to see what our audience think. I've played in bands before and it's likely that the audience will tell us what they would like to hear from us as well as the songs they don't like. What I am struggling with is playing stuff like I'm a Believer, Day Dream Believer and Suspicious Minds in the same set as Hush, Vertigo and Slight Return. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykesbass Posted July 15, 2016 Share Posted July 15, 2016 [quote name='stufunkybass' timestamp='1468612863' post='3092208'] We are a relatively new band, so it will be interesting to see what our audience think. I've played in bands before and it's likely that the audience will tell us what they would like to hear from us as well as the songs they don't like. What I am struggling with is playing stuff like I'm a Believer, Day Dream Believer and Suspicious Minds in the same set as Hush, Vertigo and Slight Return. [/quote] Fairly standard Radio 2/Absolute Radio playlist there!! I wouldn't worry, as long as you get them into a workable set list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted July 15, 2016 Share Posted July 15, 2016 We play I'm a Believer, we play Nantucket Sleighride. It doesn't matter what you do to a certain extent as long as you play it well and keep the audience engaged Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kusee pee Posted July 15, 2016 Share Posted July 15, 2016 We only ever play what will get the audience going. There's virtually nothing in our typical set that gets me going musically but if it gets the audience going then that's what brings the fun for me. And the bookings! On the odd occasion that we get something in which I can enjoy the bassline for its own sake then it's a bonus. After many years of regular gigging we still find it surprisingly hard to pick new songs that will fill the dancefloor - sometimes it's the ones you least expect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted July 15, 2016 Share Posted July 15, 2016 We have employed a one person can veto a song choice rule in our band, we've decided that there must be enough songs that we all like and hopefully the audience will too, it's a bit of an odd set but it's getting tweaked at each gig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stufunkybass Posted July 15, 2016 Author Share Posted July 15, 2016 Good point Kusee, It's amazing what people will dance to. If you want them to dance why wouldn't you play 70's Dance and Funk? However earlier in the post there was a mention of a full dance floor playing 90's Indy. We'll have to see how the gigs go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted July 15, 2016 Share Posted July 15, 2016 [quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1468605632' post='3092139'] No, Blue; that's [i]your [/i]job. [i]Our [/i]job is to have fun and educate the audience, whilst (hopefully...) entertaining them. [/quote] Has no one here been fired because they didn't pull in the crowds? Blue is right. Beer sales pay the band. Dad, you've got the right ideas but in the wrong order. A cover band should entertain the audience whilst, hopefully, having fun. Education? From a cover band? Good luck with that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted July 16, 2016 Share Posted July 16, 2016 (edited) [quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1468605632' post='3092139'] No, Blue; that's [i]your [/i]job. [i]Our [/i]job is to have fun and educate the audience, whilst (hopefully...) entertaining them. [/quote] Can't think of a gig where it wasn't fun.You wouldn't have much luck in the education business over here. Over here if your not selling alcohol you won't have to worry about entertaining or being asked back. We have fun because that's what it's all about. However were not paid to have fun, we're paid to entertain and sell. It's different in the UK, you'll be fine. Blue Edited July 16, 2016 by blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted July 16, 2016 Share Posted July 16, 2016 [quote name='stufunkybass' timestamp='1468612863' post='3092208'] We are a relatively new band, so it will be interesting to see what our audience think. I've played in bands before and it's likely that the audience will tell us what they would like to hear from us as well as the songs they don't like. What I am struggling with is playing stuff like I'm a Believer, Day Dream Believer and Suspicious Minds in the same set as Hush, Vertigo and Slight Return. [/quote] All good songs. However, audiences, well at the bar level I'd call them customers. If they stay dance and buy alcohol,that means they like you,If they leave to spend their money somewhere else, they don't like you. Blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted July 16, 2016 Share Posted July 16, 2016 [quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1468626208' post='3092305'] Has no one here been fired because they didn't pull in the crowds? Blue is right. Beer sales pay the band. Dad, you've got the right ideas but in the wrong order. A cover band should entertain the audience whilst, hopefully, having fun. Education? From a cover band? Good luck with that! [/quote] The people we play to aren't really educational material.😄 Blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted July 16, 2016 Share Posted July 16, 2016 [quote name='Norris' timestamp='1468610265' post='3092187'] And Blue - it sounds like you play to a lot of "cold" crowds in your bars. In UK it tends to be a bit more "local" and we have quite a few fans who will follow us around and make an effort to see us if we're nearby. I suppose that makes a bit of difference in our approaches to playing. A familiar crowd makes it an intimate experience, which seems not to be a feature for you as far as I can tell [/quote] We have fans that follow us all weekend, definitely a family feel to the gigs. It didn't happen over night. The band has been together for 11 years We might run into a cold crowd every once in a while. It usually happens when we take a gig at a bar that's not known for live music. Blue Blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassjim Posted July 16, 2016 Share Posted July 16, 2016 there have been some right shithole dives we have played in lately. we are your typical bit more upmarket quality funk soul covers band that if not playing to a nice crowd of normal people in a reasonably nice pub then we are more likely to be playing a function or wedding for top dollar. We tried these dives out recently with the view that A :because its somewhere different, and B: you never know what you might pick up in future bookings. We completely died at both venues. We started off with at best 20 pissed up yobos which whittled down to the bar staff by the end of the night. If the OPs band had rocked up playing the Verve, Oasis ect they would have gone down a storm, got repeat bookings and even had someone piss all over them in the bogs whilst explaining they are the best band they have ever seen ect Both pubs were run by the same football worshiping big screen lovin every other word is fuc...g beer bellied fun time family and so its no suprise that the punters were of the same mentality. Sometimes its not what you are playing, nor how good you are at it but to whom are you playing it to. I did 4 years in a very successful indie rock cover band, traveled abroad with it and on average did 4 gigs a week playing to mainly the oaisis,jam lovin types. Once you get to know your audience its easy to cater for them but in the mean time there are safe bet tunes which although predictable you cant go wrong with. Probably not the sort of thing you cant wait to pick your bass up and play at home though. Nothing more boring than just playing a G for ages if you are not playing along with the band. Also a regular crowd can boost your confidence to the point you dont think you can do any thing wrong. Its when you are away from them in pastures new that the old comfort zone tunes get every thing back on track..........unless you are playing to the wrong crowd in the first place.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted July 16, 2016 Share Posted July 16, 2016 (edited) [quote name='blue' timestamp='1468604863' post='3092134'] You should always pick songs for the audience. You won't be able to educate the audience, that's not what they come out for and not your job. Your job is to sell alcohol and entertain. Blue [/quote] The trick is to be able to pull it off and some people are a lot more open than just the standard fayre ... If you want to do the most popular numbers because that makes you popular, then ok.. It isn't for me and it isn't what will get the players I want on the gig... They'll have their own function type gig for that. If I'm doing a gig for £60 it will be because I want to do it...and the set comes into that equation massively. Even band players want to hear and play something different.. There should be banned songs in certain venues. In fact, I recall a few that had signs up that they'd pull the power if the band played one :lol Edited July 16, 2016 by JTUK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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