What is it that they want?

[JTUK]

[quote name='Clarebear68' timestamp='1366236527' post='2050092']
JTUK - what would you define as over done 80s stuff?
I'm asking as we've been asked to do a couple of sets of 80s covers at a gig alongside a DJ for an 80s night.
[/quote]

Round here..??? Queen, AC/DC. Lizzy/Gary Moore... typically 2 gtr rockbands.
Basically anything pre-Indie comes under 80's...even if it is a little bit 70's.

[Clarebear68]

It's a good job we're not doing any of that stuff then!

[Norris]

[quote name='Jus Lukin' timestamp='1366244331' post='2050170']
On paper, this is where it's at, although I often find that places putting on originals bands don't have any punters. They are working under the misapprehension that bands will bring 'their crowd' whom they can actually sell some beer to. Of course originals bands are out to spread the word to waiting punters, who aren't there, because the pub round the corner puts on a covers duo on Thursday and has Karaoke on Friday. Much more fun (so I hear!).

Again, many pubs have a set crowd. Unless you do gain a few followers who will turn up to wherever you play, you will be playing to that stock crowd time and time again, and each place has its own vibe. Some places keep booking you, and the same faces just drink and chat and peer over at you between songs, and some places go wild from the word go. I don't get it sometimes.

Song choices are important, but just as much so is performance, particularly a good front person. No matter how much us musos try to deny it, punters [i]can[/i] tell the difference between a good band and a bad one when they hear one, to some degree or another, but without fail, a band of average players who are a bit boring to watch will always be considered second to a band of average players who appear to be having a whale of a time, and know how to involve the audience in the fun.

So to get on point, I suppose that 'what the punters want' is to be entertained. Play as entertainers, and it won't matter much if you're playing Summer Of '69 again, or Tales of Topographic Oceans. Just make it as fun as you can.

Landlords? Just turn up on time and don't get too pissed seem to be the only two solid rules. The rest is down to their personal taste, although more often than not, having a sensible approach to volume knobs will pay dividends.
[/quote]
^ Wise words ^

[gapiro]

[quote name='Clarebear68' timestamp='1366236527' post='2050092']
JTUK - what would you define as over done 80s stuff?
I'm asking as we've been asked to do a couple of sets of 80s covers at a gig alongside a DJ for an 80s night.
[/quote]
I could give you some pointers towards 80s set... as an 80s band (but based down sarth) we have some good ideas. PM me!

[JapanAxe]

I have a trio that goes out under two names, one on the country circuit, the other doing social clubs.

The easiest one to programme is the social club outfit: a song will make to into the set if it has been a top 10 hit and you can dance to it. At least half the set consists of number 1 hits.

It's much harder to please a country audience, not least because some like traditional country, some want to line dance to what is basically rock in a Stetson, and there will always be someone who requests a song you've never heard of. My approach is to work on about 50% 'bankers', I.e. the sort of songs that even non-fans will recognise, and try and tailor the sets to the members' preferences. I have long since given up trying to educate audiences to great songs that have never been hits.

In both cases I limit slow numbers to 1 in 5 at most, and avoid grouping too many mid-tempo numbers together.

[Kraken]

I was mainly concerned with Pub gigs, as I find myself starting fresh with one band.

that said I've just got home from a gig with a covers band I play in and despite knowing the venue there were some surprising results, where some songs that I expected to go over really well, were quite coldly received and others that seemed to be 'not the kind of songs' for that pub went really well.

regardless of how much of a 'Highway to Hell' it might be (and we did get someone ask for AC/DC) I think the principle of people up and dancing and getting thirsty is pretty much what Landlords want, but is there anything more to it? and what kind of thinking do we do about the particular pub we might be playing on a given Saturday night in terms of Set list or inclusion of original songs? what do you look for?

more questions, and I may have just Hijacked my own thread a little, but hopefully you will all forgive me for that.

[JTUK]

The trick is not to get someone ask for AC/DC...(because there will be a few in the audience as)
1) they get played by loads of bands round here and so are acceptable as a known tune...
2) you've educated them in your own little way

Edited April 21, 2013 by JTUK