14 tips on how to be a succesful covers band

[PaulWarning]

interesting article [url="http://hubpages.com/entertainment/Top-Tips-to-be-Successful-as-a-Musician-in-a-Working-Band"]http://hubpages.com/...-a-Working-Band[/url]
I agree with most of it though the band I'm in only do 1 of his top 50 every covers band should know, oops

Edited December 6, 2015 by PaulWarning

[taunton-hobbit]

More interesting (to me, I've been on both sides) is the link in the article to the Bar owner perspective, well written and some good points that we all sometimes miss, I suspect.

[colgraff]

Yup, its all true. We are not unlike entertainers at children's parties and those entertainers who are polite, engaging, respectful and reliable get repeat business. One function band I was in had it pointed out that we sounded great but looked miserable. Once we mastered the art of playing while smiling we got much better reactions.

[RhysP]

That list of 50 songs is what the house band will be playing for eternity when I'm in Hell.

[chevy-stu]

Some interesting points, and certainly many most bands i've worked with, or booked often forget, mainly they're there to sell drinks side of it.. .. It's obviously written from a US based rock bar type point of view.. (I've probably played 80%of the songs too)

[PaulWarning]

[quote name='chevy-stu' timestamp='1449412644' post='2923285']
Some interesting points, and certainly many most bands i've worked with, or booked often forget, mainly they're there to sell drinks side of it.. .. It's obviously written from a US based rock bar type point of view.. (I've probably played 80%of the songs too)
[/quote]I wait to hear from Blue then :-)

[Roger2611]

Some really good points in there, irrespective of how long we have been playing in covers bands there are always tips we can learn!

I also liked the bar owners perspective, it is largely common sense but it helps to think of it from that angle!

The top 50 songs.....we played two, I have personally played about twelve and there were probably 10 songs I had never even heard of! so not sure about that list in this country at least!

[Woodinblack]

There are a lot in the top 50 list that I haven't heard of, let alone played, and several not in there that would be if it was a UK list

[4-string-thing]

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1449412080' post='2923275']
That list of 50 songs is what the house band will be playing for eternity when I'm in Hell.
[/quote]

Yup!

[JTUK]

I'm always fascinated about what people trhink should be in a set..so I only looked at about 6 of his numbers before giving up.

I think repetoire is important up to a point but it is what you play and how you play that counts for the most.

If playing isn't a strong point, then you might need a populist set, but if the band is good and can do something
with a song, then people will listen.
You might have to look further than the dog and duck tho'

Edited December 6, 2015 by JTUK

[JapanAxe]

[quote name='Woodinblack' timestamp='1449423300' post='2923413']
There are a lot in the top 50 list that I haven't heard of, let alone played, and several not in there that would be if it was a UK list
[/quote]

Yep, that's a very USA-centric list!

[chris_b]

I'm currently playing about half a dozen but at some stage have played 21 of this "top 50" list.

These numbers always go down well with audiences.

Which is the whole point in a covers band.

[blue]

[quote name='chevy-stu' timestamp='1449412644' post='2923285']
Some interesting points, and certainly many most bands i've worked with, or booked often forget, mainly they're there to sell drinks side of it.. .. It's obviously written from a US based rock bar type point of view.. (I've probably played 80%of the songs too)
[/quote]

I love the business. Most of the work we do is bar/club. At The end of the day, in the States your band could be as hot as a pistol, but if alcohol sales are soft, you probably will not get rebooked.

Blue

Edited December 7, 2015 by blue

[Dropzone]

I think some venue owners should read it too.

[PaulWarning]

[quote name='Dropzone' timestamp='1449493424' post='2923953']
I think some venue owners should read it too.
[/quote]anybody know if there's a article for venue owners about advertising gigs, some of them can't even be arsed to put up the posters we send them

[uncle psychosis]

There's a really interesting article here about the many reasons why bands and promoters don't get on. Its written by a guy who runs a fairly successful indie label here in Edinburgh:

[url="http://songbytoad.com/2011/07/a-few-reasons-promoters-and-bands-dont-get-along/"]http://songbytoad.com/2011/07/a-few-reasons-promoters-and-bands-dont-get-along/[/url]

Interesting (if terrifying) reading.

[PaulWarning]

[quote name='uncle psychosis' timestamp='1449503594' post='2924136']
There's a really interesting article here about the many reasons why bands and promoters don't get on. Its written by a guy who runs a fairly successful indie label here in Edinburgh:

[url="http://songbytoad.com/2011/07/a-few-reasons-promoters-and-bands-dont-get-along/"]http://songbytoad.co...dont-get-along/[/url]

Interesting (if terrifying) reading.
[/quote]who'd be a promoter eh? I know I wouldn't, it's bad enough being in a band

[taunton-hobbit]

Interesting read - it's been a few years now (nearly 50), but if I'd had fifty people turn up for a band night, I think I'd have hung myself.
I've employed little acts, Ben E King, Desmond Dekker, Fleetwood Mac, Jethro Tull....and many more..in a smallish back-end pub hall.
By and large we at least broke even. I used to pay the pub, bouncers and 'the f***ing band'....every band night had 30x40 posters, professionally thrown up in London, and by muggins here, on the outskirts....(I was never 'too busy' - it was what I did) - I never asked or expected anyone on the team, and that included girlfriends, to work for nothing - I used to get a team of girls from the venue to work on Saturday afternoons to leaflet local shopping centres - I always went along, they got in free of charge. It was bloody hard work. We all had 'fun', but boy did we put some effort in...and, yes, I was working full-time for most of the journey.....