leschirons Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 Having played in bands / pubs etc for many many years in the UK, I noticed recently that our standard set list wasn't particularly tailored to where I now live. Still has loads of stuff I would play to a UK audience. There are a few Brits here but it's not teeming and audiences are usually 90% French, yet in the band, we only throw in a couple of French numbers. They go down well but no-one has ever asked for more of them in preference to the Brit and American stuff even when we've asked them. I play in an acoustic duo too and we stick about 15 french numbers in but it's a totally different audience. So, a question to all you lot living in foreign lands. Does your set list reflect where you are based? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 [quote name='leschirons' timestamp='1464885883' post='3063557']...Does your set list reflect where you are based? [/quote] It used to, decades ago with the variety band. Only a few US-UK hits, for the Rock segue and twist stuff; most of the rest was Le Sud, Amsterdam, Eddy Mitchell, Sardou songs, and a couple of Musette sessions (La Paloma, tangos, polkas...). Later, for weddings and such, the duo I played in had a slightly more eclectic set, including 10cc, and even finishing the evening with Court of the Crimson King and A Saucerful of Secrets..! Now finishing off as best as I can with our two lads and a couple of chums, the Pop/Rock repertoire is more modern still, featuring Radiohead, Bashung, RATM, Muse, Smashing Pumpkins, Noir Désir and more still. The 'Frenchies' in there are because they're good, not because they're French. If we knew of a decent Bolivian number (we don't..!), we'd do it. We're not particularly concerned with what folks want; we just do as best we can with what we want to play to them. We've never been chucked out, and often asked back. Disclaimer: we're not interested in becoming a band to dance to (although folks do...). We could handle a seated concert just as well as an open-air village fête; folks seem to like it, where- and whenever. It's the ambiance created that works, where we're concerned. Maybe just lucky, but what numbers we play seems to matter little; we do 'em all well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leschirons Posted June 3, 2016 Author Share Posted June 3, 2016 I find it strange that whilst accepting that not all the French have led sheltered lives musically, here in the centre, not much filtered through in the 60's or 70's and less so in the 80's. Of course they all love "Johnny" (yes I have been pulled up on the futility of using his second name ) and Piaf. I did once, even have to explain to a 43 year old session musician who Frank Sinatra was. You'd think everyone would have at least heard the name. Yet, we get away with stuff that I wouldn't think suitable for a mainly middle aged country audience. Not in the league of your duo-at-a-wedding-gig Court of the Crimson King though However, it is great fun to see some 60 year old farmers and their wives freaking out on the dance floor to Walk this way (complete with record scratching noises) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 Sorry to gatecrash, but I'm genuinely intrigued.. could one of you post an example of a French equivalent of a UK function band floor filler? Like a Killers equivalent, or something? Stuff like this interests me.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 I would tailor the set list to the audience, wherever we were. Our cover band puts up a slightly different set list for every gig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leschirons Posted June 3, 2016 Author Share Posted June 3, 2016 (edited) [quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1464941068' post='3063879'] Sorry to gatecrash, but I'm genuinely intrigued.. could one of you post an example of a French equivalent of a UK function band floor filler? Like a Killers equivalent, or something? Stuff like this interests me.. [/quote] For the rockers (despite not being French) Plastic Bertrand's Ca plane pour moi fills a floor and so does any hit by French band Telephone (eg, Ca, c'est vraiment toi ) For a more dancey audiences, Voyage voyage is the Uptown funk equivalent. These are all classic hits here and unless you have a very young audience, will go down a storm. Of course, you also have the option of spicing up some old standards. We do a reggae version of Je ne regrette rien and the Grace Jones version of La Vie en rose, both by Piaf. Although our singer sings these in French, there are English versions of both so not hard to do if you're over here for a one off gig. For slightly more modern UK and U.S floor fillers, Uptown funk, I got a feeling, Song No 2 (for some strange reason) Rolling in the deep and A.W's version of Valerie. The French are also huge AC/DC and Creedence fans. Also anything by the Stones. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=az-sTp5XZxM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGNhncQLQJA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v98HEQvtpgo Edited June 3, 2016 by leschirons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leschirons Posted June 3, 2016 Author Share Posted June 3, 2016 [quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1464943465' post='3063919'] I would tailor the set list to the audience, wherever we were. Our cover band puts up a slightly different set list for every gig. [/quote] Unless you're multi-lingual, couldn't that be difficult if you're playing in foreign parts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 Je suis un rock star dans le South of France ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leschirons Posted June 3, 2016 Author Share Posted June 3, 2016 (edited) [quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1464945918' post='3063946'] Je suis un rock star dans le South of France ... [/quote] Probably go down there really well actually seeing as a). he lived there for years and . he's an ex-Stone. (For some strange reason, my "b" prints out as an emoticon) Edited June 3, 2016 by leschirons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 [quote name='leschirons' timestamp='1464945462' post='3063938'] For the rockers (despite not being French) Plastic Bertrand's Ca plane pour moi fills a floor and so does any hit by French band Telephone (eg, Ca, c'est vraiment toi ) For a more dancey audiences, Voyage voyage is the Uptown funk equivalent. These are all classic hits here and unless you have a very young audience, will go down a storm. Of course, you also have the option of spicing up some old standards. We do a reggae version of Je ne regrette rien and the Grace Jones version of La Vie en rose, both by Piaf. Although our singer sings these in French, there are English versions of both so not hard to do if you're over here for a one off gig. For slightly more modern UK and U.S floor fillers, Uptown funk, I got a feeling, Song No 2 (for some strange reason) Rolling in the deep and A.W's version of Valerie. The French are also huge AC/DC and Creedence fans. Also anything by the Stones. [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=az-sTp5XZxM"]https://www.youtube....h?v=az-sTp5XZxM[/url] [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGNhncQLQJA"]https://www.youtube....h?v=OGNhncQLQJA[/url] [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v98HEQvtpgo"]https://www.youtube....h?v=v98HEQvtpgo[/url] [/quote] Thank you - some great tunes! I recognise that Plastic Bertrand tune from somewhere... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Si600 Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 [quote name='leschirons' timestamp='1464946145' post='3063951'] (For some strange reason, my "b" prints out as an emoticon) [/quote] That's due to the emoticon function seeing b no space bracket as try b ) or b: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 [quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1464946600' post='3063954'] I recognise that Plastic Bertrand tune from somewhere... [/quote] You're too young to remember that, Michael! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 [quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1464947462' post='3063970'] You're too young to remember that, Michael! [/quote] I'd like to think so... ha ha. I'm sure I've heard it recently... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 [quote name='leschirons' timestamp='1464945462' post='3063938'] For the rockers... [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveFry Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 I have noticed that " Kingston Town " goes down well with the French holidaymakers down here in Jersey . The UB40 cover was in the French charts for 25 weeks , including 3 at no. 1 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leschirons Posted June 3, 2016 Author Share Posted June 3, 2016 [quote name='Si600' timestamp='1464947076' post='3063963'] That's due to the emoticon function seeing b no space bracket as try b ) or b: [/quote] Ah, thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leschirons Posted June 3, 2016 Author Share Posted June 3, 2016 [quote name='DaveFry' timestamp='1464948507' post='3063985'] I have noticed that " Kingston Town " goes down well with the French holidaymakers down here in Jersey . The UB40 cover was in the French charts for 25 weeks , including 3 at no. 1 . [/quote] Hadn't thought of that one. I'll maybe suggest it. Ta. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivansc Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 Bretagne. Le Morbihan. Otis Redding and anything else RnB from that period. Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett.... But I also get away with a lot of Americana - they all seem to like Ry Cooder but I put that down to me indoctrinating them! Lots of blues and Rockabilly love round here, too, but maybe because there are a LOT of musicians in the area. Back when I lived in Corsica in the early nineties, we used to get some of the best funk/soul outfits I have ever heard, including in the US, doing residencies for the summer, while my lot were doing fete au village and bals populaire. 1 hour of musettes, i hour of le top 1 hour of mixed, till the last punter collapsed at about 6 in the morning! Well paid and great fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vinny Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 Not foreign or ex-pat (but used to be having lived in That England) we know maybe 10 Welsh language numbers but have never performed them all, we tend to start feeling the 'you're pushing it, now' vibe after 4 or 5, even when playing to predominantly 1st language crowds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteb Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 When we were on holiday last year in the Algarve we got friendly with a local band and saw them a few times. We noticed that they generally played a set mainly for holiday makers that you would recognise easily over here, but when they played their Saturday night gig at a club with quite a few locals there they played four or five songs in Portuguese in the final set (3 hour show) at the end of the night. Obviously this was a thing because it went down really well with the natives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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