Classic Rock in pubs, is it compulsory?

[SisterAbdullahX]

Simply that. Does anyone on here play pubs but not play the same old tired Classic Rock covers?
Been finding that my usual staple of function gigs has steadily dwindled over the last few years to the point where I'm getting fewer than ten a year and could quite fancy packing them in altogether and just finding a nice local pub band to play for the enjoyment of it rather than having to entertain drunken wedding guests. However, the prospect of having to go and play all the standard rock tunes makes me think I'd probably just rather sell all my gear and pack in altogether! Does anyone play covers that aren't well known at all and still get a favourable response from the audience and get rebooked? Seems to me that, even if you don't play the rock stuff you still have to play well known songs, whatever the style of music you play, and that just bores me. Also, all the other bands that play that style of music play the same tunes!

[Shambo]

*picks up jumbo popcorn & sits back in beanbag*

[BrunoBass]

We play rock covers, but it's all modern (i.e. pretty much 90s/2000s onwards). Nothing against older stuff, there are just plenty of other bands playing it.

We play a lot of crowdpleasers (Green Day / Foo Fighters etc) but we also slip in the odd, lesser known song from say Queens Of The Stone Age or Black Keys, or something current like Catfish and the Bottlemen or Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes. Not particularly well known, but recognisable enough for the audience to react.

We regularly get repeat bookings, there isn't another band doing what we do locally.

Edited April 23, 2017 by PaulGibsonBass

[Dood]

If I were a landlord I'd have the equivalent of a 'swear jar'. Any band coming to play at my venue would be fined for playing certain songs on the 'banned list' ha ha!

Starting with Sweet Child O' Mine, Living On A Prayer and definitely Sex On Fire, which is a dreadful song

[BrunoBass]

[quote name='dood' timestamp='1492986835' post='3284697']
If I were a landlord I'd have the equivalent of a 'swear jar'. Any band coming to play at my venue would be fined for playing certain songs on the 'banned list' ha ha!

Starting with Sweet Child O' Mine, Living On A Prayer and definitely Sex On Fire, which is a dreadful song
[/quote]

We avoid all of those like the plague, although we were asked to play Sex On Fire for a function we were booked for. We were going to play it at the end of the set, knowing full well the schedule would probably over-run and we'd be cut short before we played it. It was, and we didn't 😉

[Dood]

[quote name='PaulGibsonBass' timestamp='1492987339' post='3284701']


We avoid all of those like the plague, although we were asked to play Sex On Fire for a function we were booked for. We were going to play it at the end of the set, knowing full well the schedule would probably over-run and we'd be cut short before we played it. It was, and we didn't 😉
[/quote]

Phew!

[fleabag]

We throw the crowd a curve ball after playing some sh*t rock covers by kicking in The Riverboat song

Turns heads, does that number

[gjones]

My band plays stuff nobody knows. Well I certainly didn't, until I had to learn it. As long as a song's got hooks and people can dance to it, they don't care. We play 70-100 gigs a year so we must be doing something right.

[blue]

We play around 65 gigs annually. We play unique coverss of 70s hard, 70s Pop and originals.


Blue

Edited April 24, 2017 by blue

[bazzbass]

[quote name='SisterAbdullahX' timestamp='1492986043' post='3284689']
Simply that. Does anyone on here play pubs but not play the same old tired Classic Rock covers?
Been finding that my usual staple of function gigs has steadily dwindled over the last few years to the point where I'm getting fewer than ten a year and could quite fancy packing them in altogether and just finding a nice local pub band to play for the enjoyment of it rather than having to entertain drunken wedding guests. However, the prospect of having to go and play all the standard rock tunes makes me think I'd probably just rather sell all my gear and pack in altogether! Does anyone play covers that aren't well known at all and still get a favourable response from the audience and get rebooked? Seems to me that, even if you don't play the rock stuff you still have to play well known songs, whatever the style of music you play, and that just bores me. Also, all the other bands that play that style of music play the same tunes!
[/quote]

sounds like you are ready to join a real band, playing your own music.

nuthin like it

[Grangur]

We we're invited to a gig this last Saturday, by our dentist. It was good and went down well. The audience were seated at tables and some were up and dancing.
Some of the tunes that went down best were, "When the Saints go Marching in" and "Auld Lang Syne".

Yes,it was this last weekend.
No, the audience were not massively drunk.
Yes, over all, it was a good gig. It does, of course depend on HOW you play any song.

Edited April 24, 2017 by Grangur

[SisterAbdullahX]

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1493009428' post='3284737']
It does, of course depend on HOW you play any song.
[/quote]

That is kind of how I feel, too. If it's played well you should be able to pick stuff that isn't well known.

[blue]

[quote name='bazztard' timestamp='1493006598' post='3284732']


sounds like you are ready to join a real band, playing your own music.

nuthin like it
[/quote]

What's your definition of a real band.

I'm not sure I have one. I would think what's a real band to one person might be different to the next.

Blue

[SH73]

As soon as Living on Prayer starts, it's time to go home

[spectoremg]

[quote name='Shambo' timestamp='1492986421' post='3284694']
*picks up jumbo popcorn & sits back in beanbag*
[/quote]😂

[ivansc]

The trick is the same as it has always been. Engage the audience.

What you choose to play is almost irrelevant if you can get them to take notice.

[radiophonic]

Yes, but you have to pick the right pub. Some pubs just expect and demand classic rock cannon and a band that play rock like a rock band. I have zero interest i it, but it's a market in itself and if you're in that market, you have to play those rules. It's true that in a lot of places 'Live Music' is now synonymous with 'Live Classic Rock Covers / Tribute', whereas when I was first playing in the 80s, it almost invariably meant an originals band. When did this change? Somebody suggested playing originals. It's a different thing entirely (I'm assuming you haven't already done it) and rarely plain sailing. Set length is a big issue - and what this means for playing standalone vs. mixed bills, since pubs usually assume a standalone set. 90+ minutes of unfamiliar original material is a lot to ask of a general audience, irrespective of how good you are. We're playing next weekend and the landlord knows exactly what our weird and specific Hungarian prog-folk schtick is, since we've played there before and sometimes rehearse upstairs, but he wants 90 minutes of it. Personally, I think he's nuts and we and he and the audience would be better off with a couple of 30 minute mini sets or 45 minute face melting greatness, rather than every song we've got just so he feels like he's getting VFM. If you want to do something different you probably have to think about other types of venue or event and make a different set of compromises.

[RickyV]

I play rock covers in one band (trying to avoid the obvious ones), but in the other play a mix of indie, punk, mod and ska.

[barneyg42]

[quote name='SH73' timestamp='1493012611' post='3284748']
As soon as Living on Prayer starts, it's time to go home
[/quote]

Tough one this, as soon as we get to the chorus the crowd are rocking, likewise Sex on Fire! I hate SOF but my band are there to entertain so if we get to the second set and it's rocking there's no mileage in throwing something too obscure in. We are playing a couple of originals now but they're in the first half at the moment and are more listening songs. We do try to play slightly different rock stuff but some of the classics are what entertain. We generally finish with What's Up which usually turns into an all pub singing session! The more they dance, the more they drink and everyone's happy, especially the landlord!

[dmccombe7]

[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1492992344' post='3284720']
My band plays stuff nobody knows. Well I certainly didn't, until I had to learn it. As long as a song's got hooks and people can dance to it, they don't care. We play 70-100 gigs a year so we must be doing something right.
[/quote]

Maybe the audience think you're an originals band

Played in band last year doing covers from 70's / 80's with the odd modern cover. We were doing songs i've never heard in a covers band but they are so well known it even surprised me Like Jean Genie, Blckbuster by Sweet, T.Rex covers, Cockney Rebel Come Up And See Me, Folsum Prison by Johnny Cash, Billy Ocean Love Really Hurts.
I know these are well known bands doing well known songs but i just have never heard a local band do them so it was quite refreshing to play them as most were not my usual rock style songs. Band were in big demand and gigging 2-3 times every weekend. Just a bit too demanding on the gig front for me and decided to move on.
There are so many good songs out there to choose from but its getting other band members to agree to playing the less known material or less played songs from 70's / 80's / 90's kinda thing.

Dave

[FinnDave]

I play mostly in pubs, what songs are you referring to as 'classic rock'?

[stingrayPete1977]

I've done a set of obscure numbers or originals in pubs, it's fine if the audience are in there for that, if it's just a group of random drunks out for a good night it can be harder work than the typical wedding slog.

My band does town/city centre pubs without playing any classic rock, we sometimes put hard to handle in but that's about it.

[Phil Starr]

[quote name='SisterAbdullahX' timestamp='1492986043' post='3284689']
Simply that. Does anyone on here play pubs but not play the same old tired Classic Rock covers?
Been finding that my usual staple of function gigs has steadily dwindled over the last few years to the point where I'm getting fewer than ten a year and could quite fancy packing them in altogether and just finding a nice local pub band to play for the enjoyment of it rather than having to entertain drunken wedding guests. However, the prospect of having to go and play all the standard rock tunes makes me think I'd probably just rather sell all my gear and pack in altogether! Does anyone play covers that aren't well known at all and still get a favourable response from the audience and get rebooked? Seems to me that, even if you don't play the rock stuff you still have to play well known songs, whatever the style of music you play, and that just bores me. Also, all the other bands that play that style of music play the same tunes!
[/quote]

I think you've summed up the situation really well and herein lies the problem.

Too many music pubs are run by people who can't see beyond the genre of their own youth. they only book classic rock so that's what aspiring musicians see gets the bookings. The only thing on offer is Classic Rock so only those people who like Classic Rock go to pub gigs and others avoid those pubs, their turnover suffers so eventually they close.

The truth is that only a small fraction of the public want live music in their pubs and only a small fraction of those want Rock as their only diet. The only way to grow the market as a whole is to offer more variety, the alternative is to let Pub Rock wither.

All the audience want is to be entertained, to see a bit of a show. I don't think they are that bothered about what the music is in the main. They want to sing along, dance, maybe interact with the band a little, have as drink and a good time with a bit of atmosphere. People who really go for the music will be more likely to go to the bigger venues to see bands they know or to the few brave places that still put on bands doing original music.

If you want people to dance and sing then you need to play stuff the majority know. That's tens of thousands of songs over my lifetime with hundreds being added every year. If you want them to dance then your music just needs to have a predictable rhythm the audience are comfortable with. To give them a good feeling you just need to show you enjoy what you do and reach out to them in some way. There's no real excuse for us all playing the same songs over and over again.

To get bookings you need a recognisable identity be that genre or era (60's, 00's, whatever). The better pubs have realised that and are trying to serve up a variety.

As well as playing the pubs I love live bands, I'm a 60something old bloke that grew up with all the classic rock bands. If there's a weekend when I'm not playing then I try to catch a band if I can but why would I see a classic rock band? I've heard every song they play a hundred times before, they are great songs but constant repetition has killed them for me.

So so long as you can make it make sense to the audience, give them a little of what they want and sell the rest to them so they have a good evening out I don't think you'll have trouble getting repeat bookings whatever you do.Pub bands are in the entertainment business not the creative one but there are a hell of a lot of great songs rarely played and any number of ways of playing them. Your days of playing pubs are only over if you want them to be.

[bartelby]

[quote name='dood' timestamp='1492986835' post='3284697']
If I were a landlord I'd have the equivalent of a 'swear jar'. Any band coming to play at my venue would be fined for playing certain songs on the 'banned list' ha ha!

Starting with Sweet Child O' Mine, Living On A Prayer and definitely Sex On Fire, which is a dreadful song
[/quote]

Really need a like button on these forums...


It reminds me of Musical Exchanges (in Cov and Brum) having a joke list of songs not to play when trying a guitar, and a list of punishments. I can only remember a couple:
Stairway to Heaven and they asked you leave the shop
Any Status Quo and they gave you a chord book

Edited April 24, 2017 by bartelby

[gary mac]

We play pubs fairly regularly and don't play much in the way of Classic Rock.

For tonight's rehearsal though, I need to learn Black Dog, Rock n Roll and Whole Lotta Love.


We go with much more Disco, Soul and Pop as a rule.




Sometimes I think about joining up with another band for when DefunkT are not busy but just about every ad I look at for players of my vintage, are for Classic Rock or even worse, guitar widdlers wanting to crank out Hendrix, Clapton, Gallagher etc at weekly rehearsals but to never actually gig.