The settling in song

[Newfoundfreedom]

Does anyone else have a particular song that settles you into a set at a live performance. 

The song, or a stage at a gig where you really start to relax, forget that you're playing in front of a crowd, and really just enjoy playing? 

For me it was "Drive" by Joe Bonamassa. A song that I was blissfully unaware of before my old band started to play it. I'd never heard it in my life, and I actually hated it when we first started playing it. But once we started playing it live, it was like therapy. I just stopped worrying / thinking and just enjoyed playing. 

[paul_c2]

The first song of our set is always something which is reasonably lively, yet easy to play. Partly because wind instruments need to actually physically warm up (and its not always possible to do this prior to the performance starting). 

[grandad]

1st tune, at practice or performance is usually Blue Monk.

[lurksalot]

I don’t but the singer does , but I think it is purely a confidence thing , beds are burning is his go to first set starter and I have to go back a couple of years  to recall a gig that didn’t start with it 

[Mickeyboro]

For many years, Sultans of Swing.

[stewblack]

Not these days, I don't get nervous at gigs, which is odd as I'm a very anxious guy the rest of the time. 

Back in the day it used to be Monkey Man (Specials version) I'd go somewhere else while leaping around playing that, and never really came back to earth! 

[Guest]

We usually do Just What I needed (The Cars) as our third, and I feel nicely I  the groove by then.

[super al]

I'm a bit like @stewblack I don't suffer the nerves like I used too but having said that it's nice to know that the set opens with Sweet Soul Music and once I play G to C at the precise moment in the intro I'm in the zone!

 

[BrunoBass]

10 hours ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

Mmm. Not as such, but there are a couple of songs in the set that in my head I see as problematic (they're not - I just know I have to be on point and can't relax) and once they are out of the way and after that I'm all smiles.

Exactly the same for me.

[Raymondo]

Last band I played in , we always started  with Fleetwood Mac's  "Don't stop" a nice and easy dancy number that has a very satisfying stop that always made me feel .".yeah we're on it" when we nailed it. 

[yorks5stringer]

We always start with My Silverlining by First Aid Kit, very straightforward and the harmonica player does not play on it so he can check our sound too.

[super al]

4 minutes ago, yorks5stringer said:

We always start with My Silverlining by First Aid Kit, very straightforward and the harmonica player does not play on it so he can check our sound too.

You have a guy who plays just the harmonica? Does he do anything else? Shaker, make tea, drive the singer to gigs?

[Lozz196]

I don’t necessarily have a settling in song, but do have a fave to play which is 3rd in the set. As much as I love the two before it I’m glad when they’re out of the way and we’re onto song no 3 - This Ain’t No Love Song for anyone interested btw.

[DaytonaRik]

Not really - I'm usually rushing around setting up the PA/Lighting and once all that is running, tested and we're sound checking then I can relax!  I've played so many live gigs that pre-show nerves just don't happen for me and haven't for many a year.

[stewblack]

I say I don't get nervous but there is a frisson if it's a band I've not played with before. Then the first song is the settler. 

[chris_b]

I hate it when someone says, "Let's start with xxx, to ease in." 

The first number has to hit the audience between the eyes and make them want to stay for the rest of the set.

[Lozz196]

50 minutes ago, chris_b said:

I hate it when someone says, "Let's start with xxx, to ease in." 

The first number has to hit the audience between the eyes and make them want to stay for the rest of the set.

Spot on Chris, that first song is the song where people/audiences generally formulate their opinions on the band, makes no sense to not hit them with a good ‘un.

[dave moffat]

6 hours ago, lurksalot said:

I don’t but the singer does , but I think it is purely a confidence thing , beds are burning is his go to first set starter and I have to go back a couple of years  to recall a gig that didn’t start with it 

I'd never heard that before but love it, simple but hypnotic bassline. I'd love to start with that if I ever join a band. Added to lyric and chords sheet list.

[mcnach]

3 hours ago, stewblack said:

Not these days, I don't get nervous at gigs, which is odd as I'm a very anxious guy the rest of the time. 

Back in the day it used to be Monkey Man (Specials version) I'd go somewhere else while leaping around playing that, and never really came back to earth! 

 

ugh, I despise that song

Playing in a 50-50 originals-covers classic ska/reggae band, it was in our repertoire. We all hated it. But it was very popular. If the dancefloor was not very busy... here comes Monkey Man. WE didn't even announce it, just hit the first G-G-GGG notes... and we watched people rushing into the dance floor. 

That band is on a... hiatus, due to disagreements between two members. I miss the band, but I feel so happy I haven't played that song in 6 months now!

A couple of months ago I was playing in town with another band. It was actually supposed to be the the classic ska band playing, I had booked that one and convinced everyone to do that one gig. Unfortunately, a couple of weeks before, the guitarist injured his back and we had to pull out. Instead I offered my other band. We do play some ska tunes but it's a bit more eclectic, mixing ska/funk/reggae and whatever else, it's all high energy good spirits bouncy dancey stuff. Crucially, it's all originals except a cover we do of Bad Boys (and occasionally "Beer" by Reel Big Fish). There was a group of "hardcore ska fans", you know the type... They were not amused. They expected the other band and tunes they knew, and got us. The bar was bouncing, but they stayed at the back looking whizzed off. Close to the end of our first set they started heckling. Ah well. We decided that was our last song before the break. As we finished, I looked at the guitarist, who had been in another ska band and he also knew the song, and I started the intro for Monkey Man. The group got excited for a second... and we stopped and went for a break.

Oh they hated us.

I wanted to do it again at the beginning of the second set but my bandmates thought it was not wise to taunt them too much...

[stewblack]

2 minutes ago, mcnach said:

 

ugh, I despise that song

Playing in a 50-50 originals-covers classic ska/reggae band, it was in our repertoire. We all hated it. But it was very popular. If the dancefloor was not very busy... here comes Monkey Man. WE didn't even announce it, just hit the first G-G-GGG notes... and we watched people rushing into the dance floor. 

That band is on a... hiatus, due to disagreements between two members. I miss the band, but I feel so happy I haven't played that song in 6 months now!

A couple of months ago I was playing in town with another band. It was actually supposed to be the the classic ska band playing, I had booked that one and convinced everyone to do that one gig. Unfortunately, a couple of weeks before, the guitarist injured his back and we had to pull out. Instead I offered my other band. We do play some ska tunes but it's a bit more eclectic, mixing ska/funk/reggae and whatever else, it's all high energy good spirits bouncy dancey stuff. Crucially, it's all originals except a cover we do of Bad Boys (and occasionally "Beer" by Reel Big Fish). There was a group of "hardcore ska fans", you know the type... They were not amused. They expected the other band and tunes they knew, and got us. The bar was bouncing, but they stayed at the back looking whizzed off. Close to the end of our first set they started heckling. Ah well. We decided that was our last song before the break. As we finished, I looked at the guitarist, who had been in another ska band and he also knew the song, and I started the intro for Monkey Man. The group got excited for a second... and we stopped and went for a break.

Oh they hated us.

I wanted to do it again at the beginning of the second set but my bandmates thought it was not wise to taunt them too much...

Man I loved that tune, still do! As soon as the singer said This one for all the bouncers, I was bouncing ready for the off! 

[dave moffat]

6 minutes ago, stewblack said:

Man I loved that tune, still do! As soon as the singer said This one for all the bouncers, I was bouncing ready for the off! 

Prefer the Maytals version, bassline still the same, just about my level of incompetence.

[mcnach]

1 hour ago, dave moffat said:

Prefer the Maytals version, bassline still the same, just about my level of incompetence.

 

I prefer that version too.

Last year my band supported The Dualers in Glasgow, this is their version of Monkey Man from the very same gig (my girlfriend filmed it on her mobile), I quite enjoyed it from the audience even if it was a rather long version. It doesn't seem like much, but the atmosphere was really good.

 

[mep]

Long way to the top by ACDC for us.

[PaulWarning]

Blitzkrieg Bop, dead easy and a message of intent for a punk (mostly for pub gigs) covers band

[steantval]

First song of the set every time - Tush ZZ Top.