Al Krow Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 Bit of a debate going on in my two covers bands - the singers are keen, with some of the rest of the band throwing up their hands in horror. Do you guys typically roll out Xmas songs in your Dec set lists and, if so, which ones / how many do you do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krispn Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 Yup. Just play Fairytale of New York or All I Want For Christmas and guage the reaction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 On my last gig we did a Christmas song, written by the singer. It was only a 12 bar but had people singing along in the chorus. So I guess it was successful, but if I got a vote I'd suggest Christmas songs are unnecessary, even in covers bands. The one thing I always and absolutely refuse to play is Happy Birthday! Wish someone the best, but you'll play Happy Birthday without a bass line if I'm on the gig!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambient Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 Do audiences want Christmas songs at Christmas? If the place is full of people on a work’s night out or something then I’d say yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambient Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 Just now, chris_b said: On my last gig we did a Christmas song, written by the singer. It was only a 12 bar but had people singing along in the chorus. So I guess it was successful, but if I got a vote I'd suggest Christmas songs are unnecessary, even in covers bands. The one thing I always and absolutely refuse to play is Happy Birthday! Wish someone the best, but you'll play Happy Birthday without a bass line if I'm on the gig!! Bah, humbug! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudewheresmybass Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 It all depends on how close to Christmas, and whether it's actually a Christmas themed thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimalkin Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 The Wham! track will cover it, easy win. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambient Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 Just now, Grimalkin said: The Wham! track will cover it, easy win. Easiest way to clear a pub: play the opening chords to whamageddon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimalkin Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 1 minute ago, ambient said: Easiest way to clear a pub: play the opening chords to whamageddon. I've had to play it a few times, it's still got the old magic. It is a well written song. As a working musician, I've had to play a lot of stuff that I wouldn't usually take to, but artistic integrity alone won't sustain one... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted December 5, 2022 Author Share Posted December 5, 2022 4 minutes ago, dudewheresmybass said: It all depends on how close to Christmas, and whether it's actually a Christmas themed thing I guess that is a key point ie if bands are being booked for an office "Christmas party", it seems to me the focus is actually on it being a "party" at Xmas, and much less on the "Christmas" aspect? I mean isn't the latter what carol services are for? And if you do Xmas songs, how many? Maybe a couple to show willing, but what's a reasonable number to be doing? They're generally not great ones to get folk up and dancing. Our singer is pushing for us to do eight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 No, and No. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted December 5, 2022 Author Share Posted December 5, 2022 Just now, Happy Jack said: No, and No. Please come dep for me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambient Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 2 minutes ago, Grimalkin said: I've had to play it a few times, it's still got the old magic. It is a well written song. As a working musician, I've had to play a lot of stuff that I wouldn't usually take to, but artistic integrity alone won't sustain one... https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whamageddon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimalkin Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 2 minutes ago, ambient said: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whamageddon Captive audience. "I can't lie to you about your chances, but... you have my sympathies." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted December 5, 2022 Author Share Posted December 5, 2022 24 minutes ago, krispn said: Yup. Just play Fairytale of New York or All I Want For Christmas and guage the reaction. The Irish contingent in my bands are fully behind you on Fairytale, haha! But OMG it's the dullest bass line ever, right? Going to let our Irish keyboard / singer use her left hand for that one, while I get a beer... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nail Soup Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 My old covers band (punk / new wave) always did one or two at Christmas, just to get into the spirit. People are at covers gigs for fun rather than chin stroking. The odd bit of xmas clothing (hat/shirt) etc goes down OK too. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krispn Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 6 minutes ago, Al Krow said: The Irish contingent in my bands are fully behind you on Fairytale, haha! But OMG it's the dullest bass line ever, right? Going to let our Irish keyboard / singer use her left hand for that one, while I get a beer... It’s actually got a bit more going on ‘musically’ than some other Christmas tunes. Theres some nice movement on the “Boys of New York Police Choir…) bit and the verse is no less dull than many a pub standard banging out a root 5th line. Have a play along you might find you enjoy it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimalkin Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 Having to play "Mistletoe and Wine", would make me want to try and eat all the mistletoe and snuff it, but then the original was far removed from Cliff's slush: "The musical was renamed The Little Match Girl and adapted for television by HTV in 1987, and featured Roger Daltrey, Paul Daneman, Jimmy Jewel and Twiggy. As originally conceived, "Mistletoe and Wine" had a different meaning from that for which it has come to be known. The writers wanted a song that sounded like a Christmas carol, intending it to be sung ironically while the little matchgirl is kicked out into the snow by the unfeeling middle classes. By the time the musical transferred to television, the song had become a lusty pub song sung by the local whore, as played by Twiggy." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mistletoe_and_Wine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
40hz Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 My lot absolutely do. Around 3-4 and they always go down a complete storm with crowds at Christmastime (obviously). 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted December 5, 2022 Author Share Posted December 5, 2022 6 minutes ago, 40hz said: My lot absolutely do. Around 3-4 and they always go down a complete storm with crowds at Christmastime (obviously). Which ones do you typically do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_lefty Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 Yes and yes. The band I joined a year ago play two Christmas songs for the "home" December gig. Fairytale of New York and Shakin Stevens. The crowd enjoy it more than some of the standard covers. It's really not much extra effort to stick two well known classics in. The way I see it someone will be asking for Christmas songs so you can play the one or two you know and leave it at that. If anyone doesn't like it they can go for a pee or to the bar and normal service resumes two minutes later. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Downunderwonder Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 I think Christmas songs are a way of giving audiences what they always want. They want stuff that is familiar to their tribe and they want stuff that is not the same as they had every week for the last year. The golden rule is to have fun with it. If you're banging out a lousy cover just because you think you have to then it's probably going to come over poorly. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted December 5, 2022 Author Share Posted December 5, 2022 13 minutes ago, uk_lefty said: Yes and yes. The band I joined a year ago play two Christmas songs for the "home" December gig. Fairytale of New York and Shakin Stevens. The crowd enjoy it more than some of the standard covers. It's really not much extra effort to stick two well known classics in. The way I see it someone will be asking for Christmas songs so you can play the one or two you know and leave it at that. If anyone doesn't like it they can go for a pee or to the bar and normal service resumes two minutes later. Agreed. Two would be cool. 8, which our singer wants to do, seems massively excessive! Not sure many are doing more than 4, though, from the replies so far. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mep Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 No one asks for any from us. We have done the Slade song once. We have played the classic Christmas number one Killing in the Name many times at this time of year! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 We're about to start playing Christmas Parties from this Friday so yes I'll be expected to play Christmas songs at Christmas parties. The ones that work are Mariah obviously, Slade, Shakey and Winter Wonderland as a sing a long one for all of the drunk people. the problem I always had with Fairytale and why it went down like a lead balloon is because out of the 4 or 5 minutes of the song, only just over a minute covers the happy, upbeat part. The rest of it is the depressing slow bit so it was binned after a couple of gigs. Step Into Christmas was one that should have worked as it's a great song but it didn't so we stick with what works 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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