What do you think of this setlist?

[solo4652]

I recently joined a 5-piece pub covers band a few months before the first gig. Band trying hard to avoid going down the Dakota route. Six pretty successful gigs down the road, the band's showing all the classic signs of growing pains, particularly with reference to song choice. What do you think of this setlist, please? Too haphazard? Band spreading itself too thin? Confusing hotch-potch of songs? Or - a good selection of material from different genres and decades chosen to offer "something for everyone"? Some band members want to have a more focussed setlist, with a clear band/song theme. Other band members want to continue throwing the net as wide as possible, at the risk of appearing lost.

 

Set 1

Valerie

Proud Mary

Mustang Sally

Who knew (Pink)

Perfect 10

Don't call me baby (Voice of the beehive)

Put your records on (Corinne Bailey Rae)

Good luck charm (Mastersons)

Jolene

I want to break free/Another one bites the dust segue

Price tag

Purple rain

 

Set 2

Long train runnin'

Summer of '69

Hard to handle

Runaway baby (Bruno Mars)

Mmmbop

Brimful af Asha

Get this party started

Play that funky music

One way or another

Are you gonna be my girl (Jet)

Monkey Man (Specials)

Let's dance (Bowie)

Walking on sunshine

Locked out of heaven (Bruno Mars)

 

In preparation:

The Chain

Le Freak

Rude (Magic!)

Levitating (Dua Lipa)

 

[Rayman]

Looks like a standard set list to me in terms of what punters want to hear. 
 

As long as you play the songs well, they should be well received. I certainly can’t see anything wrong with the list.

[asingardenof]

Variety is good, and there's definitely a wide variety of songs there, but you potentially run the risk of turning the audience off with the less popular songs.

 

I guess it depends on what your target audience is. It may be worth building up a catalogue of songs you can play and tailoring your set lists to the venue; i.e. you probably wouldn't play the same songs in a rock pub that you would in a working men's club or at a wedding. At 12/14 songs per set I'm guessing you're aiming at an hour per set? Any encores? 

[Lozz196]

I’d be happy watching a band do those songs 

[BassAdder60]

Set 2 looks better if I’m totally honest but that’s my musical tastes etc 

 

My only comment is not to diversify too much with the genres and maybe lean in a particular direction ie dance, soul, funk, rock, etc 

That makes getting bookings easier I find if you can market yourselves as a “…” covers band 

 

Edited August 7, 2023 by BassAdder60

[Franticsmurf]

Looks like a good general list to me - covering a wide range of styles and therefore likely to appeal to a wide range of punters. As @asingardenof said, the next step depends on your target audience/gig. I'm in the process of finishing off a list with the new 3 piece and at this stage (with only a few of 'test' gigs under our belts) we're working through ideas without much thought for coherence. Our intention is to create a catalogue of 40-50 songs from which we can create more focussed setlists that will cater for the expected crowd/venue tastes. For example, we recently played a small festival where we chose an hour of upbeat rock spanning the 60's to the 2000's as the acts before us were all slow/relaxed/low key outfits and the audience ranged in age from 5 to 85. A previous pub gig for the guitarist's mate's birthday had us playing more modern rock - 80's to 2010's. All were taken from the same starting list of songs and some featured in both but with different sounds or arrangements. We were due to play at a charity gig in a back garden (cancelled due to the weather) and this would have been a much lower key affair with a list not much different to the festival, but played with less energy and volume. 

 

As we found, you may have a wide range of songs on paper but your arrangements may bring them a bit closer together in feel and style. We played a couple of Abba songs at the birthday gig but with a more simplified arrangement that brought them up to date.    

[solo4652]

Thanks for your comments, folks. The band seems to be starting to lean a little more towards pop and funk. I think we'll continue to aim for a wide spread of genres. Keeping the string-bending lead guitarist on board may eventually become a bit of a challenge, I reckpn. 

 

@asingardenof - Could I please ask which songs you would regard as the "less popular" ones?

 

 

[itu]

Songs are OK, I think that reading the crowd is of importance. If you are able to jump from song pairs to another ones, when the crowd needs those, you'll be stars.

[uk_lefty]

I suppose it depends on how you present the songs. What I mean by that is are you trying to play them close to the original style? If so then if the band has a more "cabaret" / family friendly / Butlins vibe (none of that is meant disrespectfully) then you can carry it off. If you all wear denim and leather and take yourselves too seriously then it could look like out of touch blokes trying to play a few songs to be "down with the kids" before going back to their own era. 

 

It could all work. The Butlins comment is not meant as a criticism, one of my favourite local bands does that sort of thing brilliantly and they top the bill for festivals and get loads of work out of it. 

[Woodinblack]

1 hour ago, solo4652 said:

@asingardenof - Could I please ask which songs you would regard as the "less popular" ones?

 

You will find out playing them - it becomes obvious after a short while what goes down well wehre. We have a very varied set list, and although there are different songs that go down better with different crowds, there are always some that are more popular than others

[Mykesbass]

Most radio stations play mixes as diverse as that so I can't see it being an issue with a lot of punters. Only thing that struck me was first set quite female vocal dominant and set two very male.

[Downunderwonder]

9 hours ago, asingardenof said:

you potentially run the risk of turning the audience off with the less popular songs

This. A variety show is absolutely fine but every tune best be a crowd pleaser. Trial and error may well be working out for you if you're still working 6 gigs in.

 

I suspect the members trying to push the sets one way or the other only joined up wanting to do that style in the first place.

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

@solo4652 - ah, the old thorny subject of set list content. I note with interest you mention going down the 'Dakota' route.

I assume by that you mean the songs that everybody does that are bit samey? Well, of your set, there are a few 'Dakotas' IMHO.

 

Set 1

Valerie

Proud Mary

Mustang Sally

Who knew (Pink)

Perfect 10

Don't call me baby (Voice of the beehive)

Put your records on (Corinne Bailey Rae)

Good luck charm (Mastersons)

Jolene

I want to break free/Another one bites the dust segue

Price tag

Purple rain

 

Set 2

Long train runnin'

Summer of '69

Hard to handle

Runaway baby (Bruno Mars)

Mmmbop

Brimful af Asha

Get this party started

Play that funky music

One way or another

Are you gonna be my girl (Jet)

Monkey Man (Specials)

Let's dance (Bowie)

Walking on sunshine

Locked out of heaven (Bruno Mars)

 

In preparation:

The Chain

Le Freak

Rude (Magic!)

Levitating (Dua Lipa)

 

That said, it doesn't matter, because it's all about the execution.

One of my bands, which is now the busiest of all of them, play whatever we like and it's more diverse than your set.

We've recently introduced some reggae and ska into what was a predominantly rock-ish set and people love it.

 

N.B. I'm genuinely confused as to why Long Train Runnin' and Play That Funky Music are still played.

Another band I play in have both in the set and I'd ditch them if I could.

There are far better and more interesting songs around.

At a gig with that band last week a chap came up to us and asked if we did requests. He wanted us to play his wedding song which was Summer of '69!

 

Worry less about the audience. Different is good in my book, but execution is key.

[bassfan]

48 minutes ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

 

Worry less about the audience. Different is good in my book, but execution is key.

Absolutely this. 
 

We play a hugely diverse mix of genres and don’t have any issues mixing it up. 👍🏻

[Downunderwonder]

If Dakota is code for dead duck then @hiram.k.hackenbacker's list is way off base in my world. 'Sally has long had it's day but the rest are still popular. 

[BassAdder60]

Having been in mostly covers bands for 40 years of playing and gigging I’ve found this …..

Set lists are very hard to get absolutely spot on as there are so many variables. Some gigs they love Summer 69 other gigs it’s Long Train running ( folk get up to dance after a few drinks ) and other times it’s the rocky stuff that pleases. 
I would never dismiss the Sex on Fire, Dakota etc and what often as musicians we think are terrible are often the songs that go down well.

Our set goes from as diverse as 

The Trooper Iron Maiden to Purple Rain or I kissed a Girl Katy Perry ( rock version of course ) 
Some songs just work others don’t but it’s worth trying songs at a few venues before deciding or culling them

We do Hotel California and a decent version by all accounts but it doesn’t get the reaction you would hope.

Play All the Small Things or Buck Rogers and the room comes alive !! 
 

We do the Chain as well and it goes down well especially if you have a talented guitarist to play the outro solo 

We also do Edge of 17 but that drags on and on and on !!! 

Edited August 8, 2023 by BassAdder60

[police squad]

summer of 69 always goes down well at the end. Play it with conviction.

This is the same with all songs IMO. I've played most of that set list and they are all well received.

 

You need to own it. Have fun and it rubs off on the audience

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

32 minutes ago, Downunderwonder said:

If Dakota is code for dead duck then @hiram.k.hackenbacker's list is way off base in my world. 'Sally has long had it's day but the rest are still popular. 

My interpretation of ‘Dakota’ is that it’s songs that are being done to death currently.
I see a lot of bands and I don’t know of any that have Mustang Sally in their set. YMMV.

I’ll forgo popular for different and done to a high standard.

25 or 6 to 4 by Chicago

The Bitter End by Placebo

Night Boat to Cairo by Madness

Behind The Lines/Dukes End/Turn It On Again by Genesis

Head Over Heels by Tears For Fears

Tom Sawyer by Rush

Too Much Too Young by The Specials

Is She Really Going Out With Him by Joe Jackson

Three Little Birds by Bob Marley

[Woodinblack]

We have mustang sally - we tried to drop it twice and got complaints!

 

The problem I have with dakota is not that it is necessarily a bad song (it is, but no worse than others), but it is often done very poorly by bands and feels very lifeless. In fact its very rare that i have heard it done well. Sex on fire is the same but sex on fire done badly is kind of made up by the audience and people rarely notice!

[Franticsmurf]

The Mustang Sally/Sex on Fire/Dakota type songs are useful to have in the back pocket should you need to inject a boost for a particular audience. In my experience all three will get a reaction in the right circumstances. It helps that being in South Wales, Dakota is a 'local song' (for local people) and has never failed to get a flagging crowd up on their feet when we've played it in the various bands I've been with. Similarly, I'm a Believer and (I apologise in advance) Sweet Caroline. Neither would fit in to the current band's style but I am tempted to get us to work on suitable arrangements because they would be useful lifeboats. 

[G-Lo]

It looks great to me, if you want to throw something catchy people wont be expecting I'd look at changing Mmmmbop for Been Caught Stealing by Jane's Addiction. Your audience wont know it but they're already warmed up by thn and its rock, funky and catchy as ffffflamingos

[Barking Spiders]

they're eclectic lists that's for sure. If you're putting your own spin on each song to make them sound more like a cohesive set that's all to the good imo. IMO whether you can pull it off is dependent on if your singer(s) have the pipes to be able to pull off a tune like Levitating, especially the backing vocals. I'd drop Valerie as that's been done to death on the pub rock circuit but at least you're not doing Mr Brightside, Brown Eyed Girl, Sex on Fire or anything by Oasis.

[asingardenof]

6 hours ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

@solo4652 - ah, the old thorny subject of set list content. I note with interest you mention going down the 'Dakota' route.

I assume by that you mean the songs that everybody does that are bit samey? Well, of your set, there are a few 'Dakotas' IMHO.

Just as an aside, at our gig on Saturday we had people up and dancing to a good number of our tunes, but interestingly when we played Dakota was where people went to the bar and sat down, where usually it's a guaranteed crowd pleaser. Just goes to show!

[Belka]

15 hours ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

@solo4652 - ah, the old thorny subject of set list content. I note with interest you mention going down the 'Dakota' route.

I assume by that you mean the songs that everybody does that are bit samey? Well, of your set, there are a few 'Dakotas' IMHO.

 

Set 1

Valerie

Proud Mary

Mustang Sally

Who knew (Pink)

Perfect 10

Don't call me baby (Voice of the beehive)

Put your records on (Corinne Bailey Rae)

Good luck charm (Mastersons)

Jolene

I want to break free/Another one bites the dust segue

Price tag

Purple rain

 

Set 2

Long train runnin'

Summer of '69

Hard to handle

Runaway baby (Bruno Mars)

Mmmbop

Brimful af Asha

Get this party started

Play that funky music

One way or another

Are you gonna be my girl (Jet)

Monkey Man (Specials)

Let's dance (Bowie)

Walking on sunshine

Locked out of heaven (Bruno Mars)

 

In preparation:

The Chain

Le Freak

Rude (Magic!)

Levitating (Dua Lipa)

 

That said, it doesn't matter, because it's all about the execution.

One of my bands, which is now the busiest of all of them, play whatever we like and it's more diverse than your set.

We've recently introduced some reggae and ska into what was a predominantly rock-ish set and people love it.

 

N.B. I'm genuinely confused as to why Long Train Runnin' and Play That Funky Music are still played.

Another band I play in have both in the set and I'd ditch them if I could.

There are far better and more interesting songs around.

At a gig with that band last week a chap came up to us and asked if we did requests. He wanted us to play his wedding song which was Summer of '69!

 

Worry less about the audience. Different is good in my book, but execution is key.

You are absolutely right in what you say about Long Train Runnin' and Play That Funky Music. I would probably add Superstition into that group as well. I can only assume that when rock bands decide to do some funk without actually liking/knowing anything funky these are the songs that are acceptable to them (don't forget to transpose Superstition up a half step so the guitarist can actually play it). That, or they have been played by so many bands they just add them into their setlist without questioning why.

The Doobie Brothers and Stevie Wonder have such rich back catalogues and yet these are the only songs of theirs people choose to play. I suppose to be fair it's difficult to find a vocalist who can do anything with Michael McDonald on it any kind of justice. 

 

[Mickyk]

Only One id Dump...that would be Mustang Sally.