Classics or modern wedding set list

[MikeTheMisfit]

Slayer - Raining Blood

 

Trust me, they'll love that.

[badger]

51 minutes ago, Delberthot said:

The problem with modern music is that it's popular for about 5 minutes then it gets forgotten about.

this is true of music from any time period though - if you go back to a top 40 from the 70s, 80s, or whenever then there's only going to be a few songs that are still popular.

 

this is where the likes of Rick Beato fall down when they try to compare a current chart - which is almost always mostly dross, from whatever period - with the canon of enduringly popular songs from the last 60+ years.  I seem to remember that "12tone" did a good video about this phenomenon on YT - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tODG4Xt45bU

Edited January 10 by badger

[asingardenof]

32 minutes ago, MikeTheMisfit said:

Slayer - Raining Blood

 

Trust me, they'll love that.

Payback is a much better wedding song IMO

[MikeTheMisfit]

8 minutes ago, asingardenof said:

Payback is a much better wedding song IMO

 

 

Haunting the Chapel is surely the most appropriate. Something for the grandmothers.

[geoham]

My band don't do many weddings, but play a mixed set in city centre pubs. We have two Sam Fender songs that go down well - Seventeen Going Under and Getting Started. I think they're the only really recent ones we do, and always go down well. We also throw in the Fratellis' version of Yes Sir, I Can Boogie when Scotland are on form... 

[Greg Edwards69]

Classics are great and safe, but absolutely you should add a few modern numbers. As others have said, Lizzo, Bruno, Dua Lipa, Sheeran, Harry Styles are all safe bets. (FWIW, "Shut Up and Dance" and "Mr Brightside" never, ever fail to get people up singing and dancing)

 

Whilst weddings parties have a huge demographic, remember that half of them - generally extended family - will be chatting all night to people they haven't seen for years.

 

The ones that tend to get up and dance are the bride and groom's friends. Focus on that demographic moreso than the grannies and aunties, and you'll be in the right area.

Edited January 10 by Greg Edwards69

[Delberthot]

2 hours ago, badger said:

this is true of music from any time period though - if you go back to a top 40 from the 70s, 80s, or whenever then there's only going to be a few songs that are still popular.

 

 

 

What I was implying is that the OP has been asked to learn songs from the past few years whereas my experience is that the older classics are the ones that most people want. Newer stuff is more disposable and easier to go out of favour.

 

There's always been garbage in the charts, it's not a new thing, so only a select few make it through to become classics, even some of the garbage 😁

[acidbass]

Mr Brightside is a bona fide classic now but when a band plays Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga or Shut Up and Dance I find these artists/tracks have not aged as well and you can see it in the crowd's reaction.  A bit dated.

[chris_b]

On 05/12/2023 at 08:00, Delamitri79 said:

. . . . Our manager wants us to throw in at least 8 new songs from the last decade but we're not sure they'll really work. . . .

 

This happens a lot in the music business. The business side thinks it knows more about the music than the musicians do.

 

What is the significance of 8?

 

I think you know your business better than anyone else. You are seeing the response, what is the feedback you are getting on the gig?

[funkydoug]

I'd agree with your management. As well as whats been said above, who actually books you? The couple. They are probably 25-35 yr old. What gets their attention (musically!) enough to make them book you over other bands? Your manager knows the answer.

Edited January 11 by funkydoug

[SumOne]

I'm not sure about the 'play stuff from the last 10 years to keep the younger audience happy', they want/expect a wedding band to play classic wedding band stuff, trying to play the latest stuff in the charts risks looking a bit lame if it doesn't fit for the band.

 

Saying that though, there are quite a few songs from roughly the last decade that can be reworked and played by a band and recognised and enjoyed by a wide audience: 

• Moves Like Jagger
• Get Lucky
• Happy
• Diamonds
• Shotgun, Green Green Grass, Budapest, Hold my girl 
• Bad Guy
• Uptown Funk
• I will wait
• Royals
• About Damn Time, 2 be loved
• Blinding Lights
• Can't stop the feeling
• Remind me
• Heat Waves
• Watermelon Sugar
• Remind me
• Cruel Summer, Shake it off
• This is the life

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 11 by SumOne

[theplumber]

On 05/12/2023 at 08:00, Delamitri79 said:

Well folks

 

I'm in a 5 piece wedding band and we are all in our 30s and 40s and we're very busy and good at what we do. 

We have a manager who doesn't be at any of the gigs. 

Our set consists of all the big numbers you'd expect to hear at a wedding and songs that we know works. 

There isn't much, if any, really modern stuff. Nothing form the last 10 years. 

Our manager wants us to throw in at least 8 new songs from the last decade but we're not sure they'll really work. 

 

What do ye all think when it comes to keeping the floor full at a wedding. 

Does a lot of the modern (last 10 yrs) music work in that setting? 

 

Many thanks 

Derek 

Why do you need a manager? Can you not handle the bookings amongst the band?

[scalpy]

1 hour ago, theplumber said:

Why do you need a manager? Can you not handle the bookings amongst the band?

My wife and I run a function band. She handles bookings alongside the other singer, and does all the logistics, marketing and dealing clients. It’s near as dammit a full time job. 
 

With regards to the old vs new topic- our experience is all of the newer stuff has the ‘wow, let’s charge to the dance floor’ but doesn’t keep them there, the songs run out of drama. So we rearrange them or put them in medleys and that helps. 

[Greg Edwards69]

On 11/01/2024 at 09:59, acidbass said:

Mr Brightside is a bona fide classic now but when a band plays Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga or Shut Up and Dance I find these artists/tracks have not aged as well and you can see it in the crowd's reaction.  A bit dated.

That's the challenge. It's difficult to say when a new song comes out if it will be a classic. We've dropped a number of songs over the years that we thought were worth learning at the time.

 

But sometimes, just sometimes, a "Mr Brightside" or "Sex On Fire" comes along as you just know it's going to be around for years to come.

[diskwave]

I look at it this way . Play a a young person some Bach and they'll probably go wow. In other words old classics are just that, old classics and at the risk of being flamed for the umpteenth time, way more "old" stuff is just better than new stuff. In fact I would go so far to say new stuff is dull and miserable sounding compared to old stuff which ...  As an eg, a dep I did a while back, to show willing they did a George Ezra hit single.....The band hated it and it didnt seem to cheer the audience much either, we then played Disco Inferno and the floor was heaving.

[SumOne]

1 hour ago, diskwave said:

 I would go so far to say new stuff is dull and miserable sounding compared to old stuff 

 

Yeah, songs like: Happy, Get Lucky. Uptown Funk, Can't stop the feeling, shake it off, are all real downers compared to stuff by Joy Division and Nick Drake. 

[diskwave]

Here we go. Im talking about "happy" party music. Youve named a small handful I can think of 100's from the past that were joyous and made you wanna dance. 

[SumOne]

3 hours ago, diskwave said:

Here we go. Im talking about "happy" party music. Youve named a small handful I can think of 100's from the past that were joyous and made you wanna dance. 

 

That's ridiculously blinkered. There's plently of miserable and happy music from the past and present.

 

If anything, I'd say pop music overly happy/party orientated nowadays, it's rare to get more moody/angry/introspective songs doing really well. The UK top 10 right now is  almost all upbeat party tunes.  https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/uk-top-40-singles-chart/

 

I mean, I'm not a fan, but these 5 are all in the top 10 and I think 'happy party music' would describe them:

 

 

 

 

 

...... That's all bubblegum pop for 13 year olds though. This is just released this week and would be massively happy/euphoric in a good club:

 

 

Edited January 12 by SumOne

[Bassfinger]

We do weddings - if they're willing to pay our rates, we're not poncing about for a poxy grand between the five of us - and our typical set list is a mix of old stuff and new material from the last 15 or 20 years. 

 

I Predict a Riot, Mr Brightside and Somebody Told Me are not my favourites by any means but the crowd universally respond positively when the hear the opening notes.

 

That said, our heavy rock versions of Video Kills the Radio Star and Country Roads seems to be our biggest fan favourites at weddings. We do a rocked up version of All Of Me that breaks to Enter Sandman in the middle and that gets the youngsters bopping and the older customers breaking out their air guitars every time.

 

A good manager - Mrs Bassfinger is our manager, so I have to say she is excellent - will ask if there are any special requests how many guests, their age mix, and will show up at a fair proportion of gigs themselves to gauge the reaction and provide feedback.

 

 

 

Edited January 13 by Bassfinger

[chris_b]

I've played at many weddings. The one thing many bands don't realise, at a wedding you are playing to guests, not an audience.

 

They are not there for you, and what you play only had to keep multiple generations happy and on the floor.

 

Modern or old fashioned is irrelevant if they are dancing and enjoying themselves. 

[casapete]

22 minutes ago, chris_b said:

I've played at many weddings. The one thing many bands don't realise, at a wedding you are playing to guests, not an audience.

 

They are not there for you, and what you play only had to keep multiple generations happy and on the floor.

 

Modern or old fashioned is irrelevant if they are dancing and enjoying themselves. 

Absolutely this. 
Two lots of families and friends have gathered to celebrate a wedding, and the band is there to help

them do that, not the main attraction! Plenty of pub bands think it’s just a case of rocking

up and doing their usual thing, but successful wedding bands understand the challenges and

react accordingly. Keeping as many of the guests happy with the music is a priority, whatever

it takes - not just the selection of tunes but also making sure it’s the right volume, is well

presented, on time ( even when their schedule has gone down the pan!) and will be the 

band that others want to book for their wedding too. We used to get many enquiries from

people who were guests and were looking for a band for their own celebration. 

Edited January 13 by casapete

[casapete]

double post, sorry.

Edited January 13 by casapete

[chris_b]

12 minutes ago, casapete said:

double post, sorry.

 

It was worth saying twice.

[Shamebratt]

Absolutely spot on! It's all about creating that magical atmosphere for the guests, and you've nailed it. If you're ever looking to capture those unforgettable moments on video, check out https://www.the-wedding-videographer.co.uk/. From my personal experience with them, they have a talent for turning weddings into memories that last a lifetime!

Edited January 23 by Shamebratt