Members Outkaster Posted May 27, 2014 Members Share Posted May 27, 2014 This may have come up before but I am interested to know what your set format is like? We presently are struggling with two or three sets. We tried three sets at a weekly gig we play at it because the restaurant doesn’t typically get going the first hour. We had tried two sets and took a longer break but it didn’t see to work out in this case because we are outside, the heat and crowd flow. Last night we tried three sets at a club and the night seemed so long. We have a lot of songs but ended up taking requests from the audience as we had a late turnout which just happens anyway to us. For me the three set thing seems to make the night longer and adjusting how long to take breaks seems harder. I keep my phone on one 88 note keyboard to manage the time. So far this year managing it has been tough because no set is exactly the same and we are trying to get a handle on it. I know we can figure it out eventually. How have you guys handled this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jeff42 Posted May 27, 2014 Members Share Posted May 27, 2014 we do 3 sets with 2 15-20 minute breaks unless asked otherwise. Our 1st set is usually 50 min to 1 hour depending on the crowd. If the turn out is light we will do a shorter 1st set if they want to party from the start we will go a full hour before breaking. Our 2nd is usually around one hour and ten and the 3rd is whatever is left. thats a normal 10pm-2am show for us. if its a 3 hour gig the sets and breaks are shorter of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vito Corleone Posted May 27, 2014 Members Share Posted May 27, 2014 If the first set at the restaurant is essentially a warm up, you might try keeping that set relatively short, with a longer first break, and then do two longer sets with maybe a shorter break between them once the place is hopping. In any case always make sure that the venue manager is cool with the format. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Outkaster Posted May 27, 2014 Author Members Share Posted May 27, 2014 Thanks Guido that's not a bad idea. Luckily the manager is cool there and has a lot of experience booking gigs and running music festivals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wades_keys Posted May 27, 2014 Members Share Posted May 27, 2014 I love the idea of the short first set and longer break but I'd add that it might be a good idea to make sure the place is established with the band and not a brand new place, because the 1st sets are the ones that get watched the most in my experience (by the ones that pay at the end of the night is what I mean) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Outkaster Posted May 28, 2014 Author Members Share Posted May 28, 2014 Yes I have talked to the owner and he said do whatever works. We have a good relationship with him so it's not an insure just based on the flow of the restaurant. It also seems when drinks kick in it's about 4:30 PM (we play till 2-6) so we have to really be on our game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Outkaster Posted June 2, 2014 Author Members Share Posted June 2, 2014 As a follow up I split things into a three song format and it ended up working well. Our guys are a little older so they appreciated the break. The first set was an hour. Then we had a break before the last two sets which were longer. We ended right at 6 on the nose and I were not even trying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tucktronix Posted June 3, 2014 Members Share Posted June 3, 2014 The turnout was great and needless to say, the band smoked! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Outkaster Posted June 4, 2014 Author Members Share Posted June 4, 2014 Thanks man! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Old Fart Rocker Posted June 4, 2014 Members Share Posted June 4, 2014 We do 3 sets. Our middle set is usually longer because it seems that's when the bulk of the crowd is up and dancing. We used to do the first set warm up, but we now come out swinging. We always felt people would want to ease into the evening But, since we switched things up, people are up and dancing at the first song. We have a couple of regular gigs where we start earlier (7pm). At those gigs we still ease into the first set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Old Fart Rocker Posted June 4, 2014 Members Share Posted June 4, 2014 We do 3 sets. Our middle set is usually longer because it seems that's when the bulk of the crowd is up and dancing. We used to do the first set warm up, but we now come out swinging. We always felt people would want to ease into the evening. But, since we switched things up, people are up and dancing at the first song. We have a couple of regular gigs where we start earlier (7pm). At those gigs we still ease into the first set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members StratGuy22 Posted June 6, 2014 Members Share Posted June 6, 2014 First set is always hard. We do more country, depending on the crowd. Shorter set as well. The second set is the money set, good and long. Third set is a little heavier. If we do a 4th set, the gloves are off and it's anyone's guess what we will play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mstreck Posted June 10, 2014 Members Share Posted June 10, 2014 We play three sets - the better venues want 15-20 minute breaks max, because that's when people start to leave. The lower paying rooms don't really seem to care, so we'll usually do two 30-minute breaks. Set one - starts with familiar, yet older, party stuff, usually played to a near empty room, transitions to current/recent pop early and we have a dancing crowd by the end Set two - all current dance/pop, ends with 80s rock sing-alongs - this set is always a win for us Set three - more of a "silly" set. Everyone's drunk so we play stuff that people can sing along to more than dance to, then end the set with harder stuff that has a more limited appeal to help clear the bar and make the staff's job easier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vito Corleone Posted June 10, 2014 Members Share Posted June 10, 2014 Set one - starts with familiar, yet older, party stuff, usually played to a near empty room, transitions to current/recent pop early and we have a dancing crowd by the end Set two - all current dance/pop, ends with 80s rock sing-alongs - this set is always a win for us Our private event sets follow pretty much the same format. Older dance songs in the first set. Usually start out with some disco and transistion to lighter classic rock by the end of the set. Stuff that works for all ages. The 2nd set starts out with current dance/pop and then ends with our 80s "Rock Block" that is always a huge win for us as well. We rarely do a 3rd set, but if we do the format and tentpole songs remain the same, we essentially just end up adding some songs and stretching out the 2nd set into two sets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Outkaster Posted June 11, 2014 Author Members Share Posted June 11, 2014 Were doing all the same type of material but juggling them every week depending on the gig get's tricky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nousername Posted June 12, 2014 Members Share Posted June 12, 2014 Here's how we do it. It doesn't really deviate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nousername Posted June 12, 2014 Members Share Posted June 12, 2014 Here's how we do it. It doesn't really deviate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ian Poole Posted June 12, 2014 Members Share Posted June 12, 2014 We play in the UK where things seem a little different. Rarely do we ever need to play 3 sets. 2 x 1 hours is the norm.What we do is start off with the acoustic guitar. Its still loud and plugged in with bass and drums behind it but it feels more laid back. We'll start with Girls Aloud and Lady Ga ga so it's dancable but not too intrusive on those still recovering from their meal.The electric guitar comes out for the end of the 1st set and we get more high energy for the 2nd set.Keep the feeling that it's always building. We tried the peaks and troughs idea but once people are dancing they don't like the troughs!If we are playing a bar and worried about people moving on during the break we have been known to play straight through.Bars (pubs) are like practice in the UK. The money isn't there anymore. Nightclubs don't tend to have bands anymore. It's all about the private events now with a captive audience.I don't think I'm fit enough to do 3 sets and a day job! Ianhttp://www.quitebrazen.co.uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dan88z Posted June 12, 2014 Members Share Posted June 12, 2014 We normally do 3 sets, 60 mins each. They tend to run a little long so the breaks are usually around 25 mins. This is what most of our venues want. One venue wants 4 sets of 45 mins with 20 min breaks. I hate those because you barely get going. We have a few 3 hour gigs over the summer and we're doing 2 sets there, 1:15-1:20 each with a 20-30min break. Next week we're doing an outdoor multi band thing and we'll do 1 set that is 2hrs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jeff42 Posted June 16, 2014 Members Share Posted June 16, 2014 even when we do a 3 hr gig we still do 3 sets. Just shorter sets and shorter breaks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tele-vangelist Posted June 20, 2014 Members Share Posted June 20, 2014 We do 2 sets of 90 mins, with about a 15-20 min break in between. Seems to work well for us and keeps the crowd around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Outkaster Posted June 24, 2014 Author Members Share Posted June 24, 2014 Well we did three sets last week at a club and we kind of lost the crowd. It's weird with clubs in the summer. People are out by the lakes and stuff. I think I will stick to two sets again for the clubs. At the restaurant gigs three sets is fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SpaceNorman Posted June 24, 2014 Members Share Posted June 24, 2014 ...Next week we're doing an outdoor multi band thing and we'll do 1 set that is 2hrs. Once the set length starts getting much past 90 minutes - the risk of running into "biological" limitations can really be an issue. I can't say with certainty that I can consistently go 2 hours without a bathroom break - especially if I'm replenishing fluids properly. We typically cap our max set length at about 90 minutes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vito Corleone Posted June 25, 2014 Members Share Posted June 25, 2014 Once the set length starts getting much past 90 minutes - the risk of running into "biological" limitations can really be an issue. I can't say with certainty that I can consistently go 2 hours without a bathroom break - especially if I'm replenishing fluids properly. TMI!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dan88z Posted June 25, 2014 Members Share Posted June 25, 2014 The event was so laid back that we took a break. The band before us did, so we figured, why not. My hippy band has done a couple 3 hour with no break shows, but there are places where you can take a bio break- drum solos, things like that. Drums get a break when the bassist and I do a spacy jazzy intro to a song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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