Dance Cover Bands: Do you start strong?

[New Trail]

If you play in a dance band, do you start the show with a great dance song, or an okay dance song, or something non-danceable to fill space until the people are ready to, or have had enough drinks to, dance?  How do you start the night, and each set?

Thanks!

[SpaceNorman]

Like most questions - the answer boils down to "it depends...."     For my projects, it all depends on the venue and the nature of the crowd that's there at starting time.  If the room is just starting to transition from an "eating" venue to a "drinking/dancing" venue - we start off the evening with something a little lighter.   If it's a room that's purely drinking and waiting for the band to start - we hit 'em with both barrels. 

[wheresgrant3]

I don't consider us a 'dance' cover band per say... we play after 10pm and we want the audience engaged with us, not dancing with us providing the soundtrack. 

For weddings and privates before 9pm we may start soft and grow as the night moves on.

90% of the time we come out with both arms swinging.  

[TrickyBoy]

I don't know if we're a dance band, per se, but we start off our first set with stuff like I Want You To Want Me, Walking on Sunshine, What I Like About You, etc. 

[jeff42]

 

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SpaceNorman wrote:

 

 

 If the room is just starting to transition from an "eating" venue to a "drinking/dancing" venue - we start off the evening with something a little lighter.   If it's a room that's purely drinking and waiting for the band to start - we hit 'em with both barrels. 

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This.