Do you play for the women?

[abzurd]

No Prince women love Prince Looks like a awesome marketable set list for the mainstream clubs. Even though I don't do the just for the women dance/party band thing myself, but always appreciate the folks that do, because I have to take my wife out so she can dust off her dancing shoes.

We tried Prince a few months ago - "Let's Go Crazy". It wasn't that great so we didn't do it. Problem is we play so much that we only practice a few times a year. Unless it's something we really want to spend time on we just pass on it if it doesn't come together reasonably well after the first few times. We generally add songs and play them for the first time as a group during a 3rd set at a bar gig.

[GigMan]

"Pour Some Sugar On Me" "You Shook Me All Night Long" "Livin' On A Prayer" "Sweet Child Of Mine" "Walk This Way" "Jessies Girl" "Are You Gonna Be My Girl" "Jenny Jenny" "Save A Horse Ride A Cowboy" "Sweet Home Alabama" No band has ever NOT packed a dance floor with pretty wimmin playing any of these songs.

 

 

Agreed - & here's some more tunes that gets the women young + old shakin' what momma gave them:

 

 

[~GOD~]

i don't do a lot of covers, and i don't write for demographic groups.

[Vito Corleone]

We tried Prince a few months ago - "Let's Go Crazy".

 

 

Personally, I love Prince. And would love to add a song or two of his to our list but have been hesitant as while part of me thinks "yeah, 'Let's Go Crazy' or '1999' would KILL, another part of me could see them just sitting there.

 

You never know until you try 'em, but like you I'm hesitant to add anything I'm not 100% sure about.

[Vito Corleone]

Agreed - & here's some more tunes that gets the women young + old shakin' what momma gave them:

Yep, yep, yep. You're absolutely right about "Don't Stop Believin". And we do "Brown Eyed", "Brick House" "What I LIke" and "Funky Music" as well. All guaranteed dance-floor favorite.

Almost certainly we're going to be adding "Family" and "Boogie Oogie" for weddings very soon.

[abzurd]

For sure the 2 "can't miss" wedding reception tunes that are sure to fill the dance floor and be sing alongs are "Don't Stop Believin'" and "Sweet Caroline".

[OneEng]

Agreed - & here's some more tunes that gets the women young + old shakin' what momma gave them:

With a few exceptions, most of these would make it into my "to dated" category. We have tried to keep things somewhat current so that we appeal to the 30 something crowd. Also, I just like learning new music.

I agree that these would work for a wedding band. I am thinking that there are some differences between wedding venues, bar gigs, and public outside parties. Mostly, I think that the crowd makeup as well as the crowd expectations are different.

We have played a few weddings (mostly for friends since this isn't the kind of venue we enjoy the most), and done a few outside day and night gigs (fairs, city events, etc), but mostly we do local bars.

Weddings tend to include playback of such favorites like "the chicken dance" and a few DJ'd songs that can't be played easily by any band.

Do you guys think that wedding bands are being phased out by DJ? It seems kind of like that to me.

That kind of leaves the other two.

Song selection is a very important part of a band. I spend lots of time and consideration with the songs we put into the song list, but the highest priority is nearly always if the chicks will dance to it and the crowd will recognize it and tap a toe or sing along.

[RoadRanger]

With a few exceptions, most of these would make it into my "to dated" category. We have tried to keep things somewhat current so that we appeal to the 30 something crowd.

So, what's hot on your setlist?

[tlbonehead]

I would say we play music that might be more desired by females, but we don't really gear our stuff to them. I don't care for most "sausage-fest" music to begin with. But a lot of the stuff we do is more for the people that like stuff a little beyond the MOR spoon-fed stuff. There are plenty of bands fighting for that crowd. We've created a bit of a niche by being something for the ones who delve into music a little deeper.

[tlbonehead]

I am just curious...if your 'playing for the guys'...does that mean you your playing village people covers or death metal?

I'd say, Megadeth, Slayer, VH, etc.

[tlbonehead]

No Prince women love Prince Looks like a awesome marketable set list for the mainstream clubs. Even though I don't do the just for the women dance/party band thing myself, but always appreciate the folks that do, because I have to take my wife out so she can dust off her dancing shoes.

we do LITTLE RED CORVETTE, PURPLE RAIN, and occasionally, LETS GO CRAZY. But then we cater to MN acts to a certain degree too.

[Vito Corleone]

I agree that these would work for a wedding band. I am thinking that there are some differences between wedding venues, bar gigs, and public outside parties. Mostly, I think that the crowd makeup as well as the crowd expectations are different.

 

 

Definately. We have a bunch of these dated standards that we haul out only for weddings. Our club setlist is much different. At public outside parties, it depends on the crowd makeup. If we see a bunch of 50+ heads in the crowd, we'll pull out the older stuff. It's much easier to get the kids partying to "Shout" than it is to get the old folks dancing to "Poker Face".

 

 

Do you guys think that wedding bands are being phased out by DJ? It seems kind of like that to me.

 

 

I think that's been happening for years now and likely has plateaued. The people that want bands at their wedding specifically want one. They can afford it and find it classier than having a DJ. Usually they are people who have previously attended a wedding with a live band and had a much better time than they did at weddings with DJs.

 

I have no doubt that the bulk of wedding work is going to DJs, but there still seems to be plenty of wedding work available for bands. Tons of couples are getting married every week. I only need to snag one or two a month to keep my schedule full.

[tlbonehead]

On that list, I have no problem playing Santana's "Smooth". People still ask for it and everyone gets up to dance. Not for an under ground metal band sure, put I think Smooth is a good song. Mike T.

As a guitarist, I love doing SMOOTH!

[tlbonehead]

I like classic rock but if "taking care of business" is the measuring tool for good rock, I would be among the missing, thank you. Mike T.

Ditto. I despise that song, both from playing it to death and from hearing lots of bands absolutely murder it.

[tlbonehead]

Isn't the reason anyone learned to play guitar "for the women"?

gosh, not me in the least. Seriously.

[tlbonehead]

"Jessies Girl" "Are You Gonna Be My Girl" "Jenny Jenny" "Save A Horse Ride A Cowboy" "Sweet Home Alabama" No band has ever NOT packed a dance floor with pretty wimmin playing any of these songs.

 

 

I find SWEET EMOTION to be a much more "liked" song and a far better dance song.

[Vito Corleone]

Ditto. I despise that song, both from playing it to death and from hearing lots of bands absolutely murder it.

 

 

It's one of those songs that so many bands dismiss as being so 'simple' that they never bother to play it right.

 

I don't advise any band to do songs they despise. And there are no single songs that are "must dos". But the songs you DO do have to fill that same niche. If a band doesn't want to play "Brown Eyed Girl", more power to them. But then whatever song you DO play instead better work just as well.

 

Depending on the type of gig and audience there are probably hundreds of songs that would go over as well as any of the ones mentioned here. My only advice is to make sure you choose from that list of hundreds. If you're not going to do "Pour Some Sugar On Me", than do something just as familiar that works just as well. Every band should be able to find 30 or so of these songs they want to play. If not, then there might be some other issues at play.

[Vito Corleone]

I find SWEET EMOTION to be a much more "liked" song and a far better dance song.

 

 

We do that one too. Sweet Emotion works, but more as a set-ending big rock piece than a get-the-chicks-on-the-floor dance song like Walk This Way is.

[abzurd]

Weddings tend to include playback of such favorites like "the chicken dance" and a few DJ'd songs that can't be played easily by any band. Do you guys think that wedding bands are being phased out by DJ? It seems kind of like that to me.

 

 

We provide pre-recorded cocktail, dinner, and break music, as well as most of the special dances. In essence they get both a band and a DJ. It allows them to play the Lady Gaga, Black Eyed Peas, Miley Cyrus, chicken dance, etc and all I have to do it hit play and go hit the bathroom before the next set.

 

As far as being "phased out". In our 10 year history we started getting serious into weddings about 4 yrs ago. We did a few and found we were very good at it. It's also far more rewarding than peddling booze. It doesn't hurt that there's a captive crowd and an open bar. We're not expected to bring 50 people, worry about the weather, etc. It's also nice that weddings are generally May - Oct, when the weather in Ohio is nice. In the winter we stay local and play bars. The beauty is that's when bars have people in them! Summer bar gigs can be brutal.

[Vito Corleone]

Our weddings are almost exclusively middle 20's brides.

 

 

Ours too. The problem is you never know who is on the guest list. We have a standard wedding set we show up with and then, depending on how many older people or cowboy hats are sitting at the banquet, it might get adjusted accordingly.

 

 

 

 

We provide pre-recorded cocktail, dinner, and break music, as well as most of the special dances. In essence they get both a band and a DJ. It allows them to play the Lady Gaga, Black Eyed Peas, Miley Cyrus, chicken dance, etc and all I have to do it hit play and go hit the bathroom before the next set.

 

 

We do a live cocktail set as it's fun to play some softer jazzy stuff once in a while. For the breaks, I go DJ style and crank up the wedding standards we don't play live--"Celebrate", "We Are Family", "Single Ladies"---stuff like that. So hopefully by the end of the night they've heard everything they want to hear.

[abzurd]

Ours too. The problem is you never know who is on the guest list. We have a standard wedding set we show up with and then, depending on how many older people or cowboy hats are sitting at the banquet, it might get adjusted accordingly.

 

 

I hear you there. I actually interview the potential client. I've turned down more than one wedding because we just didn't seem like a good fit. I've suggested other bands or agencies to assist. I'd rather do a bar gig or take the weekend off than struggle through a wedding, knowing this is their big day and they might be disappointed. That doesn't mean every wedding ends with people picking clothes out of the chandelier, which does happen, but 90% of them are indeed rip roarin' parties. It seems those that want bands, at least our band, know they have a fun group that will dance their rears off.

[Vito Corleone]

I hear you there. I actually interview the potential client. I've turned down more than one wedding because we just didn't seem like a good fit. I've suggested other bands or agencies to assist. I'd rather do a bar gig or take the weekend off than struggle through a wedding, knowing this is their big day and they might be disappointed. That doesn't mean every wedding ends with people picking clothes out of the chandelier, which does happen, but 90% of them are indeed rip roarin' parties. It seems those that want bands, at least our band, know they have a fun group that will dance their rears off.

 

 

Yep. Same here. If somebody starts asking for too many songs we don't do, I'll advise them we probably aren't the best band for their wedding. (Hey, you looked at our songlist before you called me, didn't you?) And I try to find out as best I can the age group of the people who are going to be there. Many times the bride wants to hire a rock band but after talking to her I figure out that most of the invited guests are her parents' over 60/country-fan friends or some such.

 

I've only had one wedding turn out to be a bit of a 'fail'. One where the crowd just didn't seem to be in the mood to party--the program was a VERY long day for the guests and by the time the music started they had already been there for HOURS---plus we just didn't have enough wedding/dance standards in our songlist yet. Learning experience for me. Yeah, it was going to be a tough crowd regardless for the reason I mentioned, but I still believe that had we been throwing them the right songs, we'd have turned it into a party.

[abzurd]

I've only had one wedding turn out to be a bit of a 'fail'. One where the crowd just didn't seem to be in the mood to party--the program was a VERY long day for the guests and by the time the music started they had already been there for HOURS---plus we just didn't have enough wedding/dance standards in our songlist yet. Learning experience for me. Yeah, it was going to be a tough crowd regardless for the reason I mentioned, but I still believe that had we been throwing them the right songs, we'd have turned it into a party.

We've only had one I'd consider a "fail" as well. Extremely controlling bride that wouldn't listen to any advice along the way. Despite my polite pleading, it was insisted that there be an hour of pre-recorded music after dinner . If that weren't enough, the songs were in specific order and were songs she liked, but not necessarily appealing to a wide audience. It was already on the small side for weddings we typically do. By the time we started there were maybe 25 people or so. The balloon never got of the ground that night. It was the only time we've ever stopped early. ... brutal.

Occasionally I'll get the final planning sheet back and see a lot of dance songs listed as "do not play" (I don't even have a do not play section). Once in a while it's so limiting that I have to remind them that, even though it's their big day, for this part of the reception it's about throwing a party for "everyone else" and just because they don't like "Play That Funky Music", I guarantee the dance floor will not be more full than when that song is played, if you allow us to do it.

[Vito Corleone]

Occasionally I'll get the final planning sheet back and see a lot of dance songs listed as "do not play" (I don't even have a do not play section). Once in a while it's so limiting that I have to remind them that, even though it's their big day, for this part of the reception it's about throwing a party for "everyone else" and just because they don't like "Play That Funky Music", I guarantee the dance floor will not be more full than when that song is played, if you allow us to do it.

 

 

I know that scenario well. "I don't blame people for not wanting to hear songs they don't like on their wedding day, but ultimately what they want most is to throw their family and friends a great party and the reason you want a top-dollar band like us is because we know how to make that happen". Or at least I try to tell them something along those lines, anyway.

 

I've got one of those coming up in a couple of weeks. BIG list of standards the bride and groom don't want to hear. Fortunately, I THINK I've got enough other good stuff that we'll still be OK. (One of the things about weddings--we rarely play more than 2hrs of music, and that's if we DON'T take a break).

[guitarjrh]

Looking for the "total sell-out" song list? Look no further than our tunes page .

Looks awfully similar to ours......