How far should we go when trying to please?

[SusieP]

I know from reading here for a little while now that many of us solo/duo performers play/sing for weddings and that kind of thing.

Also, I know that it is usual - particularly for a wedding party - for the happy couple to have a 'special song' and to expect us to perform it.

And if the song isn't in our repertoire, then if we have time between the booking and the event we can learn the song.

 

But how far should the entertainer go in giving the people booking us what songs they want?

 

We got a short notice booking for this weekend.

It is a Wedding Anniversary dinner for 26 people in a room at a Hotel.

The Event organiser at the Hotel has booked us for Hotel functions a few times. And she knows that we play jazzy standards from the Great American Songbook.

We can also do some 'pop' music for dancing if it is that kind of event but she hasn't seen that part of our show.

She recommended us to the couple celebrating their Anniversary and they looked at our website.

They booked us a few weeks ago to play three 40 minute sets of dinner music from 6pm til 10pm.

And to play background music [on Cd] in between live sets.

 

Yesterday, the guy emailed to ask if we could play a song list for him.

 

It has THIRTY ONE songs on it.

3 are dinner music and we know them and can play them.

The others are 80s pop songs, some were big hits here, some not so big hits.

Many are not really the kind of song you would normally play to get people on the dance floor but they obviously mean a lot to him and his wife.

But they certainly can't be described as 'easy listening dinner music.'

 

Luckily we can play most of the songs on his list from our selection of 'background music' CDs during our breaks and we've now agreed to play only 2 sets of dinner music and then finish with one live set of 'dance' music. So he'll get most of his songs on the night.

 

 

So, even if a performer has a wide repertoire of songs, is it reasonable for someone booking us to have a list of 31 'special songs' and to only give us the list with two days to go before the gig?

We haven't even got time to learn songs.

 

I guess what I'm asking is, how far along should we go to accommodate people's wishes?

Should they just be satisfied with the songs we know and know well enough to perform in a polished and professional way?

 

And if they have so many requests that clearly aren't the type of songs we do, shouldn't they have booked a DJ?

 

 

Also the guy bartered over our fee, and we've let him knock us down to

[MrKnobs]

You answered your own question.

 

Your customer's list is a "wish list." You should reply that you do some of those, and you'll play some others on the breaks. That should be enough to satisfy him. It's too much to ask you to change your entire repertoire, short notice or not.

 

Terry D.

[OldGuitarPlayer]

[video=youtube;11GEx-PyNAc]

[daddymack]

^ and yet...he is a big enough whore not to turn it down...

 

I think Knobs hit it pretty well...cover the songs you can, load the rest in the iPod...

Obviously, had you had more time it would not have killed you to learn a couple of new songs...but with such short notice, cover your butt and take the check... (and get the deposit up front!)

[BlueStrat]

I always tell them that if they're booking me or my band,they're booking it because of what WE DO. I offer to give them one special song, and that's it.

[Bob Dey]

Well, it wouldn't make sense to try to learn a bunch of songs for one gig. I've learned a few for weddings and usually never did the songs again. Now if learning the songs is required to get the contract signed, you have to decide if it's worth it or not. But if the contract is signed and there's nothing in it stating that you must play certain songs, there isn't much to worry about. Just be friendly and say no. Play the songs on their CDs and pretend you're a DJ for a while if you have to.

[glepko]

let's have a gander at that list and a poll in advance - of the remaining 80's pop tunes, how many do some of us already play. but seriously, i am always curious what a paying client would 'like' to hear, whether i play it or not, gives an idea how to approach songs already in the list which have ability to played with different energy levels.

[pogo97]

You'll do yourself no good covering songs that don't suit you. At best, you'll dilute your image and a worst you'll sound lousy when you do them.

 

Sometimes when people make lists they think that more is better. If you want to be really nice, ask for his top three and learn them.

 

I just finished a benefit gig where our singer offered to do all latin stuff (and yes, her offering us for free to do a bunch of new material is a problem). I spent days and days learning bossa novas etc. We played well, but absolutely no-one but me knew or cared how much work I put into it. Not a tragedy since they were at least re-usable songs without getting outside our 'image' too much; what I really dislike is spending serious time on songs that I KNOW we'll never play again.

[Telecruiser]

I always tell them that if they're booking me or my band,they're booking it because of what WE DO. I offer to give them one special song, and that's it.

 

^^^THIS^^^

[OldGuitarPlayer]

There is a lot of great advice here and I agree with most of the comments but like it's already been asked "how badly do you need this gig?"

 

I would politely explain to the booker/wedding planner that you can do maybe a couple of the songs requested but the rest you can supply on CD between breaks but realistically you are not prepared to change your entire setlist for them. I have looked at your webpage and think you already do a good variety of tunes for all ages. Some people just need to be control freaks and have no idea how playing live music works.

[lz4005]

 

I offer to give them one special song, and that's it.

 

 

Most wedding bands I know of specify in their contract the number of special songs they'll learn for an event. Always 5 or less, and always with 30 days notice.

[SusieP]

Most wedding bands I know of specify in their contract the number of special songs they'll learn for an event. Always 5 or less, and always with 30 days notice.

 

Very wise.

Ask 'em what they'd say to a guy sending them a request list of 31 songs two days before the party!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

:lol:

[MrKnobs]

Thanks. A list of thirty one songs at approx 3 minutes each is an hour and a half. He's got a bloody cheek asking, hasn't he?

 

I think there's some overreaction on your end. Your client didn't say "I expect you to play all these songs or you won't be paid," he simply gave you a wish list. You and I and everyone here on this forum knows it's completely unreasonable but he may actually be so ignorant of how bands work that he doesn't understand that.

 

More likely though, that's simply his wish list to give you an idea of the sort of stuff he likes. Don't take it personally.

 

In my day job I'm routinely flabbergasted by people making incredible requests. I'm very glad these are usually made over the phone or by email as then the client can't see my eyes as wide as saucers and I have the mute button on the phone when I can't control my laughter.

 

The City of Austin called me one time and told they had $10,000 they wanted to invest in trying my new method for detecting clear ice on bridges. That was a little tight, considering the cost of parts, my crew, hand fabricating the system and extensively testing it before installation, then traffic control installing it in the pavement on the interstate, bucket truck to get the radio component up on a nearby sign for good line of sight, overtime and hazard pay for the crew since this would have to be done in the wee hours of the morning due to traffic, etc. etc. But still, a foot in the door closer to home than the 8 hour drive to Amarillo where my first system was. Worth taking a little loss.

 

Then they told me they wanted THREE systems installed for that $10k.

 

It's the same deal with non-musicians and bands, like in the video DaddyMack posted. It's nearly unthinkable people can be that ignorant and downright stupid, but the evidence presents itself to us every day.

 

Terry D.

[SusieP]

I'm not overreacting, really, Mr Knobs, so don't worry. [Hugs for taking care of me]

Everything is cool.

He's more than happy with the songs we can do live for him and he's happy that we have so many of the songs on his list to play in breaks. So it's all sorted out ok.

I was just wondering what you guys do in similar situations.

And whether you thought he was a cheeky bugger for issuing such a long list at such short notice.

 

[pogo97]

The list is hysterical---more-or-less every style since 1950 except bebop, John Cage and bossa nova. It would take me a week to learn a Billy Ocean song (Get Into My Car!!!) so that it wasn't just lame. Then do that thirty times. Delightful.

 

Glad you got it sorted out.

[SusieP]

The list is hysterical---more-or-less every style since 1950 except bebop, John Cage and bossa nova. It would take me a week to learn a Billy Ocean song (Get Into My Car!!!) so that it wasn't just lame. Then do that thirty times. Delightful. Glad you got it sorted out.

 

It is hysterical isn't it! ?

 

And yet, we do actually do a Billy Ocean song in our dance set [Love Really Hurts Without You] - but guess what? He hasn't asked for that one!!!!

Typical.

He wants 'When The Going Gets Tough'

 

It's hilarious.

He books a sax, drums, bongos and congas Duo to play jazzy dinner music for a sit-down dinner event and then sends them a list of guitar based pop stuff for dancing to!

 

Anyway, as I said, we have now agreed to play only 2 sets of jazzy dinner stuff and our last set will now be dancy pop stuff.

 

And there will be 15 of his bloody obscure control freak demanded songs played along with others on CDs in our breaks.

 

 

He'd better bloody like it otherwise I'll be asking some Sicilians to make him an offer he can't refuse.

 

 

 

Just one problem there................I don't know any Sicilians.

 

[MrKnobs]

Everything is cool.

 

I'm still trying to figure out if the "P" in SusieP is supposed to be your initial or the tongue thing ----->

 

 

Terry D.

[pogo97]

... Sicilians.

 

Sister Susie searched the seaside sighing for Sicilians.

 

I had a friend whose given name was Susan. But she lisped as child and after some years of misery, changed her name to Kate.

[SusieP]

 

Sister Susie searched the seaside sighing for Sicilians. I had a friend whose given name was Susan. But she lisped as child and after some years of misery, changed her name to Kate.

 

 

 

That made me laugh out loud.

 

Is it true?

[pogo97]

yes

[SusieP]

:lol: