Songs/Sets/Organizing a show

[guitarguy19]

There was chatter on another thread recently about how wedding bands start off with older classic rock and what not and move towards more modern music as the night goes on and Grandma heads for the exit. That's the way it's done at weddings.

 

Is there a similar style or rule of thumb for club gigs? We play a huge variety and generally try to mix everything up all night long so that we don't get people going, "oh this is a classic rock band we're outta here" early on in the night, or vice versa with the thought of playing all pop or new stuff. When do you play your best songs? Your guaranteed dance floor packers? Etc?

 

Secondly is set length and show organization. We generally play three 1 hour sets with half hour breaks. Any special consideration here to staggering things to keep people in the bars? Playing a longer 2nd set? Longer 1st 2 and shorter 3rd set? Any ideas...?

 

Lastly, do you do anything 'out of the norm' at your shows that brings good results? Just fishing for interesting ideas.

[musicmanmu]

I'm sure you'll get a dearth of good answers from the chaps here.

 

For me, for a cover band club gig, we tend to open with something newer. As long as it's not a slow song, it's fair game. For example, when Weezer's "Beverly Hills" first came out and was popular, we opened with it a lot. It's a good, catchy midtempo rocker to open with.

 

But sometimes (as my band tends to do), we switch up the set at will depending on the crowd. If the crowd is older (40s and up), we may not use that song.

 

I'm rambling...anyway, in short, something current that's recognizable and (if possible) indicative of the kind of band you guys are is the best way to go IMHO.

[TrickyBoy]

Dude, you need to find what works for YOUR band. We generally start with something that's as close to can't miss as possible AND that we play really well - Sweet Child O Mine, I Want You To Want Me, Play That Funky Music, etc.

 

Also as a general rule, our show becomes heavier as the night goes on. Teen Spirit, Paradise City, etc. generally in the third set. Poppier stuff early on.

 

I also generally avoid 30 minute breaks. CLubs here generally like you to play from 10-1:30 ish. Three hour sets with 15 minute breaks. Though we generally run 1:15 or so for our first, around the same for our second and then keep our closing set shorter.

 

IDK - hope that helps.

[guitarguy19]

Good info. The clubs here are mostly 930-130...so we pretty much do the half hour as a standard. Ive seen bands do 45 mins...that is just crazy long.

[MikeyParent]

 

Also as a general rule, our show becomes heavier as the night goes on. Teen Spirit, Paradise City, etc. generally in the third set. Poppier stuff early on.

 

+1

 

New things we just did at my new band's first gig:

 

1) We put our waltz at the end of the set so as not to interrupt the flow on the dance floor.

2) Short first set and longer 2nd and third sets, since you can expect fewer people at the start of the show.

[Hegmatronicon]

 

2) Short first set and longer 2nd and third sets, since you can expect fewer people at the start of the show.

 

 

We do this too.

 

Generally we start playing at 8/8:30 and at that time either ppl arent there yet - or they are finishing dinner/just STARTING to drink and arent ready to get wild yet.

 

We tend to start with quieter tunes so as not to suprise the management right off the bat with volume. Ease them into it so to speak. haha.

 

We kick the second set off full gas tho. Same with the last.

 

When we play gigs that start later (VERY few around here) we tend to start off a LOT more towards the vibe of the second set and work from there. No need to build into it when the crowd is already there and ready to go!

[TIMKEYS]

 

We do this too. Generally we start playing at 8/8:30 and at that time either ppl arent there yet - or they are finishing dinner/just STARTING to drink and arent ready to get wild yet. We tend to start with quieter tunes so as not to suprise the management right off the bat with volume. Ease them into it so to speak. haha. We kick the second set off full gas tho. Same with the last. When we play gigs that start later (VERY few around here) we tend to start off a LOT more towards the vibe of the second set and work from there. No need to build into it when the crowd is already there and ready to go!

 

 

we do a house band gig at a bar/food joint/ live music venue. early shows. Front man goes on solo at 7pm does an hour of acoustic singer songwriter stuff. Second set we bring up the band. What we do from there depends on what kind of crowd we have... sit and drink and dine .. or more party and dance. We generally finish up at 10:30 or 11pm.. but can extend as late as we need. Its a pretty flexable situation. we are more an entertainment act than a dance band, but we do rock it when we need to. This band does everything from dinner shows , to concert stages , to weddings, to street fairs. It goes on as a solo, duo, trio , quartet , full five piece.

[JonChorba]

For cover band gigs, we'd use this as a rule of thumb..

 

Set 1 - Focus on High Energy Songs

Set 2 - Focus on Blatantly Popular Songs

Set 3 - Focus on Drunk Sing a Longs

[mstreck]

Here is what we played at a deck bar on Friday. We had people dancing and singing along from the second song through the rest of the night... you can pick up on the "formula" of each set right away... (BTW - 30 minute breaks)

 

SET ONE

 

1. VOLCANO GIRLS

2. JUST A GIRL

3. 1985

4. I WANT YOU TO WANT ME

5. YOUR LOVE

6. 867-5309

7. BOYS OF SUMMER

8. HARD TO HANDLE

9. WALK THIS WAY

10. HIT ME

11. TUSH

12. KEEP YOUR HANDS TO YOURSELF

13. 99 RED BALLOONS

 

SET TWO

 

1. HERE FOR THE PARTY

2. BEAT IT

3. ROLLIN THE DEEP

4. LAST FRIDAY NIGHT

5. DON'T STOP BELIEVIN'

6. REBEL YELL

7. YOU SHOOK ME

8. SWEET CHILD

9. GRENADE

10. RAISE YOUR GLASS

11. YOU OUGHTA KNOW

12. ZOMBIE

 

SET THREE

 

1. F***IN