Ok, good backstage question here-

[Kramerguy]

We're having an interesting dilemma with breaks-

 

How long should a cover-band break between sets?

 

How long should the sets be?

 

My personal take is that breaks should be 15 minutes MAX, don't give the folks a chance to get bored and leave. Also I like 1:00-1:15 sets, but the others are focused on (3) 45-55 minute sets, with 30 minute breaks. I've argued the breaks are too long, but they claim the "average" is 30 minutes (maybe common, but average implies that other bands take MORE than 30-minutes for a break, which I just cant imagine!)

 

Thoughts? How do you do it?

[Blackbird 13]

I'm of the opinion that 1 hour set -> 30 min break -> 1 hour set -> 30 min break -> 1 hour set is the way to go, and that's how pretty much ALL the major cover bands around here do it.

 

I'll give credit to Zeromus-X on this one too.. but the breaks don't have to be people's chance to "get bored and leave". Play dance music, DJ between breaks, make the breaks as entertaining as the band!

[georgestrings]

Our 1st set is approx. 1.5 hrs, the next two are a little over 1 hour... We try to keep our breaks around 10 minutes - and you're right: people will leave during a 30 minute break... Also, I've found it's better to be playing at midnight and 1 am - people seem to consider other options if you're on break at those times...

 

 

- georgestrings

[vanlatte]

I think on average those 30 minute breaks are too long. Like you say I would not be surprised if people start leaving after 15 or so minutes of no music. It's also a good idea to stick with the 15 minutes because much longer and it's easy to start losing focus.

 

Interesting time to bring this up, the last few bands I have seen have all been taking close to 30 minutes and it's interesting to watch the place wind down. And not in a good way. :poke:

[rhat]

I dont think a set pattern is the way to go. The goal is to keep em in the bar. break time is leave time. If you got the place on a roll ,, keep playing. when you see the bar start to turn over ,, take the break. 15 mins is plenty.

 

make hay when the sun is shining so to speak. Pulling chocks on a hoppin bar room just makes it easier for them to start leaving. A couple hour set is a grind for sure... but it can be worth it when they look at the register tape at the end of the night.

[BlueStrat]

I do a 75 minute set, 20 break, 75 minute set, 20 break, 50 minute set. Sometimes I'll go up during the break if people are leaving and do some songs solo.

 

We like long sets because 1) it minimizes people taking the breaks as their cue to leave, and 2) it keeps us in shape for festival sets, which are generally 75-90 minutes.

 

I would add that Rhat makes a good point; our sets aren't carved in stone. Some venues want you to take more breaks to turn the room over. Some venues are slow starters, so we might do a short set at the beginning. When I do my solo gig, I usually don't take any breaks in three hours. It depends on the venue and the crowd. Part of being a pro is being able to read the situation and respond accordingly.

 

Someday I'll have it down!

[Dthraco]

IMHO...

 

Breaks longer than 15-20 minutes make people that are on the fense about bolting do so. People that are there for the evening seem to tolerate a 20 min break, but 30 minutes is too long.

 

As far as set length..45-60 min is ideal. With a couple songs in there at the end of each set just in case they are dancing and staying on the stage. Worst thing to do is get them out there and leave them hanging. That ties into breaks between songs too.

[Fendercaster]

I've been playing four-hour jobs in country cover bands for over thirty years. Four 45 minute sets with three 20 minute breaks is pretty standard around here.

[shredhead7]

We do 4 45 minute sets with 15 minute breaks. It goes by so fast, the sets and the breaks, it hardly feels like 4 hours.

[ChordGirl]

I think 1 hour sets with 20 min breaks is good. Longer than that, people do start to leave. That being said, one of my duets usually takes at least half an hour break. This is frustrating to me, but is something I've just had to deal with these past 4 years. In a new venue, I will push to make it 20 minutes--sometimes I've even gone onstage and played solo until he showed up.

 

In the other duet, or playing solo, I take 20 minutes. My lap steel would play all night without a break if he could.

 

I will keep playing if a bunch of people walk in at about break time. But I do need a break if I'm the only singer.

[mstreck]

We ask the venue.

[wheresgrant3]

We do 60 minutes on... 30 minutes off.... but music is spun constantly in between sets. Our lighting guy now DJ's inbetween sets instead of playing MP3's. So we're like our own mobile entertainment complex now.

 

Band recap 1-15

[rhat]

 

I do a 75 minute set, 20 break, 75 minute set, 20 break, 50 minute set. Sometimes I'll go up during the break if people are leaving and do some songs solo. We like long sets because 1) it minimizes people taking the breaks as their cue to leave, and 2) it keeps us in shape for festival sets, which are generally 75-90 minutes. I would add that Rhat makes a good point; our sets aren't carved in stone. Some venues want you to take more breaks to turn the room over. Some venues are slow starters, so we might do a short set at the beginning. When I do my solo gig, I usually don't take any breaks in three hours. It depends on the venue and the crowd. Part of being a pro is being able to read the situation and respond accordingly. Someday I'll have it down!

 

 

 

I have learned alot down here in texas about bars and people. I have been playing with a total pro that runs the bar. He doesnt miss a thing on the bar room floor. He watches the drinks ,he watches the tables and the food. his paycheck is based on what that bar does in sales. BTW I asked him the other night the question about who was the most profitable ,.the young crowd or the old farts,,,, he said no question about it , the older crowd is by far more profitable for the bar.

 

I have played three hours straight at this place. since its a jam night ,, we will switch front men on a busy night and just plow on through. it can be brutal... but its still the most fun gig I have ever had. . I love this bar

[rorylawford]

In my my mixed covers band, we generally do three 55 minute sets with 25 min breaks and usually a 15-20 minute encore in most venues.

 

My Tribute band we normally start half an hour later than other bands (10:30 instead of 10) we do a 60 minute opening set of mixed tunes , then we take a 30 minute break, then we do a two hour Tribute set.

[BlueStrat]

We ask the venue.

 

What?! That's crazy talk, Mike!

[wades_keys]

Our breaks are anywhere from 10 minutes to 20 minutes.

 

Never a 1/2 hour unless we are playing an event that has strict start/stop requirements.

[TrickyBoy]

We approach it more like Blue Strat. I like to go on around 10ish, have our first set last until about 11:20. The break until about 11:35ish and have the second set run until almost 1. We then break for another 15 or so and usually play 6-8 songs to have us wrapping up around 1:45

[Kramerguy]

thanks for all the feedback, it confirmed what I thought. And yeah, they did talk about playing dance songs for 30 mintues, but to me that's just crazy-talk: Why wouldn't the bar hire a DJ instead of us then? I used to do the 45 / 15 method in another band and as mentioned, both teh breaks and the sets seemed to FLY by.. I love playing which is why I like the 1:15 sets - I don't want to take a break lol!

 

I agree mostly with Rhat and Blue though.. Gotta play to the crowd, if the dance floor is packed, why would anyone in their right mind go on break?? Also geo - true, midnight and 1am are "decision points" for a lot of hoppers, why give them a reason to leave, instead of a reason to stay. Planning ahead of time to be playing at those times sounds like a great idea!

[Blackbird 13]

You should keep in mind that the band playing should be somewhere between a concert/event and a party. Going on break with people wanting more isn't a bad thing.. and DJing between sets seems to be the new trend for the top level bands. Likewise, your break is a good opportunity for you socialize with people (your potential new fans), and make a good impression on the bar staff (the people who you're hoping will book you back).

 

You've got to remember that when you're playing, and successful, you're not just a band playing in the corner in the bar, but you're the event, you're the entertainment for the night! Everything you do contributes to that image (or lack thereof), including the length of your set.

 

We do have a room or two that we change our times for, but that's arranged beforehand. Otherwise, we keep things consistent, and little, consistent things go a LONG way towards subconsciously building YOUR brand with your group!

[musicmanmu]

We've never really timed our breaks. Our sets are usually 3 sets of 10-15 songs, depending. The first break is typically longer (feels that way anyway), and the last break is usually shorter, because as someone else previously mentioned, that midnight hour time is when the bar is at its zenith, and you want to try to keep 'em there.

 

Pretty much every gig we've done at a bar, the bartender plays music on the digital jukebox machine as soon as we quit, or a DJ spins music, so there's always music playing - but regardless of that, if the band takes too long a break, people do leave. I'd just keep my eyes open and if you notice an exodus, get your ass back on stage

[vanlatte]

I dont think a set pattern is the way to go. The goal is to keep em in the bar. break time is leave time. If you got the place on a roll ,, keep playing. when you see the bar start to turn over ,, take the break. 15 mins is plenty. .

 

Whoa, can't believe I missed this....should be carved in stone!

 

Now that I think of it, some of the better bands you see will do this and you can almost see the gears turning between them on stage; full dance floor after already playing for an hour? No potty/beer breaks for us, what else can we play to keep them out here?

 

[ckcondon]

We break between 15-20 min. max. Too easy to lose the crowd to the other bars on the "strip" here. (Not much of a strip, but a lot of bar options in a 4-block area) "Hey, let's see who's playing at XYZ bar across the street".

If you are in a stand-alone venue it's a little easier to keep the crowd because it's a "destination". If you're playing a club in a "party district" you'd better stay on top of it or the crowd will move on, even if there's canned music playing.

[THX1138]

Ours is designed for 3 one hour sets with 20-30 minute breaks. However, we tend to play over a little on the first set, and quite a bit on the second - so the third set is usually round 40 minutes. And we're usually out in the crowd on breaks whoopin it up with people.

 

I agree with what someone said earlier - If you make it a party, you won't have people looking at their watches.

[THX1138]

 

We break between 15-20 min. max. Too easy to lose the crowd to the other bars on the "strip" here. (Not much of a strip, but a lot of bar options in a 4-block area) "Hey, let's see who's playing at XYZ bar across the street". If you are in a stand-alone venue it's a little easier to keep the crowd because it's a "destination". If you're playing a club in a "party district" you'd better stay on top of it or the crowd will move on, even if there's canned music playing.

 

 

Good point. Our gigs are destination location venues.

[newmaxnew]

In my area it is standard to do at least a 45 minute set with a 15 minute maximum break. I know some club owners that will fire your band for taking breaks longer than 15 minutes. Some clubs want music from 9:00-1:30, others go 9:00-1:00 or somtimes 9:30-1:00. Most venues expect to start on time also.

 

 

I think it is best to ask the venue what they expect you to do. If they expect 15 minute breaks and you take 30 minute breaks you may not get asked back again.

 

Max