Classic Rock Bar Band Setlist, what do you think?

[wades_keys]

You're allowed to say "no".

Oh I know.

 

The problem has been our guitarist is pretty contrary at times: we already have a strong "no" vote in him.

 

I could see us doing "mustang sally" but not "Brown Eyed Girl": no personal reason for that - it's just I don't think the Van Morrison vocals are in our style range.

 

Same with AC/DC or for that matter the dreaded NickelBack: that's just not our singer's style.

[twostone]

Yeah... we play most of the usual crap, but people actually ASK for stuff like "Brown eyed Girl"... Here's our set-list from last weekend: SET 1 Come Together Day Tripper Drift Away Ain't No Sunshine Old Time Rock & Roll Dock Of The Bay Stand By Me Susie Q Crossroads Long Cool Woman Summer Of '69 Run (Snow Patrol) She's Tuff SET 2 Stuck In The Middle With You Last Dance With Mary Jane Keep Your Hands To Yourself Sharp Dressed Man Unchain My Heart I Want You To Want Me I Love Rock And Roll Tush Hootchie Kootchie Man Black Magic Woman Long Train Running SET 3 Proud Mary (more like Tina than CCR) Ring Of Fire (Social Distortion version) Feel Like Makin Love Friends In Low Places Mustang Sally Brown Eyed Girl Hard To Handle Johnny B Good Wipeout Blister In The Sun La Grange SET 4 Locomotive Breath You Can't Always Get What You Want Red House Roadhouse Blues Pretty Woman La Bamba/Twist And Shout Bad Moon Rising Bring It On Home To Me Squeezebox I'm Your Man (original)

 

 

That's pretty good old geezer set list that list would go over go in a few places around here then go over like a fresh pile of stinky {censored} in other places just depends on what type of crowd your aiming for.

 

If I did a set list like that where the younger folks hang I would empty the bar because they would be bored to death.

 

Now if I did that at the old geezer clubs the place would be jumping cuz' it's songs they grew up listening to. I think the main thing is play it all from blues to metal to dance and country because variety band usually play at the top hot spots because they can whip about just about any thing that the crowd wants.

[Howie22]

 

I have, it's more modern rock these days, though we still do a few classics. I'm replying to this thread because I've been playing in cover bands for a long time. I've played with people who only play the worn out classics, I've played with people who still play the classics, but are at least a little bit creative and I've played with and become somebody who would rather hack off a limb with a rusty chainsaw than play Brown Eyed Girl ever again.

 

 

 

I think that statement speaks volumes about this issue. It's the musicians who don't like it, not the people in the audience. Sure, you have to be mindful of your audience and choose songs accordingly, but I don't think I've EVER heard anyone (other than a musician) say they didn't like that song. I've heard dozens of people say it's one of their favorite songs. I've even seen the bar staff stop what they are doing so they can listen and sing along. . .

 

A while back, I took Brown-Eyed Girl off the regular setlist. I still get requests to play it all the time. Even when someone asks for Van Morrison, I offer up a few of his songs as choices and they still pick BEG.

[GCDEF]

 

I think that statement speaks volumes about this issue. It's the musicians who don't like it, not the people in the audience. Sure, you have to be mindful of your audience and choose songs accordingly, but I don't think I've EVER heard anyone (other than a musician) say they didn't like that song. I've heard dozens of people say it's one of their favorite songs. I've even seen the bar staff stop what they are doing so they can listen and sing along. . . A while back, I took Brown-Eyed Girl off the regular setlist. I still get requests to play it all the time. Even when someone asks for Van Morrison, I offer up a few of his songs as choices and they still pick BEG.

 

 

I guess you missed my point then. I've had more people and clubs tell me how nice it is to hear something other than the same old songs over and over and over by band after band after band. I purposely pick that song to represent every mediocre, should have been retired 30 years ago song that 99% of cover bands play.

 

Sure some people may like that song, but that doesn't mean there aren't hundreds or thousands of other songs they'll like just as much. My point again is that there's no reason for somebody to come and see your band, or for a club to hire your band, if there are 20 other bands they can pick from that are playing the same songs. People and bars are looking for and hiring other forms of entertainment because cover bands are stuck in this time warp playing the same 50 songs they've all been playing for the last 30 years.

 

For every person who says they like Brown Eyed Girl, I'd bet there are 10 staying home, going to karaoke or the club with the DJ because they're sick to death of it.

 

Back when I started playing, which was in the 70s, bar bands were playing 70s rock, which was current at the time and doing well. Bar bands are still playing 70s rock, and working themselves into obsolescence. As I also said, we're playing to much, much bigger and rowdier crowds and the band is booking itself since we got away from that worn out crap and play mostly contemporary or newer stuff. Try it. People are hungry for it.

[Howie22]

 

I guess you missed my point then. I've had more people and clubs tell me how nice it is to hear something other than the same old songs over and over and over by band after band after band. I purposely pick that song to represent every mediocre, should have been retired 30 years ago song that 99% of cover bands play. Sure some people may like that song, but that doesn't mean there aren't hundreds or thousands of other songs they'll like just as much. My point again is that there's no reason for somebody to come and see your band, or for a club to hire your band, if there are 20 other bands they can pick from that are playing the same songs. People and bars are looking for and hiring other forms of entertainment because cover bands are stuck in this time warp playing the same 50 songs they've all been playing for the last 30 years. For every person who says they like Brown Eyed Girl, I'd bet there are 10 staying home, going to karaoke or the club with the DJ because they're sick to death of it. Back when I started playing, which was in the 70s, bar bands were playing 70s rock, which was current at the time and doing well. Bar bands are still playing 70s rock, and working themselves into obsolescence. As I also said, we're playing to much, much bigger and rowdier crowds and the band is booking itself since we got away from that worn out crap and play mostly contemporary or newer stuff. Try it. People are hungry for it.

 

 

I'll agree with most of what you are saying, and I do see where you are coming from. I don't agree that everyone and their brother are sick to death of the old stuff. I play a mixture of old and new to try to appeal to a wider audience. It's always the old stuff that gets people up, dancing, and singing along.

 

Everyone's experience and everyone's crowd is different.

[GCDEF]

 

I'll agree with most of what you are saying, and I do see where you are coming from. I don't agree that everyone and their brother are sick to death of the old stuff. I play a mixture of old and new to try to appeal to a wider audience. It's always the old stuff that gets people up, dancing, and singing along. Everyone's experience and everyone's crowd is different.

 

 

Not everybody is sick of it, but for every body that isn't you've got a lot that are, and for every band playing the old stuff you've got a bunch of bands competing with you. I'm saying break out of the mold and people will flock to you. I think we should make a collective effort to bring life back into the cover band business. There are so many threads here about bars not paying like they did, people not coming out like they used to and other forms of entertainment taking over. It's not really hard to figure out why.

[dk123123dk]

 

I'll agree with most of what you are saying, and I do see where you are coming from. I don't agree that everyone and their brother are sick to death of the old stuff. I play a mixture of old and new to try to appeal to a wider audience. It's always the old stuff that gets people up, dancing, and singing along. Everyone's experience and everyone's crowd is different.

 

 

I agree with this post.

 

I want to add newer music as well, but it has to be in a similar style as the rest of the tunes. This is why we play Yellow Ledbetter, its a fun easy going song, that I've heard a few folks ask "is this Hendrix?"

 

I am working on getting the guys to play some Sublime stuff, maybe some Jet. Stuff that fits in with what we do. It would be very strange to see someone play a rap song after they played a classic rock tune.

 

And yes we are in a coverband, but that doesn't mean we have to play stuff that we hate. You couldn't get me to play Nickleback, never mind sing it. Its just not something I would feel comfortable doing. At least I kinda like "Brown Eyed Girl", etc.

 

Thanks for the ideas folks.

 

dk

[wades_keys]

Band setlists evolve.

 

Your choice if you want to let it evolve in the basement or a result of gigs.

 

I've done both: i'll take the gigs anyday.

 

What I'm saying is that if you're not gigging, you can't know what'll work and what won't.

 

If you rehearse too much and gig too little, you'll wind up "tired of" tunes that are perfectly good on the gig.

[cooterbrown]

We've got a new "Mustang Sally" rule.

A substantial amount of people have to scream out the request and immediately hit the dance floor, or they can forget it.

[ski219]

 

We've got a new "Mustang Sally" rule. A substantial amount of people have to scream out the request and immediately hit the dance floor, or they can forget it.

 

 

I like it. In fact, I think every one of us should institute this rule immediately!

 

 

Cover Band Commandment #1

 

Thou shalt only play Mustang Sally if no fewer than 8 people scream out a request and report immediately to the dance floor.

[dk123123dk]

I talked to the guys tonight about adding some newish songs, and here is what we came up with. Any thoughts?

 

Newish

Use Somebody - Kings of Leon

Sex On Fire - Kings of Leon

Icky Thump - White Stripes

Fell in Love With a Girl - White Stripes

 

Older

Land Down Under - Men at Work

Who Can it be Now? - Men at Work

Come on Eileen - Dexy's Midnight Runners

Leroy Brown - Jim Croce

Little Miss Can't Be Wrong Spin Doctors

Two Princes - Spin Doctors

[cooterbrown]

I talked to the guys tonight about adding some newish songs, and here is what we came up with. Any thoughts?

 

Newish??? ...are you serious?

 

Come on Eileen - Dexy's Midnight Runners 27 years old

Leroy Brown - Jim Croce 37 years old

Little Miss Can't Be Wrong Spin Doctors 18 years old

Two Princes - Spin Doctors ditto

 

Land Down Under - Men at Work 27 years old

Who Can it be Now? - Men at Work ditto

[dk123123dk]

 

Ok fine, just the Kings of Leon and White Stripes are new. But at least the other stuff isn't really tired old classic rock.

 

Also do you think these songs will go over well? I edited the previous post, any better?

 

I also meant to list Come on Eileen as the Save Ferris version too.

 

dk

[jeff42]

 

It would be very strange to see someone play a rap song after they played a classic rock tune.

 

 

wow you should see our show... rap next to classic rock is not that strange to us. if you "sell" a popular tune the right way you can do what ever you want. It works for us. hell, we put disco next to 80s metal...

[cooterbrown]

Ok fine, just the Kings of Leon and White Stripes are new. But at least the other stuff isn't really tired old classic rock. Also do you think these songs will go over well? I edited the previous post, any better? dk

 

Maybe...a lot depends on where you're from.

A hit in one town might be a total dud, in another.

 

Honestly, you just have to come to an agreement within the band to give these songs a fair shake.

 

Just don't debut them all at once...keep at least half of your newly-learned songs in reserve. That way, if the audience doesn't go for a particular one, then plug in the next, and see how that one goes over.

 

I swore up and down when Spin Doctors first came out that "Little Miss" would kill, but it always ranged from "meh" to "dance-floor killer", in my experience.

Then, a few years ago, the band I was in played it for frat and soro parties, and the kids loved it...they knew all the words to that song, along with stuff from that same time period, like "Mr. Jones", and "Go"...it was really weird. They knew all the alt-rock stuff - grunge, Jane's Addiction, etc.

 

Like I said, decide on what you're going to learn, then give it a shot, and see how it goes.

[dk123123dk]

wow you should see our show... rap next to classic rock is not that strange to us. if you "sell" a popular tune the right way you can do what ever you want. It works for us. hell, we put disco next to 80s metal...

 

Sorry, I meant I wouldn't really be comfortable playing rap next to classic rock. I'm sure it goes over great for a lot of other bands. I've actually checked out your website and songlist, and I think you guys have a great approach, I'm just not sure it fits with the abilities of the band I'm in now.

 

Thanks for commenting.

 

dk

[dk123123dk]

 

Maybe...a lot depends on where you're from. A hit in one town might be a total dud, in another. Honestly, you just have to come to an agreement within the band to give these songs a fair shake. Just don't debut them all at once...keep at least half of your newly-learned songs in reserve. That way, if the audience doesn't go for a particular one, then plug in the next, and see how that one goes over. I swore up and down when Spin Doctors first came out that "Little Miss" would kill, but it always ranged from "meh" to "dance-floor killer", in my experience. Then, a few years ago, the band I was in played it for frat and soro parties, and the kids loved it...they knew all the words to that song, along with stuff from that same time period, like "Mr. Jones", and "Go"...it was really weird. They knew all the alt-rock stuff - grunge, Jane's Addiction, etc. Like I said, decide on what you're going to learn, then give it a shot, and see how it goes.

 

 

Right on, yeah I wasn't sure if we should play all the old music in one set, the 80's stuff in another, and the 90-00's music in the last set. Or if I should just mix them all together? I'm worried about those "dance-floor killer" type songs.

 

Thanks for the input about Little Miss, have you guys tried Two Princes? or anyone else for that matter?

 

Thanks everyone!

 

dk

[sickman]

I'm starting to get convincend that newer country with a decent looking front man/woman would kill around here. A lot of the studio stuff is dressed up, but if you listen to the live clips on youtube you could easily find enough material that is rocking and would fun to play like classic rock type stuff.

 

Something like 2/5 country, 2/5 post 90s rock, and 1/5 classic rock standards.

 

I have a dream....

[GCDEF]

 

I talked to the guys tonight about adding some newish songs, and here is what we came up with. Any thoughts? Newish Use Somebody - Kings of Leon Sex On Fire - Kings of Leon Icky Thump - White Stripes Fell in Love With a Girl - White Stripes Older Land Down Under - Men at Work Who Can it be Now? - Men at Work Come on Eileen - Dexy's Midnight Runners Leroy Brown - Jim Croce Little Miss Can't Be Wrong Spin Doctors Two Princes - Spin Doctors

 

 

Back when I was playing keys we did the Save Ferris version of Come On Eileen. It went over really well.

 

I don't see much point to the other oldies.

[jeff42]

Come on Eileen - Dexy's Midnight Runners- I have never seen it not work.

 

Leroy Brown - Jim Croce- Depends on your crowd

 

Little Miss Can't Be Wrong Spin Doctors- Curious to see how well this would work

 

Two Princes - Spin Doctors- VERY Curious to see how well this would work. It used to go over great when it came out but- who knows now?

 

 

Land Down Under - Men at Work I've seen it work, I've seen it flop. depends on the crowd.

 

Who Can it be Now? - Men at Work never heard it covered

[dk123123dk]

Do any of you guys do the Kings of Leon stuff?

 

Thanks for the suggestions. I will try the spin doctors stuff, I'm thinking it should go over well with a young hippie crowd. Its also upbeat and has good harmonies, so it should appeal to the dance crowd a little.

 

dk

[wades_keys]

 

I will try the spin doctors stuff, I'm thinking it should go over well with a young hippie crowd. Its also upbeat and has good harmonies, so it should appeal to the dance crowd a little.

 

We do "little Miss" - it goes over okay for the dance crowd.

 

Toughest part of that song for me is changing my bass tone so that the slap/pop cuts through the mix.

[ski219]

We tried out 2 princes for the first time last Saturday and the people seemed to like it. There was dancing.

[Hollow body]

Looks great for a old geezer list and old geezer clubs Have fun

 

Um, that list works for every age group, in my experience.

 

My kids preferred classic hits till maybe grade 7. They love BEG; my 26 year old daughter will hurl herself onto the floor every time it gets played. Where's the problem? People love good songs, regardless of when they were hits.

[Howie22]

 

Um, that list works for every age group, in my experience. My kids preferred classic hits till maybe grade 7. They love BEG; my 26 year old daughter will hurl herself onto the floor every time it gets played. Where's the problem? People love good songs, regardless of when they were hits.

 

 

Someone buy this guy a beer. . .

 

Your daughter is much like my wife with Mustang Sally. She loves that freakin' song. And yes, she fits into a "younger" demographic. Young or old, chicks love to sing "Ride Sally Ride" while shakin' the goods.