Members GWS5987 Posted August 31, 2005 Members Share Posted August 31, 2005 Hello men, If you're in a classic cover band, I would sure appreciate your posting of the songs you normally play the first set. Just looking to steal some ideas. TIA George Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fastplant Posted August 31, 2005 Members Share Posted August 31, 2005 1st set is usually for the low key, more modern stuff. Get the crowd interested, but don't expect them to be dancing just yet, so save that stuff till later. Be sure to be interesting and include songs that are cool to sing along to while sitting at the bar. Give them a taste of what they're gonna hear in the second and third sets. But don't go overboard or you can drive people away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members unichord Posted August 31, 2005 Members Share Posted August 31, 2005 Originally posted by fastplant 1st set is usually for the low key, more modern stuff. Get the crowd interested, but don't expect them to be dancing just yet, so save that stuff till later. Be sure to be interesting and include songs that are cool to sing along to while sitting at the bar. Give them a taste of what they're gonna hear in the second and third sets. But don't go overboard or you can drive people away. I agree with all of that. Our first 3 or 4 songs are usually super-easy songs that serve to make a transition from silence to band volume, set the pa/monitor levels - and to warm up the fingers/voices etc. 3 chord stuff. (hopefully purge all the butterflies and clams) The next few are wide ranging to demonstrate some of the versatility of the musicians in various styles that we re-visit in later sets......vocal showcases, harmonies, intricate solo parts etc etc...we hope to establish that - yeah - we can play. Still not as intense as later sets. We "feel" out the crowd at this point - are they dancers, singers, table pounders, oldies, metal - find out what they respond to. The songs chosen are different for each venue - tailored to the audience that is likely to be there. Get to know the audience that attends the club....for example, our last fridays job was in a small town - most of the audience were at the local high school football game till about 11 or so....we used softer material in the first set, and saved the killer stuff for later... What specific songs? Depends on YOUR band and the venue. Stay within yourself....keep your unique identity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members orfalot Posted September 1, 2005 Members Share Posted September 1, 2005 Here's a first set from about a year ago: Wish You Were HereComing Into Los AngelesHeart Of GoldWe Gotta Get Out of This PlaceAmyCan't You SeeWild Nights- John Mellencamp versionOhioThird Rate RomanceMonday MorningSummertime BluesAll Along the WatchtowerMary JaneWe Can Work It OutHey Bartender This was one of two setlist we alternated with some but little duplication when we were playing the same club back to back. I guarantee that we never stuck to either one of those a single night but that was our "framework." One song that can get them dancing a little early is Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Queen, that finds its way into our first set pretty often. Here lately we've been doing a killer version of Hotel California towards the end of the first set and thats gone over well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GWS5987 Posted September 1, 2005 Author Members Share Posted September 1, 2005 Thanks for your list slyde. I appreciate you input fastplant and unicord. Now, wouldn't you say that there are often 3 to 5 songs you almost always play the first set in a club setting? Come on man, tell me what they are (BG). Take care, George Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members unichord Posted September 1, 2005 Members Share Posted September 1, 2005 Originally posted by GWS5987 Thanks for your list slyde.I appreciate you input fastplant and unicord. Now, wouldn't you say that there are often 3 to 5 songs you almost always play the first set in a club setting? Come on man, tell me what they are (BG).Take care,George Well, here's tomorrows first set.... YOU CAN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wheresgrant3 Posted September 1, 2005 Members Share Posted September 1, 2005 We're not a classic rock band... so this probably won't help.... but it's always nice to compare. Depending how late you start the 1st set at any club is typically a snoozer. People are just arriving and barely into their first drink. So we like to start of light and then pump things up , then end with a bang. When people cheer after your first set then you know you have their attention... and will have it for the rest of the night. Here is a recent first set * Indicates it gets a better than average crowd response / indicates a transistion of one song right into the next Surrender-Cheap Trick American Girl-Tom Petty* Long Train Running-The Doobie Brothers* All Mixed Up-311* Santeria-Sublime Medley-Last Night- The Strokes/Modern Love-David Bowie/Brown Eye Girl (punk style at 110 bpm) Medley- Summer of 69-Bryan Adams/Small Things-Blink182/Melt With You-Modern English/Right Now-SR71 Vertigo-U2 Holiday-Green Day/Cold Heart Bitch-Jet Keep Them Seperated-The Offspring* Tush-ZZTop* Highway to Hell-AC/DC* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members akashick Posted September 1, 2005 Members Share Posted September 1, 2005 We usually start with a large piece of music, maybe a medley, just to have time to warm up the voices and fingers. Usually it is something that starts loud (not always) to give a hard first impression, and then calms down 'till the climax to try to get a nice first ovation. The best example for this is the Pink floyd Medley In the flesh/Thin Ice/Another Brick in the Wall part I & II We also use our covers of Highway Star, Down by the river among others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members babyfrank Posted September 2, 2005 Members Share Posted September 2, 2005 Totally agree with the previous comments - first set is to ease them in gently and see what the crowd is like. I generally prefer to save our stronger material for the second set, but there's a balance to be set in keeping them interested enough in the first set so that they actually stick around that long! Here's tomorrow night's first set as an example; Substitute American Girl I'll be there for you Where I Find My Heaven Stacy's Mom Paperback writer Crazy Horses Semi-charmed life Breakfast at Tiffanys Why Does it Always Rain Knowing Me Knowing YouLive ForeverHow LongSmooth Devil Woman Hard to handle Suffragette City Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Meatball Fulton Posted September 2, 2005 Members Share Posted September 2, 2005 I'll disagree a bit and say that the first song of ANY set should be kick-butt, as should the closer. I prefer to put the stuff that is still getting the kinks worked out in the first set so the later sets are firing on all culinders. Then over time, rotate out the good stuff from the first set to the later sets and bring in more new material. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GWS5987 Posted September 2, 2005 Author Members Share Posted September 2, 2005 Thanks for your input men, I appreciate it. George Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members axe2 2001 Posted September 3, 2005 Members Share Posted September 3, 2005 over the last 20 years we've experimented with alot of theories on how to start the night. We've found that it totally depends on the club. Smaller places that just got done serving food we'll start mellow... Spooky, Dreams, (molly hatchet), Long train runnin, (doobies) , Hard luck woman( KIss) etc.... Lots of clean guitars. If it's a biker bar we'll just do whatever and for a straight up rock club we like to go for the throat right away. War pigs, Another thing comin, Beer drinkers and hell raisers, Control, (puddle of mud) etc... The dance stuff we'll leave for the end of the 2nd and third sets. It really does take a while for everyones ears to get used to live sound so If we come out crankin we have to make sure we had a good sound check. Loud and good sounding is ok, loud and obnoxious is bad. Personally I like switching sets around just to see what works where and it keeps things from getting boring. I must say though, I don't like those slow start nights. One place we play has awesome food and when we're starting, alot of folks just got done stuffing prime rib or somthing. Nailing them with War pigs doesn't seem to work!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members orfalot Posted September 3, 2005 Members Share Posted September 3, 2005 Most of the places we play don't get cranking til later so the first set is more laid back. When there is an early crowd and we sense an opportunity to pick up the pace sooner, we do. It just doesn't happen that often. I have been surprised at the response we receive from the Jonathan Edwards tune, Sunshine. Even the young dirty dancers hit the dance floor for that one and we only play it as a first set song. The Weight by The Band is always a first set hit and we usually will do Gimme Three Steps in the first set if we're going to play it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cheesey Posted September 6, 2005 Members Share Posted September 6, 2005 we always start with this she lies to me 5440- great opener right into 2 tickets to paradise Eddie Money then its China Grove , really gets em ready to go. then by the middle of set 2 we get the led out with the immigrant song our closer has been Simple Man... jesus that is a great song i hate it when you get an encore and you have already blown your wad i have seen bands do these songs for encores, rock n roll all night , raise a little hell, this flight tonight , we did for those about to rock . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members eightball2 Posted September 10, 2005 Members Share Posted September 10, 2005 Originally posted by unichord Well, here's tomorrows first set.... YOU CAN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Scafeets Posted September 13, 2005 Members Share Posted September 13, 2005 Played a biker bar last Sat., and mixed things up for the first set: Shakey GroundFeeling AlrightCome TogetherMessin' With The KidOld ApartmentWild Nights (also done Mellencamp-style)Ain't Too Proud To BegAmerican GirlEvery Time I Roll The DiceTaking Care Of BusinessSome Kind Of Wonderful This was not our best first set. They woke up when we got to "Old Apartment" and were with us until "Some Kind of Wonderful" which we played for the first (and probably last) time. Second set should have been our first set:FreeHard to HandleAddicted To LoveKnock On WoodTumblin Dice / Honky Tonk WomanPink HousesAin't No Sunshine When Your GoneSweet Home AlabamaBrown Eyed GirlMustang SallyFigured You OutWalk This Way This set killed. Thrid set, we really tried to get with the biker program: Brown SugarJealous AgainRoadhouse BluesSweet Home ChicagoTushOld LoveThree StepsI Feel GoodThe Boys Of SummerFool For Your StockingsSoul Man Suprisingly, they really went for Boys of Summer done Ataris-style. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members planetal Posted September 13, 2005 Members Share Posted September 13, 2005 Hi,I've been doing the Classic rock cover band thing for a while.. while it does depend on the club to an extent, we tend start at a good energy level and build from there but playing easy tunes that allow us to warm up and get levels. We do play longish sets as that consistently gets the best response and keeps people in the club. Anyway this is the first set from this past weekend (I do change the sets up on a regular basis) Hurts so GoodChina GrooveGimme 3 StepsCrazy Little thing called loveheartache tonightKeep your hands to yourselfEverybody wants youtushAddicted to LoveDouble VisionManic DepressionAre you going to go my wayJust want I neededImmigrant Song That is our quiet setAl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RupertB Posted September 13, 2005 Members Share Posted September 13, 2005 Lately our first set has looked something like this: For What It's Worth - Buffalo Springfield Cinnamon Girl Secret Agent Man - Johnny Rivers Use Me - Bill Withers Turn the Page- Bob SegarI'm a Believer - Monkees Amy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GWS5987 Posted September 14, 2005 Author Members Share Posted September 14, 2005 RupertB, planetal and Scafeets, That's some fine sets. Thanks for posting them. Man, you got me thinking "What's in the second set". (BG) George Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members unichord Posted September 14, 2005 Members Share Posted September 14, 2005 Originally posted by eightball2 melt with you....oh that hurts...lol, but if it works it works...... Gotta agree with you. Painful, but the drummer likes it. Says it's an 80's staple. For what it's worth, I've NEVER seen anyone react to it. The things we do for world peace...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members crisis Posted September 14, 2005 Members Share Posted September 14, 2005 Tainted Love Echo Beach Whip it Bad Touch When I come around Boulevard of broken dreams Everything about you Nips are getting bigger One Word Can Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Z0S0 Posted September 14, 2005 Members Share Posted September 14, 2005 We'll be playing our first gig in a few months and this is what our first set will look like: Interstate Love Song Crackerman Leader Of MenShe Sells SanctuaryAll Along The WatchtowerThe MiddlePanamaBack In The U.S.S.R.Jumping Jack FlashEven FlowPushSummer of '69Roadhouse BluesAre You Gonna Go My Way Hopefully we won't crash and burn! lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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