Playing part of a cover song live

[KsToaDangr]

I went out last night and saw three bands play. The second one played the intro and 1st verse of Rush's Tom Sawyer, but just stopped playing before the chorus, and started one of their originals. As if that didn't piss me off enough, the headlining band started playing Kansas's Carry On Wayward Son and cut it off after the first chorus. I was talking with the guitarist from the second band after the show, and he said that the reason they didn't play it all the way through was that they didn't know the whole song. Same thing with the headliners. I told them both that they shouldn't play a cover song unless they're going to play the whole song, and both guitarists looked at me like I was crazy. Any thoughts on bands playing partial covers instead of the full song?

[Disappear]

Some bands can pull it off. I mean even if you made a medley of them, it would be fine. As for covers, they're songs everyone knows so if you're going to not play it all/not going to do justice to the song, skip it.

[nicoli]

On cover gigs, if someone is requesting a song and the band knows enough to do part of it, I could see it. I wouldn't want to hear partial songs all night, but once in a while is ok to appease a loyal audience member. On the topic of medleys, I'm strongly in favour. They've always gone over huge when I've done them. One of my bands used to do a medley for most of our third set, and the dance floor would always be packed for the duration.

If we're talking about original bands... it's their show, they can do what they want. If they can pull it off with a nice segueway, why not?

[KsToaDangr]

Originally Posted by nicoli

On the topic of medleys, I'm strongly in favour. They've always gone over huge when I've done them. One of my bands used to do a medley for most of our third set, and the dance floor would always be packed for the duration.

If we're talking about original bands... it's their show, they can do what they want. If they can pull it off with a nice segueway, why not?

if it had been a medley, or a segue into something else, I wouldn't have had a problem with it. Stopping the music in the middle of a song to start band introductions is a problem for me.

[paganjack]

i would consider that poor form. that said i've done it (not at actual gigs, but at bogus ones) usually as a joke for our band. it will always crack us up but we forget that some people really like the songs...makes for some beautifully awkward moments.
we often played a funkified "owner of a lonely heart," or at least the main theme

[vlxyooper]

Our band will play a verse and a chorus of a song (sometimes not even that) for a short sound-check (though we did learn the song all the way through).

We also have a "last song" favorite of ours. It's for the "real" last song (after two or three other "last songs"). The drummer counts off a fast four and we all come in for the one-note down beat. with a quick "Good night everybody!"

Then there's Rip Torn (an old comedian) who wrote "The Procrastination Blues." He get's half way through the chorus, stops, and says "I'm gonna finish that one later..."

But playing only half a song because that's all you learned? Would you be happy with half-done food at a restaurant? ...or if the mechanic only fixed half your car ....or a surgeon only did half the operation because "...oh, uh, that's all I learned..." Then again, maybe the band is happy doing a half-*ssed job.

I'd say it's pretty unprofessional. Show your best work and leave the rest for another rehersal.

[Eric Perry]

Man, my old band did almost a 30 song medley. It went over incredibly well. Everywhere. In order...

Another One Bites the Dust

We’ve Got The Beat

My Sharona

Don’t You Forget About Me

Take on Me

Hungry Like the Wolf

Walk Like an Egyptian

Walking on Sunshine

I Touch Myself

Like a Virgin

Holiday

HeyMickey

We’re Not Gonna Take It

Metal Health

Back in Black

Paradise City

We Will Rock You

Separate Ways

Jump

That’s The Way

We Are Family

Dancin’ Queen

Stayin Alive

Billie Jean

Without Me

Jump Around

[Obe]

Originally Posted by Eric618

Man, my old band did almost a 30 song medley. It went over incredibly well. Everywhere. In order...

Another One Bites the Dust

We’ve Got The Beat

My Sharona

Don’t You Forget About Me

Take on Me

Hungry Like the Wolf

Walk Like an Egyptian

Walking on Sunshine

I Touch Myself

Like a Virgin

Holiday

HeyMickey

We’re Not Gonna Take It

Metal Health

Back in Black

Paradise City

We Will Rock You

Separate Ways

Jump

That’s The Way

We Are Family

Dancin’ Queen

Stayin Alive

Billie Jean

Without Me

Jump Around

Nice!!
[SNEAK_MODE] copy, paste, print, bring to band practice...[/SNEAK_MODE]

[Eric Perry]

Originally Posted by Obe

Nice!!
[SNEAK_MODE] copy, paste, print, bring to band practice...[/SNEAK_MODE]

Dude, I can give ya an mp3 of it if you'd like! lol There were lots of times we either added or subtracted parts, depending on the crowd. Our drummer called the set list, and he did an amazing job of reading a crowd!

[fretlessman71]

Primus starts out one of their songs on the live CD "Suck On This" with YYZ - they get through the 10/8 intro and go into another song.

[von buck]

I've only done it as a joke, a spur of the moment thing. It's usally a song someone requests. Well start it, for the most part butcher it, then stop.

Andy

[sonic assassin]

i want to hear that medley thing. sounds like it would make my day.

and i guess the idea would be a teaser, or to get the attention and then break into something else. it can be fun if the songs work together well. my band has done this with our own songs. we start our typical opener and break into the typically second song just to throw people off. they are in the same key, so it works.

i can see getting to the second verse of tom sawyer and then going into another song. you've kinda made your point with the cover, move on.

[Eric Perry]

I can post a link, but we all need to say, in unison: This was a half-assed recording at a college club (Luca Lounge, Bloomsburg, PA), the band members were all tangled drunk (as usual for club shows)... And in club shows the band focused more on entertainment value than precision.

One three. Ready? Oooooone..... Twwoooooo..... Three!




Okay, here you go. lol

http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/4/...%20Lounge).mp3

[easyvision]

Originally Posted by Eric618

I can post a link, but we all need to say, in unison: This was a half-assed recording at a college club (Luca Lounge, Bloomsburg, PA), the band members were all tangled drunk (as usual for club shows)... And in club shows the band focused more on entertainment value than precision.

One three. Ready? Oooooone..... Twwoooooo..... Three!




Okay, here you go. lol

http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/4/...%20Lounge).mp3

Haha that is genius! Best medley ever.

"I only put the tip in!" Classic...

Kudos to youSounds like you guys had a lot of fun up there!

[Eric Perry]

Originally Posted by easyvision

Haha that is genius! Best medley ever.

"I only put the tip in!" Classic...

Kudos to youSounds like you guys had a lot of fun up there!

Thanks! Again, that version was a train wreck. I wish I had a version from a corporate gig or a wedding so you can see that we really can play and sing. lol

[easyvision]

Well it was pretty obvious that your singer wasn't taking himself too seriously

However, given your drunken state, the changes were really tight! I'm sure the real version is awesome too but it was plainly obvious that you guys were up there having a really good time and in the end, that's all that matters

[barbarbass]

Originally Posted by Eric618

Man, my old band did almost a 30 song medley. It went over incredibly well. Everywhere. In order...

Another One Bites the Dust

We’ve Got The Beat

My Sharona

Don’t You Forget About Me

Take on Me

Hungry Like the Wolf

Walk Like an Egyptian

Walking on Sunshine

I Touch Myself

Like a Virgin

Holiday

HeyMickey

We’re Not Gonna Take It

Metal Health

Back in Black

Paradise City

We Will Rock You

Separate Ways

Jump

That’s The Way

We Are Family

Dancin’ Queen

Stayin Alive

Billie Jean

Without Me

Jump Around

Best list I've ever seen on these forums. I'll bet this went over like ****ing gangbusters. "Stayin' Alive" into "Billie Jean"? That one alone is worth admission. Very nice.

[jmac]

Originally Posted by Eric618

I can post a link, but we all need to say, in unison: This was a half-assed recording at a college club (Luca Lounge, Bloomsburg, PA), the band members were all tangled drunk (as usual for club shows)... And in club shows the band focused more on entertainment value than precision.

One three. Ready? Oooooone..... Twwoooooo..... Three!




Okay, here you go. lol

http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/4/...%20Lounge).mp3

WTH is someone from colorado doing in bloomsburg, pa?

[jgroh]

Hey Eric,

How long were you in UUU? I used to see them all the time years ago around Allentown. It was funny because we used to end up at places and joke, its either going to be UUU or Crystal Rocks here tonight...and damned if one of those bands werent there!

[jmac]

Originally Posted by jgroh

Hey Eric,

How long were you in UUU? I used to see them all the time years ago around Allentown. It was funny because we used to end up at places and joke, its either going to be UUU or Crystal Rocks here tonight...and damned if one of those bands werent there!

Ok, now it makes sense. I remember UUU. I used to work for Hybrid Ice many years ago.