Unusual requests

Aaron · #1 07-07-2007, 02:56 AM

Have you ever received any requests from the audience that don't come close to fitting the situation? I remember a while back at a jazz trio gig in a cafe, someone requested Aerosmith. He was pretty adamant about it.

jackcregg · #2 07-07-2007, 07:03 AM

Im currently in a guns 'n' roses style band and some kids ran up to uas and requested crazy frog

Steve · #3 07-07-2007, 12:19 PM

Yeah, there's one of those Bozo's in every crowd.

They want all the attention they can get and to be noticed, They think it's cute and funny to yell for a death metal band to play a broadway show tune.

They really don't even want to hear the song. They just want to see if the band will jump through the hoop.

IMHO

mattq · #4 07-07-2007, 03:20 PM

i'm in a christian band and some kid asked us to play freebird at church

fettbass · #5 07-07-2007, 05:57 PM

I've only ever heard one request and it was for helter skelter. And we played it. I'm uninteresting.

alembicguy · #6 07-07-2007, 06:27 PM

I always get a good laugh at the middle age woman in the crowd who yells out METALICA because she heard someone else request it and thinks she is being young and cool until I ask her to pick one or her favorite one and she cant because she never heard one of their songs before.Just another clown at the gig looking for attention.

tadawson · #7 07-07-2007, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattq

i'm in a christian band and some kid asked us to play freebird at church

Well, did you? A lot of folks would say that Freebird was a religious experience . . .

- Tim

Anscari · #8 07-07-2007, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattq

i'm in a christian band and some kid asked us to play freebird at church

I don't know very much about all that "christian" stuff, it hasn't crossed the Atlantic, I'm afraid...

So can you tell me what's the point with the request for Freebird being special?

SoLongJake · #9 07-07-2007, 07:04 PM

its sort of a long running joke for some random drunk guy in the crowd to yell for freebird, no matter what the show or band's style might dictate. it is the first time however that i've heard of a freebird request at church, gave me a nice little chuckle.

birdxofxprey · #10 07-07-2007, 07:07 PM

[quote=Anscari;4402470]I don't know very much about all that "christian" stuff, it hasn't crossed the Atlantic, I'm afraid...
QUOTE]

yeah, it did cross the atlantic, about 500 years ago. the Spanish "explorers" we some of the first people to inflict it on the "new world."

more on topic - new year's eve, while playing top 40 covers, a drunk yells a request for elvis. we didn't oblige since it was less dangerous to have one drunk pissed because we didn't play elvis than it would have been to have all the other drunks pissed because we did...

Poop-Loops · #11 07-07-2007, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alembicguy

I always get a good laugh at the middle age woman in the crowd who yells out METALICA because she heard someone else request it and thinks she is being young and cool until I ask her to pick one or her favorite one and she cant because she never heard one of their songs before.Just another clown at the gig looking for attention.

Haha you're such a dick.

scottbass · #12 07-07-2007, 08:13 PM

The band I was playing with was a classic rock band. We opened with "Surrender" by Cheap Trick, followed by Ted Nugent's "Cat Scratch Fever." As we were playing "Paranoid", a bar napkin came up with the request on it.

Someone wanted to hear The Clarinet Polka. Either he was in the wrong bar or we were!

Akami · #13 07-07-2007, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve

Yeah, there's one of those Bozo's in every crowd.

They want all the attention they can get and to be noticed, They think it's cute and funny to yell for a death metal band to play a broadway show tune.

They really don't even want to hear the song. They just want to see if the band will jump through the hoop.

IMHO

+1

A lot of times when I get them they actually seem to have the feeling that they're in a contest to find material the band doesn't know.
Find one the band can't do and they win.
What a bunch of losers we have for audience sometimes

So come up with something the band can't play, or make them do something completely inappropriate and either way, they get to feel like they're cooler than the band.

Every once in a while I start playing a song someone asked for only to have them recant and say they don't want to hear it; they only asked because they didn't think I could do it!

jaaboy · #14 07-07-2007, 10:28 PM

its on on going joke in my local scene for someone to request slayer by everyone in the audience yelling it simultaneously "SLAYER!!!"

BellBottomBlues · #15 07-07-2007, 10:31 PM

thats a joke at every music scene Im afraid

Jim Breece · #16 07-07-2007, 10:47 PM

It used to be "Whipping Post". I feel so old.
On the other hand, do you think the prevalence of dj's and "5000 songs in a pc" karaoke has changed the audience attitude? I see (mostly) (drunken young) people wanting to sing. With the band? No, not really, just through the mike.

bassbrock · #17 07-07-2007, 11:03 PM

I was at a Blue Man Group concert and some dude requested "Freebird!" during a musical pause... LOL.

And then the band started playing it! I think it may have been a scripted part of the show.

Depth_Charge · #18 07-07-2007, 11:35 PM

I'm in a faith and gender neutral cover band and yeah we've been asked to play some songs that don't fit the situation.

I guess it happens from time to time.

Freaky Fender · #19 07-08-2007, 12:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassbrock

I was at a Blue Man Group concert and some dude requested "Freebird!" during a musical pause... LOL.

And then the band started playing it! I think it may have been a scripted part of the show.

Happened to me too.

When I saw it in Boston.

It's scripted. I think they either tell an audience member or one of the staff members switch into street clothes for it.

Scripted, but still funny.

cutthroatmolloy · #20 07-08-2007, 05:43 AM

we dont really get requests, not being a cover band that would make sense. though a few times people will ask me if we are going to be doing any manowar covers. usually people i know from a local metal forum though.
we do slip in segments of covers or other things in the middle of one of our songs though. so i did get to say yeah we're doing manowar tonight. once.. haha.