Gig coming up: problem with setlist

[BillyRay]

We're playing a small dive in prep. for a big gig in September (that'll probably be the band's last show with the current line-up) and the club manager thought he would give a friend's band a chance to play in front of an audience and make some dough. We'll be playing two sets, most of it new covers with some originals and we'll be leaving out the bulk of out "hit" songs: the ones we can play behind our back while reading a book and still make them work.

Now, this band has three covers that we also do and they're a new band. They're adamament about keeping them in since they have limited material, but we're also feeling the same way since we want to arrive in September having gigged every song in the play book to avoid excessive nervousness and to make them tighter (a gig = 25 rehearsals IMHO).

Since this is a pretty low-key affair, would it be adivsable not to get in a dispute over such a small matter and just perform the three songs last ? If I stay with the band (and prevent it from breaking up) these guys would make a nice sub band in the future with some work, so burning the bridge with them and telling them off is not really an option.

[Joel S.]

Normally I'd say since you're the main band, they have to modify their setlist for you, but since they're friend's of the manager that gives them an advantage.

Honestly, if they're playing first, I'd let them play the songs, and just play them again late in the night when everyone is too drunk to notice.

Oddly enough one of my bands is in a similar situation, only the opening band had 8 of our songs in their 12 song set. We told them no way in hell.

[LarryO]

JUst my opinion.......if you have plenty of material and they don't , why don't you just be nice and not play those songs? Or maybe see which one the crowd responds to best and play only that one. Local bands are supposed to support each other, not bicker over song material (which neither of you wrote anyway). Take the high road

[HomeBrewTJ]

Originally Posted by LarryO

JUst my opinion.......if you have plenty of material and they don't , why don't you just be nice and not play those songs? Or maybe see which one the crowd responds to best and play only that one. Local bands are supposed to support each other, not bicker over song material (which neither of you wrote anyway). Take the high road

yep.

[jtc_hunter]

Originally Posted by Joel S.

Normally I'd say since you're the main band, they have to modify their setlist for you, but since they're friend's of the manager that gives them an advantage.

Honestly, if they're playing first, I'd let them play the songs, and just play them again late in the night when everyone is too drunk to notice.

Oddly enough one of my bands is in a similar situation, only the opening band had 8 of our songs in their 12 song set. We told them no way in hell.

+1 agreed

[QORC]

if it's probably your last gig, what's the difference? You have lots of material. Don't play songs they play

[BillyRay]

Last gig with the current lineup. There's a big chance I'm poaching the singer/guitarist and I have a drumme rin the wings... So it'd be nice to have the songs nailed so we can just carry on afterwards.

[OtterOnBass]

Might I suggest picking less popular covers? If it was one song that you both played, I'd think it was a coincidence. If you're an originals band, try to pick less-played songs that match your image. The best, IMO, are songs that people don't know they know until they hear them. Sometimes songs that are obscure but a later group stole the main riff, are good choices - people are used to the riff, but the songs seems new. For example, Under Pressure (Ice Ice Baby's riff).

[phatbass]

I'd be gracious about it since they have a limited selection of songs let them do what they want.

[Stumbo]

Originally Posted by BillyRay

1) ... they have limited material, but
2) we're also feeling the same way since
3) we want to arrive in September having gigged every song in the play book
4) to avoid excessive nervousness and
5) to make them tighter
6) (a gig = 25 rehearsals IMHO).

7) Since this is a pretty low-key affair,
8) would it be adivsable not to get in a dispute over such a small matter and
9) just perform the three songs last ?
10) If I stay with the band
11) (and prevent it from breaking up)
12) these guys would make a nice sub band in the future with some work,
13) so burning the bridge with them and
14)telling them off is not really an option.

You have a lot on your mind based on 3 cover tunes.

Since it's your last gig (or is it?) just relax, play some of you other tunes or repeat all of the covers (it's not that big of a deal (do I see a mole hill somewhere?). Just have fun, relax and put on a good show. No one will point fingers at you if you repeat one or all of the covers.

[BillyRay]

Stumbo, I'm a list guy, so I'll tend to rationalize too much stuff that is usually not a blimp on the radar of most people. Probably comes from my literary background where people often analyze 1 page of a book and theorize on it for 185 pages themselves

[GreenFunkGuy]

You two should split some of the songs, and have each other guest appear and jam out on the songs you two do know. Itd be a huge crowd pleaser and a fun way to solve this unpleasentness