Opening for small / mid country artists while playing covers?

[TC2112]

I was asked to join a modern country band who opens for small to mid level country artists on club tours. I live in west central Indiana, so the opportunities for these types of gigs are sorta frequent. With the number of colleges (IU, Purdue, Indiana State, Wabash, Rose Human, Vincennes, Butler, and so on...) and the mostly rural setting we have, it seems country music is the big trend on campuses around here.

I am not a country fan, but I really like the guitar player and the other guys were fun to have a beer with, plus the money was pretty good, so I said sure, I can get through an hour, once or twice a month plus a few practices. I show up for the first get together to hear some of the songs and look at charts, play with the drummer, the whole feeling out process. I find out that these guys are a cover band, not that that is bad, I just expected an opening band for touring acts would be an original act. I was told that since most of these artists we were opening for may only have one or 2 singles that anyone knows, the clubs and artist management preferred cover bands so that the crowd could dance, hear stuff they know, have something to drink beer to, and get "warmed up".

I guess the theory makes sense to me, but it certainly is (at least used to be) a different philosophy from the rock side of the coin. Opening acts used to be a chance to showcase up and coming original acts. Sure - you took some lumps sometimes, but it made you either tighter or told you if you should just pack it in. Is this a new trend in the bigger club scenes on all fronts or is this exclusive to the country genre.... or even my local scene?

[Freddels]

Doing the covers to open for the other band should be fine so long as you don't cover the band you're opening for. It's also an opportunity to start introducing some originals into the set for some exposure. You've got to start somewhere.

[modulusman]

My band is a cover country band and we have opened for B level country acts.

[TC2112]

Originally Posted by Freddels

Doing the covers to open for the other band should be fine so long as you don't cover the band you're opening for. It's also an opportunity to start introducing some originals into the set for some exposure. You've got to start somewhere.

I'm 40 and did the whole original / small club tour deal in the 80's and 90's, so it's not a matter of "starting somewhere". The music business crushed my hopes and dreams a long time ago

[jakelly]

This country cover band I used to be in would cover a lot of the better known/loved songs, and sprinkle in some obscure but really good songs that not many in the audience would have ever heard. No one in the band were really good song writers, so we borrowed some really good obscure songs that no other band in the area would likely be doing.

Nothing wrong with that, unless the band were leading others to believe they actually wrote them, which would be douchebaggery.

[Freddels]

Originally Posted by TC2112

I'm 40 and did the whole original / small club tour deal in the 80's and 90's, so it's not a matter of "starting somewhere". The music business crushed my hopes and dreams a long time ago

But I think the current country music scene is a little more forgiving. Just having the opportunity to open for some of these bands is more than you could get with a cover band in the rock scene. There's a New England country scene (seems to be a circuit from CT up through Maine) that some of the local bands play and open for some national acts. It only takes one good tune to change your life.

[sloasdaylight]

I'd think it would depend mostly on the scene that's big around your local area. You said it was country, and the reasoning that you got from the band makes sense. Around here, in Tampa, the dominant scene is the death metal umbrella of genres, and bands are allowed to play full sets of original music.

[DavidE]

Originally Posted by modulusman

My band is a cover country band and we have opened for B level country acts.

Same here.

www.jackedupband.com

[Jim Campbell]

Originally Posted by TC2112

I really like the guitar player and the other guys were fun to have a beer with, plus the money was pretty good, so I said sure, I can get through an hour, once or twice a month plus a few practices.

says it all right there.....if not i can be in indiana by tuesday.....

[bassbully]

I played in a country band that was 90% covers. They opened for nationals in the past before i joined all the time. The band sounds like fun..give it a try.