Question About Modern Appeal to a Classic Rock Band

blankstare77 · #1 05-10-2007, 07:36 AM

I love the blues-rock of the 1960's. I doubt it'll be tolerated by the public on a widescale, so I was wondering how it could appeal to modern audiences?

QORC · #2 05-10-2007, 07:52 AM

It will appeal if you're in that kind of bar.

we're talking covers, right?

How do you "sell" that? The answer is that ANY band that is a "one-trick pony" in the cover game will always have limited appeal (except for certain tribute bands).

The best way to be successful is to be able to cover lots of different songs, and slip in a few of your oldie blues songs in here and there.

If you're going to be a success at this, you have to play what people like. We have a rule in our band -- if we get a tepid reaction on a song 3x playing it out, we drop it. it's gone.

I mean, I don't have Donna Summer or Gloria Gaynor records at home and I never will, but we play some of their stuff and it works! So it stays in our set lists.

Most cover bands have that sort of formula. Bands that tend to stick to one kind of style, or one era, tend to be more limited in their appeal.

that's about all the advice I have.

FretlessArt · #3 05-10-2007, 08:02 AM

I found that a bar audience will respond to what is familier to them.

A Modern Rendition of an classic tune is generally a safe crossover for a 25yr plus crowd pleaser. If you can dance to it, generally people will like it. Most people don't think about it past that point.

Just the other day I saw a band pack the dance floor with "Mustang Sally." I wanted to puke because I have heard and played the tune so many times before. But it works.

Phalex · #4 05-10-2007, 08:16 AM

Blues works very well!! All you need to have is: 1) a great band with great material, and 2) a blues club or three in your area to play at.

It's a lot like Bubba in Forest Gump. You got Blues Clubs, Blues Jams, Blues societies, Blues Festivals...............

Kenny Allyn · #5 05-10-2007, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phalex

Blues works very well!! All you need to have is: 1) a great band with great material, and 2) a blues club or three in your area to play at.

It's a lot like Bubba in Forest Gump. You got Blues Clubs, Blues Jams, Blues societies, Blues Festivals...............

Yeah and the Blues Jams, Blues societies, and Blues Festivals in Des Moines Iowa and Cracow, Poland are probably better than the ones here ... and yet there is still work out there!

... Do I sound annoyed by the current state of the music scene ... good

txbasschik · #6 05-10-2007, 10:54 AM

Last night, we played "Harvest Moon" and "The Weight", and we had older couples (people who were young adults in the 1960's) and young couples, under age 30, all dancing with their sweeties, cheek to cheek.

Play a variety of covers. Whatever your local crowd enjoys, keep. If they don't respond to a given song after you've played it for them a few times, drop that tune.

The Knowbodys did a *very* wide variety. "Girl Don't Tell Me" by The Beach Boys could be followed up by "Plush" (STP) and then "Not Fade Away" by Buddy Holly.

Have fun with it!

Cherie

brianrost · #7 05-10-2007, 01:37 PM

Blues/rock can crossover to younger "jam band" crowds. Allman Bros. and Govt. Mule for example.

An Allmans cover/tribute band a friend plays in locally is working steadily.

Phantopeth · #8 05-10-2007, 03:35 PM

If you want to appeal to a modern audience with classic rock, it's pretty simple.

Play your usual tunes, but put a set of 20" spinners on stage, and have a scantally clad young lass instructing the crowd how to spell her favorite kinds of fruit. Also, it may help if you're drummer plays a four-piece with flat toms and constantly crashes the hell out of his ride cymbal.

But seriously... heh, I think classic rock still has a lot of appeal. But if it's a bar-band/cover gig, mixing the classic rock in with songs from other, more recent eras would be a good idea. And yea, something people can dance to is always going to be a plus.

And as always, if your guitarist and vocalist can hack it, do everyone a favor and play some Boston

thumpbass1 · #9 05-13-2007, 10:39 AM

The band I'm in gigs constantly because we do blues and
the whole classic rock jam band thing. We can go from the
older material that a lot of folks are familiar with as well as
do newer material along with originals. Great music done
with conviction and honesty as well as a sense of fun can
draw an audience both young and old.