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CD Intros?

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Dkerwood

Aug 5, 2005
1,601
117
Midwest
#1
Hey, guys, do any of you play a track before your first song to get the audience pumped up?

We did this at our last gig - we played about 60 seconds of "It's Raining On Prom Night" from Grease (our theme for the concert was Rockin' on Prom Night) and then rocking into our first song. The stage was dark, save for some stage lighting simulating lightning. The whole track was effected to sound like an old vinyl LP, complete with the sound of the needle setting down before the track and the needle being pushed off the record to cue our entrance.

Anyway, we really liked that idea, but I don't think we could use that track again... So I'm looking for suggestions. We just want about 45-60 seconds of a recognizable tune that will pull people in - either out of direct contrast to our alternative rock sound or out of sheer infectious power of the song.

Oh, we're also a Christian band, so keep that in mind while making suggestions.

My thoughts so far:

Mr. Rogers Neighborhood Theme Song
Jump - Van Halen
Power of Love - Huey Lewis
We Built This City - Jefferson Starship

Anybody else do this? I welcome all thoughts, stories, and suggestions.
 
#6
I use them all the time. I'm in a goregrind band and we always have an opening song. We've used Chariots of Fire, Fishheads (i don't know who its by), and some others. We use them to kinda get the audience a bit more excited and things to that effect. We usually mingle with the crowd while the intro song is playing. Sometimes we dance with them and stuff like that.

We also have an intro for every song that we play. Most people would think this gets very stupid and repetative, but they are very short for the most part and the songs are maybe a minute long. They are usually just funny lines from movies and stuff like that. You can listen to 2 of our songs on our myspace. Link Removed. its got some bad stuff on there so i wouldn't recommend looking at work but thats how we use the intros for songs.
 
#7
have you heard of a worship team called Hillsong United? the United means the youth program of the church, which is in Australia. on their latest CD they play an all instrumental intro. it's pretty sweet. if you watch the DVD you get to see the light show, too :) .
 
#9
I recall back in the seventies seeing the main act (don't remember who) start the show with just the guitar and vocals, several measures later the drums came in real big and cool. Later the bass came in and did it sound great. A real nice build up that had a great effect.
 
#10
Just so that we don't get off track here, I'm talking about playing a recorded CD track prior to us playing a single note... not about instrumental intros performed live onstage.

Those are cool, too, I just don't want to get off track. :-)
 
#11
"Come on down!"
My band used to use stuff like The Price is Right at the beginning or in the middle of a set. We had several songs like that for special occasions like Halloween, birthdays, etc. The band would then blend in and as the track faded out, we would take it over and extend the theme for various things like giveways and contests. Other times, we would call random stuff like that for no reason just for kicks. The audiences loved it. I don't play with those guys anymore but it was fun while it lasted. To give you a sense of perspective, the band was very similar to the Dead Kenny G's. We were called Jazz Discharge. :D
 
#17
Something to be said for a really cool "groove" taking in the crowd. I saw the "But, Seriously" tour with Phil Collins, and there was a tune, (Hand in Hand, I think, according to the set list for the tour), that starts out with a great groove, and while that's going on, the stage surround opened up like a giant hand with the "fingers" opening out and up over the crowd exposing the stage and the players! It was an awsome effect!

Find a groove that you can do that really lays it down and then vamp on it until the lights are up and you drive into the first tune! Worked for Phil! (of course, that WAS his first tune...);)
 
#19
jellisii said:
I'd submit that StarWars might be a bit too pretentious.

Rush on one tour used the theme from "The Beverly Hillbillies". I laughed when I heard it on the live album for the tour.
Click to expand...
Okay, maybe I missed the point;
Go with "Gilligan's Island" or "Lost in Space", (either of the two themes). If those don't work, then how about

...The Jetsons"...???
 

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