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Cool things to say between songs

#125
pinkzepphish said:
"I HAVENT SHOWERED IN EIGHT WEEKS!" but you gotta scream it, and hit the next song pronto or else they have too much time to think. Gotta love Strapping Yound Lad : )
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Lol, I love his random exclamations. "You know what else? You wanna know what else?! I suck dick for crack money!!"

Anyway, in all seriousness, if there are other bands playing, it's usually a good idea to mention how good their set was. Even if it wasn't, it's nice and will make them feel a little better. It's a good way to make friends of other bands, and therefore get more gigs.
 
#128
I've always thought there were two distinct skills involved with being a successful working musician. Well, three. Only the first is your actual musical skill. The second is how to perform. (The third is the business part, at which I thoroughly suck). I am pretty good at banter, having been working clubs since I was 16. You have to talk to the crowd, to some extent. Silence on stage is generally NOT setting up the good-time vibe you want. I generally set up the next song, often thinking about how I'm going to set it up while I play the tune prior. I just try to keep it real. Try to fake it and it will show. But silence is the enemy of your gig, so smile, introduce the next song, and periodically introduce the band or remind people to tip, if that's all you've got. Watch other people's shows and use their stuff. I do that all the time.
 
#130
I sat there one time while Lou Reed explained that "the main riff in Sweet Jane is actually comprised of FOUR chords, rather than the more commonly assumed THREE chords." He gave everyone a guitar lesson. It was awesome because it was Lou Reed... Giving people a guitar lesson...
 
#132
mightypog said:
I've always thought there were two distinct skills involved with being a successful working musician. Well, three. Only the first is your actual musical skill. The second is how to perform. (The third is the business part, at which I thoroughly suck). I am pretty good at banter, having been working clubs since I was 16. You have to talk to the crowd, to some extent. Silence on stage is generally NOT setting up the good-time vibe you want. I generally set up the next song, often thinking about how I'm going to set it up while I play the tune prior. I just try to keep it real. Try to fake it and it will show. But silence is the enemy of your gig, so smile, introduce the next song, and periodically introduce the band or remind people to tip, if that's all you've got. Watch other people's shows and use their stuff. I do that all the time.
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best advice yet. I couldn't agree more
 
#133
"Get the **** up Cleveland! I want to see a ****ing circle pit right here!"

Depends on the crowd... might not work in a sports bar, or with some genres of music.

Or you could just say nothing between songs, and walk off stage at the end of your set with your instruments leaned on the backline feeding back at full volume.

My singer cuts himself sometimes, or bites himself until he bleeds... on stage... that works too.
 
#135
what ever it is has to be honest and real.

I'm a fan of a "thank you" or a sincere give away drinks, CDs etc.

If you're in synch with the audience, have a table set up with schedules etc - point this out.

If you have a good sensibility, it's nice to have musicians sit in.. especially singers (for one song)

Worst one I EVER was with was at a Ski Hill.... we packed the place.. were doing well.. There was a very specific country singer who sold out 6 nights in a row at the Target center.. voice from the floor "George Straight" .. voice from the stage "Who's that"..... he could have handed me a mike and I could have done a quick Amarillo By Morning.
 
#137
All that aside, I have to do the banter for the band because the singer doesn't like to talk in front of people. :rolleyes: He'll sing the songs but I've got to introduce the band and do the usual fill ins between songs.

I think I'm going to start using quotes from the Blues Brothers.

"Good to see all of you tonight. We're the....Good Ol'..... Blues..... Boys..... Brothers Band. Hope you like our show."
 
#139
You mentioned that a couple of your group were new to performing. Make set lists in LARGE type, with keys for everybody. A lot of the common suggestions have been made already (wait staff, bar owner, band intro, etc.) plug your e-mail list and web/myspace/youtube sites often. Read the crowd and adjust your banter accordingly with the objective of getting them involved whether it's getting them on the dance floor, singing along. If you bring along some friends, tell them their job is to get up on the dance floor and sing along (if appropriate) make sure you make your set list figuring time in for guitars and bass to check tuning and make sure they can do it quickly and silently. Most importantly, HAVE FUN. It is contagious.
 

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