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"Dumbing Down" Set so Headliner Sounds Better
- Thread starter unbridled
- Start date
Making your set lessl interesting to make the headliner sound better is the dumbest thing I ever heard. It's like a boxer tanking a fight. Plus, when I'm a headliner I want the opening band to shine. For one thing, people getting bored or distracted or leaving is an actual thing at all but the highest levels. When I was gigging a lot and had a persecution complex, one of the ways I thought the opening bands were conspiring against me was by sucking and making people want to leave.
Also, the headliner may be headlining, but what about the people who want to see you?
Also, the headliner may be headlining, but what about the people who want to see you?
Always go full blast-if the headliner can't keep the pace it's on then.
Haven't read through all six pages, but it looks like post #2 quoted above nailed it. IMO this isn't even something that should be in question.
So this headliner borrows your guitarist and asks you to dumb down your show? These guys sound like nothing but backstabbers. How could you possibly benefit, in any way, by doing so?
Who got you the gig? Them, or managers, or you? (I bet it wasn't the headliners, unless they blatantly have ulterior motives.)
Crush your show. Play your guts out. And thank the headliners very graciously (no snark, no implied conflict) and let your performance do the talking.
Who got you the gig? Them, or managers, or you? (I bet it wasn't the headliners, unless they blatantly have ulterior motives.)
Crush your show. Play your guts out. And thank the headliners very graciously (no snark, no implied conflict) and let your performance do the talking.
I love it when an opening band kills it. Just don’t be jerks about it. I once saw Drivin’ & Cryin’ open for Bob Dylan. Was not a D&C fan but the put on an admittedly really good show. They wrapped by saying they were headed to this local music spot to keep the party going (or something similarly cheesy). No cover with your Dylan ticket stub. There was clearly a D&C contingent there as some people did leave.
Well Dylan mailed it in that night. I got the sense that D&C knew they were the better act and Telegraphed the fact to a 95% Dylan audience. I did not think that was cool.
Thanks for reading. It took 24 years to get that off my chest
Well Dylan mailed it in that night. I got the sense that D&C knew they were the better act and Telegraphed the fact to a 95% Dylan audience. I did not think that was cool.
Thanks for reading. It took 24 years to get that off my chest
No. Neither he nor me want to go the "up and coming" route again. We're happy playing a couple nights a week, sleeping at home, and enjoying our families.
The "next new thing" whose rhythm player fell and sprained his wrist
I was offered the bass gig last night. Probably because I can sing high harmonies. Neither myself not guitarist wants to go there.
We brought it and killed it. The only thing we did was to have the guitarist change shirts between the sets.
Headliner did ok but learned a bit about stagecraft and thanked us for doing the gig. He told the crowd "sorry, I have a bit of a cold and am not on top of my game," (NEVER apologize to the crowd, unless you have a good reason to.)
Crowd loved us.
Tonight's gig will be for 100 people and we'll put in the same amount of energy into it, have fun, get paid, and sleep in our own beds.
Headliner did ok but learned a bit about stagecraft and thanked us for doing the gig. He told the crowd "sorry, I have a bit of a cold and am not on top of my game," (NEVER apologize to the crowd, unless you have a good reason to.)
Crowd loved us.
Tonight's gig will be for 100 people and we'll put in the same amount of energy into it, have fun, get paid, and sleep in our own beds.
Attachments
hi unbridled
Yes!!!!!! This is rock & roll!
That said, you will probably not have the same sound and light as the headliner anyway.
(someone will take care of that)
So I say; Go!!!! Full energy! Rock the house as good as you can!
greetings
)
Wise(b)ass
I just have to comment:
I notice people say things like this on Talkbass, i.e., "...you will probably not have the same sound and light as the headliner anyway". This isn't the first time I've read it. What on earth is going on? Stage lighting is one thing, you expect that to be spectacular for the headliner. As it should be. But there is no reason why you shouldn't be getting great sound at any show where there's a proper house system or a decent sound company. Your sound should always be as good as it can get. Period. That's why your there. It's a concert! Jeez Louise!
Why would you play any show where you think you will be getting second rate sound compared to anyone else? Including the headliner if your an opening act. That just doesn't make any sense. I am assuming this is really happening and not just an excuse for not sounding good at any particular performance. Can you come to some kind of understanding with the promoter, etc.? Otherwise, I would just pass on the show. Because something like that if its really happening is just plan rotten. It certainly isn't fair to the audience. Trust me, supporting the headliner doesn't include permitting somebody to sabotage your performance by cutting you short on subs, compressors, eq or anything else. Let somebody else be the chump if anybody wants to do something like that.
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We’ve done shows where we heard the headliner sound checking a song that was in our set; out of respect, we dropped it from ours as an opener.
I played a showcase recently where out of four bands, mine was right before the headliner.
The headliner blew us out of the water and schooled us hard. I was taking notes.
This gal I’m working with isn’t usually shown up by too many acts because the girl can sing like you wouldn’t believe, but that night, our butts were handed to us and good for them.
Later on, I found out they were just a notch away from hitting the big time
The headliner blew us out of the water and schooled us hard. I was taking notes.
This gal I’m working with isn’t usually shown up by too many acts because the girl can sing like you wouldn’t believe, but that night, our butts were handed to us and good for them.
Later on, I found out they were just a notch away from hitting the big time
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We got great sound and good lights. The old idea of getting "worse" sound has kind of been shattered since digital mixers came to be. Might get less volume, but if you're nice to the monitor and FOH guys, they'll give you good sound. (I knew one of them anyway. He told us we killed it.) I had one of the best monitor mixes I've had.
good.
HECK YEAH!
only non-headliner family festivals get consistent good sound around here. Even our JazzFest will sound great while the sun's up during the meh national/international acts, then the one or two bands before the night's heavy draw will inexplicably have garbage mush sound only for Stanley or Aretha to sound absolutely stellar.
I love it when an opening band kills it. Just don’t be jerks about it. I once saw Drivin’ & Cryin’ open for Bob Dylan. Was not a D&C fan but the put on an admittedly really good show. They wrapped by saying they were headed to this local music spot to keep the party going (or something similarly cheesy). No cover with your Dylan ticket stub. There was clearly a D&C contingent there as some people did leave.
Well Dylan mailed it in that night. I got the sense that D&C knew they were the better act and Telegraphed the fact to a 95% Dylan audience. I did not think that was cool.
Thanks for reading. It took 24 years to get that off my chest
Funny, the best BD show I have ever seen BY FAR was when he was the opening act for Van Morrison. He really rocked! Very strange...
The best way to become a headlining band yourselves is to blow people away (and the headliner band) with your opener sets!
Congrats on your set, well done!
And also, congrats on posting the only “opinion” thread I can recall where everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, is in agreement.
Amazing!
And also, congrats on posting the only “opinion” thread I can recall where everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, is in agreement.
Amazing!
That's how it should be. It's disturbing to hear that's not how it always is now. I can't comment any further about people who would sabotage like that without violating forum rules. Which is probably just as well.
You already figured out to always put on the best show you can. The audience deserves it. They paid good money to see the show. Give them the best you've got.
