First gig coming up and lads - I need your help.

[6jase5]

If Peter Frampton can pull of a 2 hour show with 2 songs, you should be able to stretch 30 minutes. If not, two words.....banjo solo.

 

[chuck3]

First gig is on Tuesday!

I'm in a blues-rock trio and I'm singing as well as bass-playing.

Trouble is, we're a half-hour short of material. I'm not great at stage patter, so any advice on that would be great too.

I'm mostly asking you lads for blues/rock songs that would go down great in a bar populated by yuppie pricks in Central Scotland.

the all-purpose answer to questions like these:

MUSTANG SALLY!

 

[dminer]

Little bit of your love- Freddie King
Key to the highway-Freddie King
Going Down- Freddie King
Stormy Monday
Born Under a Bad Sign
Spoonful
Sitting on top of the World- The Mississippi Sheiks
You Got me Runnin/got me Hiding -Jimmy Reed
Hard Times-Skip James
Dust my Broom - Elmore James
there's a million of em...pick 5 or 6 that are easy 1/4/5's and go at em.

 

[80'sRocker]

DRUM SOLO

 

[Rebmo]

Time for Louie Louie. We had to do that years ago for an encore since we only knew one set. Turned out to be a 10 minute version with a female friend bass player from another band coming up and handling the 3 notes on my fretboard, while I picked it. Had girls dancing on stage with the singer and singing, and the crowd loved it. I don't really recommend it, but it's a last resort. hehe.

 

[txbasschik]

I like dminer's list. As for Mustang Sally and Louie Louie...BLECH!!! If you must do those, wait 'til everyone's *really* drunk.

Think of it like this...if you are playing three sets, this means you only need an extra ten minutes' material per set. So...drag out the guit solos...put two in a song if you can. Do the blues tunes dminer lists. Do a couple of crowd favorites twice, when the crowd turns over.

Voila! You have your half-hour!

Cherie

 

[Donsmoth]

Thanks lads. Update: I went to the owner of the establishment today and he says that favourites are The Kinks and Pink Floyd. Guess there's not much effort involved there, then.

Falkirk is the town

And most of the bands in the area tend to be -core metal bands and indie pop bands. There was a steely dan tribute about here that was amazing, but sadly they are not about.

And Mustang Sally? I didn't think I'd have to do it so early into my burgeoning career in music.

 

[sobie18]

Band intros over a 12-bar with each member getting a chance to blow for a while, and then thank everyone for coming out to the bar. Right into the next tune.....

 

[Distant Cousin]

And most of the bands in the area tend to be -core metal bands and indie pop bands.

Ah yes, I remember that when I lived in Glasgow. Got a bit tiresome that did! I was in a pop band and got put on the same bill as punk and metal bands many times. Are you playing with other blues/rock bands?

 

[lomo]

Quick easy blues tunes to learn:
Sweet Home Chicago
Can't Get Enough Of Your Love - Bad Co
Statesboro Blues -Allman Bros

....but any blues can be "elongated" to fit the occasion.

 

[Pilgrim]

First, extend the solos slightly.

Second, take note of which numbers get the best response and play them again at the end if you need to.

Third, come up with an original basic blues instrumental riff that you can take turns noodling with. This is less work for the bass player than the guitars.

 

[pie_man_25]

the twelve bar blues, learn that progression, and you can do a ton of s*** on the spot.

 

[txbasschik]

Thanks lads. Update: I went to the owner of the establishment today and he says that favourites are The Kinks and Pink Floyd. Guess there's not much effort involved there, then.

Falkirk is the town

And most of the bands in the area tend to be -core metal bands and indie pop bands. There was a steely dan tribute about here that was amazing, but sadly they are not about.

And Mustang Sally? I didn't think I'd have to do it so early into my burgeoning career in music.

Kinks and P. Floyd...nice! Do Comfortably Numb...there's a live version that lasts, like, 8 minutes. People love it.

Best go ahead on and put Mustang Sally in your pocket. You'll play it about a jillion times before you're done. One nice thing...its an in-your-sleep 1-4-5 that can be easily transposed to any key. Once you've got it, you've got it forever.

Cherie

 

[Jim Campbell]

Its blues, so extend each song 2 minutes with some cool soloing. just dont forget about dynamics. do some improv jamming too. both these things should fit it great in a blues rock trio.

i'm not a big fan of this.....i've heard a lot of good songs destroyed by solos that went on too long.....how about an opening act.....if you know of someone that has a half hours worth of material worked up and is ready to do it....

 

[Morgueasmic]

The logic is, if we look stupid, then it's memorable, and if we sound stupid, it's because we look stupid.

Classic, lol!

 

[PimasterPearson]

The easiest thing to do is tell people why you're going to play a song that you're about to play. If it has a bit of a story behind it, all the better (i.e. it was your mother's favorite song before she passed away, your daughter loved it when she was 6). It usually doesn't even matter if the story is true. It'll just draw people in more, and let them connect with your band more.

You can get away with doing this a few times in a night, but if you start introducing every song (or even every other song) with a short story, your audience will probably get antsy. Even if you're concerned about filling the time, you've got to keep your momentum up!

 

[bommer]

do anestesia/pulling teeth for halfhour.

i'd enjoy that

 

[john_g]

Like others have said, you can extend any blues songs pretty easily...just repeat a chorus a few more times, extend the guitard solo, etc etc. And if they give you crap just yell, achhh, ya dinne ken whats good cuz ya fae a **** town! =)

 

[txbasschik]

i'm not a big fan of this.....i've heard a lot of good songs destroyed by solos that went on too long.....how about an opening act.....if you know of someone that has a half hours worth of material worked up and is ready to do it....

We did the "opening act" thing, as we did not have enough originals for a whole night. (Had it been up to me, we would not have taken the gigs until we had enough material, but it wasn't.) Backfired on us BIG TIME!!! The audience liked the opener better, and they screwed up our whole PA setup with their truckload of effects and processors, and ended up making us have to set up our PA all over again.

The "stretch the guit lead" thing works *if* everyone is paying attention. Never have more than two of those in the song, and don't let those get too lengthy, and you're fine.

I agree on it getting boring when they just go on and on. Happens at the jam a lot. I just start playing the end progression until someone hears me and realizes the song needs to end. lol!

Cherie

 

[quadrogong]

Tuck your cable inside your strap, so the cable doesn't jerk out midsong, straplocks so the bass doesn't fall off your strap to the floor, and tape cables onto tuber,amp or effects, so u don't kick them out onstage. Take a towel invade your face or fingers get too sweaty, it can get in your eyes etc..
Bring a water onstage, and a setlist.
Forget one of these things, murphy's law, that one thing wl go wrong
It will be fun as hell
Try to stay alert and in contact with drummer, watch your cues by watching him and the singer..
Most of all, try to smile and enjoy the experience.