Great Closing Songs for Cover Bands

[filwitheneff]

If we still have a hopping crowd at closing time, we'll break-out the heavier crowd-pleasers, such as:
Sweet Child O'Mine
Livin' On a Prayer
Don't Stop Believing

However, sometimes the audience is just a little more laid-back, and we'll actually end the night with something slower. Our go-to is "Blue Jean Blues" by ZZ Top (the guitarist and I are pretty big ZZ Top fans). You'd be surprised how many couples get out and slow dance to the last song, and seem happy about it.

 

[lokikallas]

Sometimes we do "Eruption/You Really Got Me"
otherwise it's usually a tossup between Separate Ways or Don't Stop Believing

 

[kittywithabanjo]

Another thing coming by Judas Priest.

 

[Honkey tonk]

 

[WI Short Scaler]

Cliché' to many perhaps, but we always end with "With a Little Help From My Friends"

We play the opening crescendo part and go into the verse E / F# part while our guitarist says thank you to old friends and new friends alike, mentions bartenders etc. It usually gets lots of "sing alongers" and there's some harmonies too. Works well for us anyway. YMMV

 

[Mike N]

We close with a Led Zeppelin medley and it goes over well.

American Band is also a good closer.

 

[badinage]

 

[packhowitzer]

this used to work pretty well:

 

[MultiScaleMale]

Cheap Trick's "Surrender" works well. Use the "Live from Budokan!" ending instead of the album fade.

 

[nickpc]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned this yet:

Sultans of Swing - Dire Straits

 

[Mechanical]

Surrender by Cheap Trick. Pick up the tempo towards the end and Bob's your uncle.

 

[Michedelic]

 

[Joedog]

This one seems to work really well.......

 

[maverick49]

Born to be Wild - Steppenwolf. Drunk folks like to think they are "wild" and usually "sing" along.

 

[crucislancer]

My last band used to end many gigs with Summer Of '69. It always worked well whether it was a club gig or big concert show.

Interesting. We usually open with that one LOL

 

[Chickenwheels]

One of my bands usually finish with "Time of my Life". Our musical range goes from cheesy to ironic.
The other band likes to finish with "The Scientist" or some other slow anthem. The range of that band is beyond definition.

 

[Robscott]

Sweet Soul Music. Every single time. Including false finish

 

[Lesfunk]

The trop rock band I work with often closes with "Fins" by jimmy Buffett and a reprise of "Dayo" by Harry Belafonte singing the lyrics "daylight come and now we gotta go home", then break down for introductions and thanks etc…

 

[Guitalia]

Friends In Low Places. The modern country band always ended with that one. The singer would go out onto the dance floor and get everyone to stand in a big circle to sing the choruses with him. Great stuff.

 

[mrcbass]

I like Shoot Me Straight as a closer. I like closing with "high energy", "leave it all on the stage" sort of songs.

My previous band played that and it was always at least a set closer. Other tunes in a similar vein:
Running Down a Dream
Midnight Train to Memphis (Kid Rock)
Sweet Emotion
Good Times Bad Times
Come Together (Aerosmith style)