I like Woody Herman too, but to alot of people that song (especially the intro) sounds a bit like a trombone tuning 
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Opening with a slow instrumental?
- Thread starter Alexis Duntov
- Start date
I suppose that would also work with pink floyds "us and them". Practically the same song musically. Of course parson was the engineer on darkside, so it rubbed off pretty hard.
+1
If you have to save the good ones for later, you need to upgrade your set list.
My band (a power trio) plays an agressive, loud, mixture of rock with blues and funk (all songs are own material). We start every show with an improvised jamsession. Sometimes this is a slow blues, sometimes we rock really hard, but most of the time we mix that session up. So it immediately puts a lot of pressure on all three of us to preform, because we all have to keep it going en be sharp to follow and lead whenever it is asked of someone. I Love it this way... I guess it all just comes down to what you like as band. But that song in no way or form sounds like an opener to me... Great as a first song on record, but won't get the audience goin'. (would be a great one to put in the middle just before a more uptempo one)
We use it as our sound check song it has all the instruments in it and will can lock in our levels.
Man people love Europa apparently! I'd never heard the song before our old guitarist suggested it, I didn't know it was so popular.
You play this SLOWER than the original?! Wow. Of course, it depends on the venue and the audience, but generally my band always opens (and closes) a set with something mid-to-uptempo. You've got to get peoples attention and show some energy, or else why should they bother to listen to you. Slow songs have their place, for sure, but generally in the middle of the set.
I listened to the song and it makes me want to slit my wrists as both an audience member and a musician. I think it's best to start the gig with a song that
a) gets the audience excited.
b) leaves you room to grow in excitement within the first subsection of your set
c) is something the musicians are really comfortable with so they can adjust sound levels and gain confidence
d) makes a good impression
I always start my gigs with Blue Bossa played slightly faster than the original. This is a song every cat in town knows how to play. I personally can solo over it and play it in my sleep. We play it a bit up, to make it lively for the audience. I know I will eventually have to change it because musicians will get tired of it, in which case I will probably start with Ladybird because it meets the same criteria as Blue Bossa....
a) gets the audience excited.
b) leaves you room to grow in excitement within the first subsection of your set
c) is something the musicians are really comfortable with so they can adjust sound levels and gain confidence
d) makes a good impression
I always start my gigs with Blue Bossa played slightly faster than the original. This is a song every cat in town knows how to play. I personally can solo over it and play it in my sleep. We play it a bit up, to make it lively for the audience. I know I will eventually have to change it because musicians will get tired of it, in which case I will probably start with Ladybird because it meets the same criteria as Blue Bossa....
As other people have said, it depends on the venue, what sort of band, what you're trying to accomplish, et cetera.
For a jazzy dance type band, I could see this being a great slow dance song, but as opener it wouldn't be my first choice. In my last gig, my band (which is instrumental rock) started off with the Pirates of the Carribean theme, because it's fun, pretty easy, and everybody knows it. For a jazz band, there's a lot of jazz songs that they use in movies that people would probably recognize. Off the top of my head, 'Beyond the Sea' is used in a few, and is pretty catchy and up-beat.
With regard to your band, I would try to handle it like a team player: tell them how you feel and why, and be persuasive without being overbearing. I hope everything works out with you and your band!
By the way, I do dig jazz.
For a jazzy dance type band, I could see this being a great slow dance song, but as opener it wouldn't be my first choice. In my last gig, my band (which is instrumental rock) started off with the Pirates of the Carribean theme, because it's fun, pretty easy, and everybody knows it. For a jazz band, there's a lot of jazz songs that they use in movies that people would probably recognize. Off the top of my head, 'Beyond the Sea' is used in a few, and is pretty catchy and up-beat.
With regard to your band, I would try to handle it like a team player: tell them how you feel and why, and be persuasive without being overbearing. I hope everything works out with you and your band!
By the way, I do dig jazz.
Even though we tell the crowd it is just a sound check they still react from the first few notes, so yeah here in NJ it goes over well
I've always judged a band by this: if I walked into this bar and heard this band playing, would I stay for another drink?
Took the words out of my mouth
You're better off starting off with a moderate swing, or a faster bossa.
Same approach I use for my band - keep them on the floor. If the crowd wants a slow song we'll play it but it's not uncommon to only play one slow song for the night or even none at all. Base your set list on what the audience wants to hear. If you are paying attention they will tell you what they want to hear.
I'm not the BL, but I make the set lists because I'm a printer and it's easy for me to make high quality set lists. That being said, I always put the easiest song first. Sets seem to go much smoother once we nail a song, so why not make it the first?
A few years ago we were doing a gig but had to change the venue at the last minute because the original venue was double booked. So the patrons in the new bar had no idea that a show was happening. We're a high energy rock band... Think Foo Fighters with a girl singing. Obviously not as good, though
Our opening act was a solo girl doing piano songs. Her first song was "Mad world" by Gary Jules (which she messed up halfway through, stopped completely and started again), her second song was from the little mermaid movie, her third song was the first movement of moonlight sonata and that was it.
Not quite half the people in the room finished their drinks, paid their bill and left before she finished her little mermaid song. So yeah... start with something up tempo. Not a song that makes you re evaluate your life
After our gig, there was an MMA guy the size of a truck and drunk as hell who decided he liked our singer (who also happens to be my wife) and had a hard time taking no for an answer.
Our opening act was a solo girl doing piano songs. Her first song was "Mad world" by Gary Jules (which she messed up halfway through, stopped completely and started again), her second song was from the little mermaid movie, her third song was the first movement of moonlight sonata and that was it.
Not quite half the people in the room finished their drinks, paid their bill and left before she finished her little mermaid song. So yeah... start with something up tempo. Not a song that makes you re evaluate your life
After our gig, there was an MMA guy the size of a truck and drunk as hell who decided he liked our singer (who also happens to be my wife) and had a hard time taking no for an answer.
is your band a relative success? do you get repeat gigs? do audience members compliment the band? do people smile when the band plays?
are you 'wired' before playing (stage nerves/excitement)? uncomfortable in the "spotlight" you mentioned?
your BL may be on to something....and so might you be on to something: definitely worth a discussion.
FWIW: my two main bands generally start with 'energy' tunes, but i wouldn't hesitate to play a ballad first, in the certain venues, or for certain audiences/events. IMO: every gig is unique.
The mention of a sound check song is important too. Context is important. If you are at a festival where sound check really means line check, then your first song is often a waster, because it will sound rough. At a theatre on the other hand, the audience are there for you, and sound tweaking has been done without them present. That means you choose a song that works for them. You using it as a warm up may well be true, but they don't know that. Some kinds of music even have signature songs that you just have to do to get going, and even a slow but well loved one can work. Other songs are chosen so that they can feature the vocalist. In one project, we start to play a very well known ballad that the audience spot after just two notes. It stays dark and the singer starts singing in the wings, she then appears just as the drums and bass comes in. Always gets a round of applause mid song. My other band couldn't do that, and first song will either be hit them between the eyes with four instruments and four singing from beat one, or a song with a vamp start that can be talked over if that's more appropriate for the gig. It's not just slow/fast it has to just be the right song for the audience and event.
