Playing a motor cycle meeting/party

[jive1]

I don't know if everyone has this experience, but one of the things I love about biker gigs is that the audience actually pays attention to the instruments and not just the vocalist. A killer guitarist, drummer, bassist, etc. is just as appreciated if not more than a good vocalist.

 

[bluewine]

Great thread, very cool because I was not aware of how cool and fun it is to play the biker bar circuit until I joined my current band about a year ago.

A few more comments.

Don't mess with anyonr named *Sonny.

Any of you guys remember the huge Harley Davidson Aniversary in Milwaukee, maybe 10 years ago. Bikers came in from all over the country. Melencamp backed out at the last minute and they booked Elton. That was weird

blue

* Altmont reference

 

[Bert Slide]

Read Hunter Thompson "Hells Angels" and Sonny Barger's autobiography "Hells Angel" and anything the Stones org. has said about the Altamonte incident for some interesting different perspectives on what went down.

 

[bluewine]

Read Hunter Thompson "Hells Angels" and Sonny Barger's autobiography "Hells Angel" and anything the Stones org. has said about the Altamonte incident for some interesting different perspectives on what went down.

I will, thanks so much for recommendation.

Blue

 

[Munjibunga]

I was there.

Blue

Hmmm. I would've sworn you were 8 years younger than me. That would've made you 13 at the time.

 

[lfmn16]

Hmmm. I would've sworn you were 8 years younger than me. That would've made you 13 at the time.

We need a feature so that someone on your ignore list's quotes don't show up. The piece you quoted is just plain ridiculous.

No offense directed at you Munjibunga.

 

[Munjibunga]

We need a feature so that someone on your ignore list's quotes don't show up. The piece you quoted is just plain ridiculous.

No offense directed at you Munjibunga.

None taken. I've never put anyone on ignore - I don't tend to get butthurt.

 

[ChrisB2]

Howdy I was just asked to book for a biker club annual party.

Have you guys done it.... Any tips or advice?

Yes we do them, I'll just echo the other tips and advice.

All the bikers I've encountered have been very nice and appreciative.

As for the music, we just play whatever we're playing everywhere else at the time. Of course most of our songs are classic rock, southern rock, and country, so we're already set. We do get a little more request for Skynyrd than usual... if you want to really win them over, play Simple Man.

 

[bluewine]

Hmmm. I would've sworn you were 8 years younger than me. That would've made you 13 at the time.

I'm 59.

Blue

 

[bluewine]

Hmmm. I would've sworn you were 8 years younger than me. That would've made you 13 at the time.

I'm 59, I think I was 16.

Blue

 

[jaywa]

I've played gigs at the Sturgis Rally the last two years. Good times, great crowds and really good treatment by the venues who hired us.

Steppenwolf, BOC, ZZ Top etc. are the obvious "safe bets" as far as material but don't pidgeonhole this crowd either. We were on a multi-band bill one day out at Sturgis and the band ahead of us went on and I guess they must have figured this dark/goth stuff is what bikers wanted so every song was Alice in Chains, Godsmack, etc. They played the songs reasonably well but it was a total fail in terms of crowd response. We went on, did our standard show (which is about 80% classic and new country with no ZZ Top or Skynard anywhere to be found) and the place went nuts (in a good way). I'd like to think at least some of it was that we delivered about 10 times the energy as the band before us but it goes to show you can't always peg a crowd 100% based on stereotypes.

One thing about bikers is that by and large, what you see with them is what you get. They do not like posers. So you need to really be true to your identity as a band (whatever that is), and give 100% effort. Do that and you should be fine.

Oh yeah,

Never touch their bikes nor their women. Ever.

This, definitely.

 

[Munjibunga]

I'm 59.

Blue

Five years, then.

 

[blues.bass]

I was there.

Blue

Where? Altmont or Altamont?

 

[SpecialBlender]

Played a small town rodeo weekend 5 years running. For the last 50 years it has been a destination for many bikers & clubs who take in the rodeo and party all weekend. The town has gone out of their way to make them feel welcome and they have returned the favor by policing themselves. In the old community hall where we played they have a small mezzanine area at the back of the hall and the "old" bikers would take turns watching their fellow riders in the hall. If anyone started to get even a little bit out of hand he would suddenly find himself surrounded and escorted outside until he settled down.

The only fight I ever saw was a couple of drunk cowboys getting into it at the end of the night.

Played a mix of classic rock and up tempo country and had an absolute blast.

 

[Richland123]

A few other acts you might to cover

Bachman-Turner Overdrive - anything
Billy Idol - White Wedding, Rebel Yell, Blue Highway, Mony Mony
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - more of the uptempo stuff but some of the slower tunes work
Neil Young - Rockin' In The Free World, etc.
Gran Funk Railroad - anything
Ted Nugent - anything