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Repeating songs at a paying gig? Thoughts?

tspallone

tspallone

Guest
Oct 13, 2011
341
171
Nanuet, NY
www.tomspallone.com
#1
I've been playing with a couple guys for a few months at a rehearsal studio, just to keep the live thing going and the drummer came in with a paying gig. It's been very disorganized from the beginning in my opinion and it's a jazz standard type of thing but, it does move to open blues jams. Problem is, we're basically a 3 piece and are having a hard time getting keys and more importantanly a sax player to play melodies. It's a low key gig at a farmers market and the pay is way more than I'd get working an hourly wage a Target but, we've got 6 songs for a 2 hour gig. AND, the sax player that's supposed to sit in missed the 2nd to last rehearsal and we've only played with him once. We've got about 10 days to the gig. Like I said, it's a no pressure thing and the drummer who set the whole thing up doesn't feel that playing a 6 song set 3 or 4 times is going to be a problem. Probably not but, I'm uneasy about it. I sent them all some sheet music and some mp3's to long, easy songs that I feel could act as filler and some EVERYONE knows or, SHOULD know. (Do it again (Steely Dan)....Rise (Herb Albert)) but, it was shot down to favor playing the 6 bits over and over again.

What are your thoughts on this. I'm gonna do it, of course but, I could have added an easy 30 minutes to the set only to have to repeat the whole things twice, which, I think is acceptable but, barely.

Thanks.
 
#3
repeating a song or two during a 4 hour bar set I could live with. Repeating the same 6 songs over and over I could not. If it turns into a blues thing then why repeat those 6 songs. How many 12 bar blues songs could you throw together in one practice? Many should be the answer.......
 
#10
Oh my Gawd! The drunks will hear the same song twice? How can it be? Some of you guys need to take this stuff WAY less serious.
I have repeated songs from the first set in the last set. No-one cared. Ever. Usually it isn't even the same people there by that point, or there were very few people at our first set.
 
#16
obimark said:
Oh my Gawd! The drunks will hear the same song twice? How can it be? Some of you guys need to take this stuff WAY less serious.
I have repeated songs from the first set in the last set. No-one cared. Ever. Usually it isn't even the same people there by that point, or there were very few people at our first set.
Click to expand...

Well, there are at least TWO of us! I'm with you. A lot of people here try to make rocket surgery out of rock n roll.

I bet you guys are no fun taking kids to a theme park either! "Dad, I wanna ride that again!"
"No way! We already did that! That would be REPEATING!"

(By the way, in case you missed it, live music is just about as serious as a theme park. Both are entertainment. If you take music more seriously than a theme park you are missing a GOLDEN opportunity to have some FUN!)

Glad I'm not in a band with you guys.
 
#17
Here's the problem: It's a PAYING gig, so your goal is to be asked back. BUT, if you repeat songs, those who hired you may not necessarily like this. And they may not ask you back.

OR, suppose there's someone in the audience who may be looking for a band for some party or function. Trust me, you don't want to repeat songs. You always want to put your best foot foreword. Just sayin'.
 

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