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Repeating songs at a paying gig? Thoughts?

Perfect answer. Sweet, sweet revenge for all of us who've practiced our butts off for those things. Do the people that hired you know that you only have six songs down ?

I once quit a band because the bandleader liked to play The Breakup Song by Greg Khin more than once in an evening. No requests, just his favorite song. It wasn't just that but it stands out as a main reason, anyway.

If I had to play any song by Greg Khin even once, I would probably be looking for an exit.
 
If I had to play any song by Greg Khin even once, I would probably be looking for an exit.

You should see the cover of his C.D.(the b/l ) It's of him sitting next to a phone with a sad expression on his face and his arm tucked under his chin like he's waiting for his girl to call. He was going through a divorce at the time and it was an interesting attempt at trying to capture her sympathy , I guess.
 
And these people tend to grab a chair and just hang out for more than 6 jazz tunes and possibly a couple of blues jams at the farmer's market? I didn't realize the live music was the draw at those things...... anywhere...... even NY.

I would highly recommend going to a large farmer's market to get an idea of what they are really about. It's not just farmers and corn there.

There are all sorts of food vendors, artists, musicians, etc. in addition to the produce-selling farmers. There's nothing better than gaining first-hand knowledge about a subject.
 
Sorry, but that is NOT the attitude of a professional.

And it's also not very nice.

It's saying that some people deserve respect, and some people don't, and it's basing that on how much you're being paid, or how fancy a venue is.

.

+7500 ;)
I agreed so much and so fast to your response that i didnt bother to finish the thread..



IMO, THAT is what two fingers is missing..its not always about people taking a cornfield gig / or any gig too seriously..
It's only about honoring your commitment.that's it.

If it pays more it's more serious?
Screw the farmers?..Hildi n whomever?
Real Nice.
I usually Used to agree with several of your posts. But this thing you have about telling people to "relax, and taking things too serious"?.. I don't get it.
A commitment should be a commitment.... kinda speaks of character I guess...wether7500 or Free.

k..
off to finish the thread.
 
Committment?- When did I commit that I couldn't repeat a song or two out of three 50 minute sets? Is that in some contract?
(I do agree that playing 5-6 songs for two hours is not enough)
Especially if it is a couple of more popular songs, like Nothing but a GOod time, etc...
 
If the songs are indeed standards, change the feel each time. Straight the first time, Bossa next maybe Ballad. Improvise more on the melody. Change the time sig. Transpose. You could very easily make each pass sound like a different song. Play some blues in between. If these guys are worth there weight, it should be easy to fill three hours. I've done plenty of gigs where I show up not having rehearsed nor even met the guys I'm playing with, and things have always gone fine. Painless, even FUN. So get creative and enjoy the time you get to play music!

Oh, and don't take any more gigs till you learn more songs!

My .02¢,

Johno!

That is such a good idea. Well done!
 
Depending on the venue, not repeating a song multiple times is as bad as playing the same song back to back.

I played in a little country band and we played places where dancing was almost as popular as drinking and whatever the current top country dance tune was would be requested over and over again all night. At first we would play it once then tell the girls requesting it we'd already done it. They would get all pouty and petulant and hang out at the stage trying to get us to do their favorite (at the moment) song again so they could drag Billy Bob back out on the floor to strut their stuff for him another time.

If the place was big on line dancing, we could have gotten away with playing the same two or three songs all night.

Point being, if you are hired as entertainers and if the people you are being paid to entertain want to hear the same song 4 or 5 times that night, you are being paid to make them happy, not enlighten them to your musical ethics and/or mastery of a song list so massive you need never repeat a tune on that particular job.

What is truly ironic is you will work the same room two weekends in a row and do the same set list, with maybe a few minor variations and not even give it a second thought, but the same song in the same night somehow implies a lack of skill or a slight to your honor as a musician?

When you are being paid it is for your skill as a player, but it is also for your ability to show the unwashed masses in attendance a good time. If that good time includes wanting to hear certain songs more than once, it is a testament to your skill as an entertainer to play them with a smile, even if it's twisting your panties so hard it hurts your ego something awful.
 
Depending on the venue, not repeating a song multiple times is as bad as playing the same song back to back.

I played in a little country band and we played places where dancing was almost as popular as drinking and whatever the current top country dance tune was would be requested over and over again all night. At first we would play it once then tell the girls requesting it we'd already done it. They would get all pouty and petulant and hang out at the stage trying to get us to do their favorite (at the moment) song again so they could drag Billy Bob back out on the floor to strut their stuff for him another time.

If the place was big on line dancing, we could have gotten away with playing the same two or three songs all night.

Point being, if you are hired as entertainers and if the people you are being paid to entertain want to hear the same song 4 or 5 times that night, you are being paid to make them happy, not enlighten them to your musical ethics and/or mastery of a song list so massive you need never repeat a tune on that particular job.

What is truly ironic is you will work the same room two weekends in a row and do the same set list, with maybe a few minor variations and not even give it a second thought, but the same song in the same night somehow implies a lack of skill or a slight to your honor as a musician?

When you are being paid it is for your skill as a player, but it is also for your ability to show the unwashed masses in attendance a good time. If that good time includes wanting to hear certain songs more than once, it is a testament to your skill as an entertainer to play them with a smile, even if it's twisting your panties so hard it hurts your ego something awful.

Hmm...the gig police may be ok with this one ONLY because pretty girls are involved. As long as you have supporting documentation, they may just issue you a warning.
 
I can see other people have a different take on this, but to me the right thing to do is play a pro job or don't play at all. I would really detest having to go out with only six songs and repeat them over and over, regardless of the venue or audience. It's just so second rate.

To the people who think it won't matter, I'd say "Perhaps it won't - but what if it does?"

I think the OP's bandmates have a really questionable attitude to the band's work if this is the best solution they can come up with to a lack of material. Personally I would bail out of that sort of setup without hesitation. Just my 2c, YMMV and so on. :)
 
Aside from the issue of repeating songs, anyone who even suggests that because it's "just a farmer's market" we don't need to care about what we present to people should not be playing music in public.

Any musical performer who does not give his or her all, regardless of who is in the audience or how big it is, does not deserve the title of musician.
 
Just play blues in E for the whole 2 hours and throw different lyrics over the top of em.when I would play guitar infront of the grocery store for spare change when I was a kid it was hours of 12 bar blues and I would sing about the pepole I saw they love that stuff and The turnover is the same at a farmers market, enjoy, Randy Newman :D
 
Aside from the issue of repeating songs, anyone who even suggests that because it's "just a farmer's market" we don't need to care about what we present to people should not be playing music in public.

Any musical performer who does not give his or her all, regardless of who is in the audience or how big it is, does not deserve the title of musician.

+1. Yep.

But unfortunately hacks are giving the profession a bad rap and driving wages down. :mad: