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Set list blows

#21
Xemoran said:
A lot of good suggestion and I appreciate all the input. I'm gonna try to answer as many as possible with one post. Drummer and singer married so can't replace the singer. It's the singer and guitar plays band. I'm the newest one also the youngest. Mostly playing in biker bar to an older crowd 50+. We are playing at a new venue which is 21 - 30. I'm 29, I use to work at this venue for a year. I told her our songs will not work there. She is oblivious. I think I'm just gonna let them not ask us back and then fix it then.
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You might be in a rough spot. It might be hard to gain traction with the drummer since he might be obligated to take her side. (Maybe not. But maybe.) The other person in the band, the guitarist, formed the band and thus is probably on board with the music selection. The other band members are older than you are, and it seems that they have historically played to an older crowd (and still do so in the biker bar). It sounds as though you're going to have an uphill battle here - but it really depends on how the rest of the band feels about it, and since you're the new guy, my guess is that they aren't going to want to budge much. That said, perhaps I'm wrong. If their desire to play new venues and make more money is greater than their desire to play the setlist they know, maybe you'll be in luck.
 
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#24
Everyone's replaceable but a band is as good as it's singer so if they're good, better to work it out than fire them. Also depends on where you're located and how deep the pool is.
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Yes and no. A good singer who isn't a good entertainer isn't doing the job. Good singers are rare, and you might need to toss them a bone now and then, but they need to understand why they are there.
 
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#25
mike buzzetti said:
BTW even Bikers love it !
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Bikers like anything......I did Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys, and a bunch of synth pop for bikers many years ago and it always went over huge......One of my favorite sideways compliments I got back in the day was from a biker that said, "You guys are great.....I don't like your music but you're making my old lady very happy "
 
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#26
You CAN find good "B-side" choices from popular bands. But you cannot make that 50% of your set list. We have done some obscure Motown and had a crowd of older folks get up to dance to them. It's a fickle choice though. We try to compromise to "hits you forgot you like" and that works fairly well. Our fewish regulars like that they hear different stuff from us. They are weird and we appreciate them for that.
 
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#30
What everyone is saying is that we must never play our own songs, since nobody knows them.
Xemoran said:
Playing with a lot of good musicians. Everyone is very talented and been playing for a while. However, the singer is picking the songs and most fall flat to the crowd. I understand not wanting to play the same as everyone else but you have to play songs that the crowd will know. I have tried hinting at it with no avail. How do I tell her these songs suck wile keeping my spot in the band.
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#32
I would MUCH prefer, both as a band member, but also as an audience guy, to hear the majority of the songs to be well known and "right for the place" PLUS some new/own/less known songs. If I hear 5-6 well played covers, then hearing one original song in a similar style is fine!
Unfortunately, one of my bands is doing the opposite, with too many "almost famous" songs, a few list toppers, and own material. The mindset of the guitar player / BL is the reason. Gigs are few, and the audience likes us, but do not dance much... :rollno:
 
#33
themickster said:
What everyone is saying is that we must never play our own songs, since nobody knows them.
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Not even close. But there's and unwritten agreement between the band and the audience. If the audience KNOWS it is attending the show of an originals band, you're good to go. Play (literally) whatever the heck you want. But if they're just going to a bar to hear a cover band play, you had better play at least 75% hits. Indulge yourself a couple of songs per set. Other than that, familiarity will win the day.
 
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#34
@Xemoran first off, welcome to TalkBass!!!! I didn't realize you were new to us.

The married couple in your band makes things a bit more complicated. You said it's the singer and guitar player's band. No true. The drummer sleeps with the singer. So he's part owner too. In essence, it's everyone's band except yours. :D

You have an uphill battle to say the least.

If we're being honest here, I would start looking for another band while you're trying to fix this one. Get in with some younger people who are more like-minded.

Best of luck either way.
 
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#36
rockdoc11 said:
Something I was told by an experienced muso many years ago has always run true for me at gigs.

"People don't know what they like. They like what they know."

Like most others on this forum, I'd love to do cool unknown tunes and have the crowd go wild each time. But it usually doesn't happen.

So we crank up "Uptown Funk," and it does.
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This is inline with my quote: Sometimes a sloppily played Margaritaville will please more than a perfectly executed original.
 
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#37
"Bloodletting" is maybe a good song for 3-sets Halloween gig where you need to have some fillers in your setlist anyway. Other than that, no.
I agree with @two fingers in that you need a subtle way to raise a concern with your bandmates.
 
#39
Like others have said... it's a tough call for you. Lead singers may be confined by their range and there are many musicians who only play what they like. Sounds like you're in that type of band. Being 63 in a "dad" or "granddad" cover band, we focus on songs almost everyone knows with an emphasis on danceable tunes.

My band is 2 guitarists, a female lead singer and me on bass...no drummer. And the lead singer is my wife. I see where the "married thing" in a band can be a problem. But, for us, the bottom line is "are people dancing"? It doesn't matter how much we like the song...if the audience doesn't respond...time for one they will respond to.

If a singer can't sing a popular, or requested, song in the original key...transpose it. It's time to have an honest, and rational, discussion about your concerns. If not, the lack of future gigs will inform you what YOU need to do.
 
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#40
I've been in a similar situation before.
It took our lead singer 16 years to fire the guitarist, who was not only consistently inconsistent, it was his best mate too.
Eventually he dragged his wife in for backing vocals and the occasional front line singer.
Putting it bluntly, she was awful.
It took 16 years to let his best mate go. It's highly unlikely he was going to sack his wife...
Anyway, they found the excuse they needed and that was to have an outsider come in and abuse the drummer who would simply say, that song isn't for you... or, you're pitching.... Instead of rectifying the problem, they'd rather accuse someone else who could see the problem and offer a solution..

These kinds of band relationships do not end well. They cost you time that you can never regain.

Run. Don't walk. Run.
Find yourself a bunch of musicians of similar age, who are not sleeping with each other, where you don't have to carry anyone else and who like similar music to you.

There's trillions of songs out there. You don't have to settle for mediocre sound, taste, style, venues or other people's problems.
Life's to short for that and you only get 1 shot at it.
If there's something about a band I do not like or musician(s) I dislike, I'm out of there...
 
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